Is our university system broken?
Students are dropping out, academics are burning out, so is enough being done to save higher education? It's a multibillion-dollar sector, employing and educating millions, with expectations it can deliver the solutions and the workers Australia needs. But Emeritus Professor Graeme Turner says universities are in serious trouble. This conversation was recorded at Readings Books on 15 July 2025. Speakers Graeme Turner Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Queensland Author of 30 books including Broken: Universities, politics and the public good (From Monash University Publishing's In the National Interest series) Dr Ben Eltham (host) Lecturer in the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University NTEU delegate, journalist and commentator From the Big Ideas archive: Higher education for everyone in Australia — is it doable? - Big Ideas, ABC Radio National, 18 June 2024
September 4, 2025
54 min
83 of 248
September 4, 2025
Is our university system broken?
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Progressive Liberal Party Episodes Around September 4, 2025
Episode 83 of 248 — walk the feed in the order it was published.
54:05This episodeIs our university system broken?
Summary
<p>Students are dropping out, academics are burning out, so is enough being done to save higher education? It's a multibillion-dollar sector, employing and educating millions, with expectations it can deliver the solutions and the workers Australia needs. But Emeritus Professor Graeme Turner says universities are in serious trouble.</p><p>This conversation was recorded at <a href="https://www.readings.com.au/events/graeme-turner-in-conversation">Readings Books</a> on 15 July 2025.</p><p>Speakers</p><p><a href="https://graemeturner.org/">Graeme Turner </a>Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of QueenslandAuthor of 30 books including Broken: Universities, politics and the public good (From Monash University Publishing's In the National Interest series)</p><p><a href="https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/ben-eltham">Dr Ben Eltham</a> (host) Lecturer in the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash UniversityNTEU delegate, journalist and commentator</p><p>From the Big Ideas archive:</p><p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/bigideas/higher-education-access-equity-for-everyone/103872148">Higher education for everyone in Australia — is it doable?</a> - Big Ideas, ABC Radio National, 18 June 2024</p>