Greens congratulate UOW community campaign for funding boost

Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon has congratulated the University of Wollongong for its community campaign to convince the Labor government to increase public funding for the university.

"With the University of Wollongong set to lose about $200 per student next year this campaign is urgently needed," Senator Rhiannon said.

"UOW Vice Chancellor Paul Wellings and Universities Australia in reaching out to the community are mobilising a powerful message for higher education funding to be increased.

"Labor and Coalition MPs should act on this message.

"This campaign takes on great importance as Labor has followed the Coalition to adopt a neoliberal approach to education funding, with money being decreased rather than increased.

"Labor and the Coalition are now both ushering in cuts that carry serious implications for staff and students at UOW and other universities.

"The only way we can build an innovative nation is with an educated population and that requires government investment.

"I believe this campaign will put pressure on the Labor government to increase university base funding and reverse its planned $2.3 billion cuts," Senator Rhiannon said.