A national survey of university teaching conditions in Australia. The survey of more than 4,000 Australian university staff found that class sizes have expanded dramatically since 2019, with profound consequences for the quality of education, the experience of students and staff working conditions. 

The findings paint a picture of a system under severe and sustained strain: academics and professional staff stretched to their limits, and students unable to access the individual support they need and deserve.

Key findings

• More than six-in-ten staff report tutorial and lab sizes have increased since 2019.
• The proportion of tutorials with 30 or more students has more than doubled.
• More than eight-in-ten say their ability to support students individually has been compromised - half significantly.
• 78% have watched student engagement and learning outcomes get worse.
• Only 1.7% report any improvement in student outcomes since 2019.
• The proportion of tutorials in the optimal range of 10 to 19 students has more than halved.