The University of Western Sydney has become the first in NSW to freeze student fees.
Vice chancellor Barney Glover said the decision was made to ensure students were not affected by fee increases proposed by the federal government.
The freeze will apply to all new domestic students commencing any time in 2014 in a Commonwealth-supported place.
‘‘We don’t believe we can expect students to effectively sign a blank cheque as, like most universities, we are not yet in a position to provide our fees in the new environment,’’Professor Glover said.
‘‘The University of Western Sydney is firmly part of the greater western Sydney community, and we understand the need to provide our students and our region with high-quality, accessible higher education.
‘‘We understand that the proposed changes to fees are of concern to prospective students and their families in western Sydney.”
Professor Glover said the university had a strong track record listening to the concerns of the community and responding promptly.
‘‘Although this decision will have an impact on the university’s revenue, we believe it is more important that we ensure students are able to make a clear decision about their study ambitions without the current uncertainty,’’ he said.
