Students and universities have warned the Coalition against its proposal to abolish compulsory student fees, voicing concerns it could damage the international standing of Australian education and lead to critical services being scrapped.

The education minister, Christopher Pyne, announced he would get rid of compulsory student fees, scrap targets to increase the number of disadvantaged students in university and consider reintroducing caps on university places.

Belinda Robinson, the chief executive of the peak body for universities, Universities Australia, said the abolition of university student fees "didn't come as a huge surprise" but there were still concerns about the move.

"I think we will really need to work closely with the government to ensure the services that the fee pays for are continued in some way because these are things that not only enrich the campus experience of those who study at university but these are really critical services," she said.

Robinson said welfare services, financial advisory services and accommodation services were among the things the fees paid for.

"They are also important to us maintaining our international competitiveness as a destination of choice for international students. If these services are not provided you can imagine what international students and their families will think," she said.

"It will result in some quite considerable concern about the level of support that these students are going to receive when they come to Australia."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/25/students-universities-scrapping-student-fees