New research shows Job-ready Graduates package has had limited impact on student preferences.

University of Melbourne researchers Maxwell Yong, Assoc Prof Michael Coelli, and Dr Jan Kabatek analysed domestic student preferences and enrolments between 2014 and 2022.

They discovered a minor change in student preferences as a result of the JRG reform with an estimated 2 per cent of students changing their course preferences. History, philosophy and legal studies saw the highest decline in student preferences at 7 per cent, although this had a relatively small impact on absolute numbers.

Evidence also shows that the JRG reform had a limited impact on enrolments by field of study with enrolments largely following student preferences.

These findings support DASSH’s call to scrap the JRG as part of our submission to the Universities Accord. Rather than influencing study choices, the JRG has instead saddled students in humanities, arts and social sciences with disproportionately high fees. The JRG also goes directly against the Government’s equity agenda.