The funding of higher education in Australia is at a crossroads. Our goal should be a competitive higher education system that ranks among the world’s best, and there is a need for researchers and commentators to continue the debate as to how this can be achieved.

Income contingent loans facilitate equitable access for students, but there are questions about financial sustainability, and anomalies with respect to subsidies, coverage, and effective interest rates. A major issue that has emerged over the last year of debate is related to the role and potential consequences of fee deregulation. As well, there are arguments from some that universities, as beneficiaries of tuition charges, should be more accountable for both debt repayment and the quality of education provided.

There are also potentially important lessons from overseas concerning the implications of policy choices with respect to government outlays, student charges and university and student behaviour. Further debate is also warranted on the nature and extent of student income support.

Our hope is that this forum will add substantially to the debate, and provide policymakers with more information about possible financing choices and their implications.

The forum will be opened by Professor Brian Schmidt, ANU. Confirmed presenters include: Susan Dynarski, University of Michigan; Lorraine Dearden, Institute for Fiscal Studies, UK; Miguel Palacios, Vanderbilt University; Andrew Norton, Grattan Institute; David Phillips, Phillips KPA; Sean Leaver, RMIT; Rabee Tourky and Rohan Pitchford, ANU; and a panel of higher education experts including Bruce Chapman from Crawford School, with others to be announced.

Registration from 8.30am and drinks from 5.30-6.30pm following the event.

This forum is being hosted jointly by Crawford School of Public Policy, Research School of Finance, Actuarial Studies and Statistics, and Research School of Economics at The Australian National University.

Organising committee: Bruce Chapman (Crawford School of Public Policy), Tim Higgins (RSFAS), Maria Racionero (RSE); Scientific committee: Bruce Chapman, Tim Higgins, Maria Racionero, Steven Roberts (RSFAS) and Rabee Tourky (RSE).

Cost per person: $60, please RSVP by Friday 7 August 2015 at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/higher-education-financing-forum-tickets....