Students in Australia are increasingly studying at private providers, according to a report by the government¡¯s quality assurance watchdog.

A report by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Teqsa) says that undergraduate student numbers at for-profit colleges rose by almost 20 per cent between 2013 and 2015. In the same period, postgraduate numbers more than doubled.

These figures contrasted with those of Australia¡¯s universities, which saw a drop in the number of domestic postgraduates, instigating a 1 per cent decline in students commencing in 2015, reported.

Anthony McClaran, Teqsa¡¯s chief executive, noted that public providers still dominated the sector with more than nine in 10 students taught in universities.

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Nevertheless, numbers at universities rose by just 6 per cent compared with increases of 35 per cent at for-profit colleges, 17 per cent at not-for-profit institutions, and 20 per cent at technical and further education institutions (TAFEs).

¡°It¡¯s a sign of dynamism and the attractions of entering the sector,¡± Mr McClaran said.

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Elsewhere, the report found that there was an increasing reliance on casual staff, particularly at universities, although casualisation remained concentrated in for-profit providers.

The Teqsa report combined regulatory data with figures from the Education Department. Unlike the latter¡¯s statistical collections, which focus mainly on universities, this new report allows comparisons across the higher education sector.

john.elmes@timeshighereducation.com