EDITORIAL

Like many sectors hit hard by coronavirus, the country's universities are entering a period of soul-searching and potential transformation.

And like many other fundamental institutions of civilised society, it's a time to revisit the very reason for their existence.

What are universities for, how do they benefit society as a whole, and what do they bring to the economy?

These are serious questions worth asking, as the sector starts to pick itself out of the coronavirus-imposed doldrums.

The Morrison government's answer thus far has been that universities should be all about jobs. Specifically, steering young Australians into degrees that lead to jobs, and in the process making humanities studies either unaffordable or pointless.

As universities anticipate record numbers of applications for study in 2021 as the COVID recession sinks in, federal Education Minister Dan Tehan announced on Friday a rejigging of university funding.

"One of the sad things when you have a recession is that youth unemployment does grow and we've got to make sure that we skill young Australians so when the jobs are there, they can take them," Mr Tehan told ABC television on Friday.

This initiative will include major increases to the number of university places over the next three years.

It also means fees will double for some arts courses, and fall for STEM subjects.

It's a long-running joke that arts degrees will get you nowhere. They don't always, on their own, lead directly to jobs, in the same way that a degree in law, IT engineering or medicine will.

But making the humanities out of reach for low-income students makes a mockery of the fundamental tenet of higher education.

Education and learning, of all kinds, are key to a well-functioning society.

While this period of economic hardship and recovery is a good time to revisit the purpose of Australia's universities - several of which are among the best in the world - this should not be to the exclusion of any one avenue of study.

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