Obstacle course

There certainly are numerous challenges facing Australian universities, and it will be interesting to see what the Norton/Kemp review has to say about uncapped student places.
The drop in students taking Science and Mathematics is a looming national disaster, made doubly worse by the demand-driven system, which allows Mathematics and Science departments simply to be phased out if student interest wanes. As a result, the nation loses an entire generation of expertise in those fields. This is unsustainable and needs urgent review.
Students avoiding lectures is a more complex issue than simply one involving ready access to IT, although that is a factor. Campuses need to be made more attractive to students, to encourage them to stay there and interact with their peers. By and large, Australian campuses are rather sterile places, leaving many students with little option to do other than attend lectures and then go home. Shared study spaces, and places for students to lock their belongings, cheap good food, are all part of the equation.
The growth in university bureaucracy also needs to be addressed. Many universities have seen a 30% growth in student numbers, not matched by a corresponding growth in the numbers of academic staff. However, there has been an explosion in the numbers of pro-vice-chancellors, executive officers, policy strategists, marketing divisions, …. How much of this is really necessary? Any review of universities needs to look at that question.