The History of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme & The Role of Academics and Economics in Public Policy

To start 2026 on a strong note, we are delighted to invite you to our first public event of the year: a plenary lecture co-hosted by the  Economic Society of Australia (SA Branch) and the Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand. This lecture is held as part of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic & Business History Conference, which Adelaide University will proudly host from 4–6 February.

Title:

The History of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme

&

The Role of Academics and Economics in Public Policy

Speaker: Emeritus Professor Bruce Chapman (Australian National University)

This public lecture will trace forty years of higher-education financing in Australia, charting the origins and long-term impacts of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) and the political economy that has shaped access and equity in tertiary education. Drawing on both Australian and international experience, the lecture will also reflect on the role of academic expertise in informing policy design and guiding governments through major reforms.

 Event Details

• Date: Wednesday, 4 February 2026
• Time: 17:30, with a reception to follow
• Venue: Adelaide University (full details will be sent in January)

Short Bio: Bruce Chapman is Emeritus Professor for Economics at the Australian National University. He is an internationally respected economist best known for designing Australia’s HECS, which was implemented in Australia 1989, and was the world's first national income-contingent student loan scheme. He has contributed extensively to higher education financing reform and debate in a large number of countries, including the UK, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, the US, Colombia, Japan, Brazil and Chile. The plenary lecture in Adelaide is a return to the roots of his academic career which started as a lecturer at the University of Adelaide in 1980.