Contrary to misleading media reports today, the Federal Government is not cutting funding to the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC). Funding for teaching and learning at USC from the Federal Government is actually increasing by $7 million, from $165 million last year, to $172 million this year.
The Federal Government is also providing USC with an additional $69.4 million over the next four years for the USC Moreton Bay campus, and is continuing to engage actively with the university concerning their Caboolture and Fraser Coast campuses.
USC had a net operating result of $28.8 million in the latest reporting period (2016), and held cash and investments of $79.9 million. This has come about in part because USC has seen the 3rd largest increase in base funding for Commonwealth supported places of any university in the country since 2009, showing the strong commitment that the Federal Government has to supporting higher education on the Sunshine Coast. I am passionate about making the Sunshine Coast the place to be for education, as well as employment and retirement, and I have advocated strongly on behalf of USC in Canberra on relevant projects like the funding of the Thompson Institute. I will continue to do so wherever appropriate.
I would encourage USC to continue to work constructively, as they have, with the Government concerning their Caboolture and Fraser Coast campuses and to put together a case for an allocation of some of the more than 650 additional Commonwealth supported bachelor and sub-bachelor places which the Government announced in the latest Federal Budget.
