Preamble:
‘Australia is at an economic and productivity crossroads. In an era of sweeping change, other nations are seizing the future with investments in higher education, research, innovation and skills.
‘Australia now faces a stark choice: we either make our own investment—or we fall behind those nations that do.
‘Equipping ourselves for the dramatic economic transformation ahead is an urgent task. Indeed, our future prosperity depends on it. That’s why we need a new contract with the Australian public—supported by political bipartisanship—that grasps the direct link between our national investment in education, research and innovation, and Australia’s economic fortunes in the years to come.
‘In 2013, Universities Australia released A Smarter Australia: An agenda for higher education 2013–2016 (the UA Policy Statement). This document outlined the policy reforms needed for the sector to deliver in the best interests of students and the nation. Although the external environment in which universities operate is constantly changing, the UA Policy Statement has proved to be resilient in its relevance. It continues to represent the higher education sector’s view on the policy platform needed to support a strong, dynamic and responsive national university system. This 2016 UA Policy Statement—Keep it Clever—should be read in conjunction with the UA Policy Statement A Smarter Australia.’