Rising Costs and Course Cuts Threaten the Future of Humanities Education in Australia

Impact of Job-Ready Graduates Scheme Raises Concerns Over Future of Humanities

The wave of job cuts in the education sector has affected universities globally, with Australia’s higher education system particularly impacted. A convergence of financial, policy, and strategic pressures has contributed to these significant losses. Moreover, a sharp decline in international student enrolments, stricter visa regulations, and proposed federal caps have severely reduced university revenues, placing over 14,000 jobs at risk.

Stephen Garton, President of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, has voiced serious concern over proposed funding cuts and reportedly wrote to the Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU). According to Garton, these cuts could severely undermine the essential research infrastructure in the humanities. Institutions potentially affected include ANU’s Humanities Research Centre, the Australian Dictionary of Biography, the Australian National Dictionary Centre, several humanities disciplines, the Centre for European Studies, and the ANU School of Music.

Kylie Message, Director of the Humanities Research Centre (HRC), whose position is reportedly under threat, stated that ANU is dismantling the only centre of its kind in scale and influence across Australia and the Pacific. Critics argue that weakening Australia’s national humanities capacity is particularly ill-timed, given the current global challenges of political instability, the societal impact of artificial intelligence, economic inequality, climate change, and eroding trust in democratic institutions. Advocates contend that these complex issues demand thoughtful, independent Australian perspectives, perspectives that the humanities are uniquely positioned to provide by fostering deeper understanding of identity, community, and societal transformation.

The proposed cuts at ANU follow reports that Macquarie University is considering the removal of 11 out of 14 sociology positions. Macquarie also plans to discontinue several programmes, including the Sociology major within the Bachelor of Arts, the Master of Public and Social Policy, and the Politics major. These developments are viewed as part of a broader crisis in the humanities and social sciences across Australian universities. Institutions nationwide are reportedly reviewing or eliminating these disciplines to reduce costs. At the University of Wollongong, for instance, staff were informed in late 2024 that up to 137 positions could be cut, raising concerns that the history department may be dismantled entirely.

In response to mounting pressures, humanities and social sciences academics have begun mobilising through petitions, open letters, and collective action, while continuing to fulfil core responsibilities such as teaching, supervising graduate students, conducting research, and securing grants. Many report experiencing a mix of anxiety and frustration over what they perceive as existential threats to their disciplines. The Australian Historical Association (AHA) recently issued an open letter urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to abolish the Job-Ready Graduates (JRG) scheme and introduce a fairer university fee structure, one that does not financially disadvantage students pursuing humanities and social sciences.

Introduced in 2021 by the Morrison government, the JRG scheme aimed to steer students towards fields such as STEM, education, and health by substantially increasing fees for arts degrees. However, it has faced widespread criticism and failed to achieve its objectives. The Australian Universities Accord’s final report (2024) found that only 1.5% of students changed their course preferences due to fee adjustments. Meanwhile, the cost of a standard three-year humanities degree has risen to nearly $51,000.

While in opposition, Labour strongly criticised the JRG scheme. Then-shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek condemned it as a “total fraud,” unworthy of support from anyone with “common sense or a conscience.” Despite the Accord’s recommendation to abolish the scheme, the Albanese government has deferred action, citing the newly established independent tertiary commission as the body responsible for future decisions on tuition fees. In its open letter to Prime Minister Albanese, the AHA, endorsed by prominent scholars, argued that the JRG scheme undermines Australia’s national interest. The letter questioned who would study the nation’s region, heritage, and values if students were deterred from pursuing the humanities.

The AHA also highlighted the relevance of arts degrees by referencing the educational backgrounds of federal politicians. Research by the Australia Institute revealed that over one-third of current MPs hold arts degrees, including Tanya Plibersek and Dan Tehan. It further noted that major technology firms such as Google and Apple actively recruit humanities graduates for their strengths in creativity, critical thinking, and analysis. While staff would bear the immediate burden of proposed academic cuts, critics argue that the broader public stands to lose the most. Associate Professor Justine Lloyd of Macquarie University warned that eliminating sociology programmes would yield minimal financial savings at significant human cost. She described these disciplines as vital to fostering critical thought and advancing social justice. Lloyd and her colleagues cautioned that such cuts risk diminishing intellectual diversity, marginalising vulnerable students, and undermining universities’ commitments to equity and inclusion.

Echoing these concerns, writer and emeritus professor Gail Jones warned against evaluating cultural knowledge solely through an economic lens. She argued that contributions to the public good stem not from market utility, but from cultivating intellectual depth and openness to new ideas. Former academic Jenna Price added a pointed critique, expressing disillusionment with the state of Australian universities. She reportedly urged young Australians to reconsider enrolling in higher education, framing her statement as a call to reflect on a troubling reality: even a progressive government appears willing to render humanities degrees inaccessible to students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, the very group Labour has historically pledged to support in expanding access to tertiary education.

Emeritus Professor Louise Edwards of the University of New South Wales, and a member of the Council of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, emphasised the growing need for individuals who understand human relationships, motivations, beliefs, and emotions. In a statement to Crikey, she observed that while engineers may design instruments of war, it is the humanities that enable society to understand why individuals choose to use them, even at the cost of their own lives. Although government officials and university leaders are responsible for managing public funds and often justify decisions as serving the national interest, critics argue that failing to recognise the value of critical and imaginative thought, and the study of human nature, risks undermining the very capacities essential to safeguarding that interest. The future of the humanities in Australia hangs in the balance, and the decisions made today will shape the intellectual and cultural landscape for generations to come.

Editor’s Note:

Australia's universities, particularly their humanities departments, are facing a significant crisis. What began as job reductions has escalated, jeopardising over 14,000 positions and leading to the closure of entire departments. This crisis, which also affects student affordability for humanities degrees, poses a serious threat to the nation's cultural and intellectual trajectory. The 2021 Job-Ready Graduates (JRG) scheme aimed to steer students towards science and healthcare, but instead hiked humanities fees to nearly $51,000. This change has had minimal impact on student choices (1.5%), suggesting it's a political, not economic, move. Despite past opposition, the Labour government now delays action until a 2026 education commission. Consequently, universities like ANU and Macquarie are cutting history, philosophy, and literature programs, subjects vital for societal understanding.

Skoobuzz firmly believes that Australia's disregard for the humanities is critical. These fields, essential for understanding complex issues like war, inequality, climate change, and democracy, are not a luxury but a necessity. They cultivate empathy, deep thought, and ethical leadership. Neglecting them risks a nation with strong infrastructure but lacking wisdom and understanding.