Universities Australia says investing in Australia's universities is investing in Australia's future - but that future is now under threat. CQUniversity is a UA member and supporter of the 'Smartest Investment' campaign.

Details are available via: http://www.smartestinvestment.com.au/

UA says universities are crucial for our future, ensuring we are people ready, not just shovel ready - by driving the skills, science and research we need to remain competitive:

• Our graduates are worth an extraordinary $170 billion to our economy annually.

• Our universities employ over 100,000 staff and directly contributing $22 billion to our GDP (1.6 per cent).

• At around $15 billion each year, international education is Australia's largest export earner after resources.

• Australia has less than 0.3 per cent of the world's population but we account for over three per cent of the world's scientific research.

• Australia has produced 12 Nobel Prize winners

Every day over one billion people around the world rely on Australian discoveries to make their lives, and the lives of others, better.

University research and innovation leads to new products, services, industries and ways of doing things. Almost 70 per cent of all public sector patent applications come from universities.

Our universities are making the aspirations of Australians a reality:

Universities provide opportunities for a generation of young people - equipping them with the knowledge and skills for tomorrow's economy.

Universities provide the opportunity for young Australians to improve their lives with research showing that 88 per cent of families aspire for their children to go to university.

Our universities are a vital pillar of local economies:

Universities are significant contributors to their local communities by providing local employment opportunities, building vital infrastructure and even through local community and sporting grants.

In the regional areas alone they:

Directly employ over 10,000 Australians and are often the biggest employer in their local area.

Are providing the opportunity for increasing numbers of regional Australians to gain advanced skills and knowledge at university, enrolling over 100,000 students.

Closely collaborate with regional business and industry, helping diversity and transforming their local communities.

Contribute over $2 billion to regional economies each year.

Undertake research that has a strong regional focus but is of national and international significance. For example, regional university research has been central to the competitiveness of Australia's agricultural sector.

The importance of universities to our future competiveness is growing rapidly:

More than half the jobs created in the Australian economy this year will require a university qualification.

High skilled jobs are growing 1.6 times faster than low skilled ones.

By 2025, there could be a shortfall of 2.8 million higher skilled qualifications needed by industry and the economy.

As global competition intensifies, we must diversify and grow by creating new industries to transform our economy and strengthen our society. In short, we must build a new pillar of the economy.

The strongest nations in our region are investing in their best resource - their minds - by driving skills, science and research at universities.

Yet our universities, and Australia's future prosperity, is under threat:

There have been $3.8 billion in cuts made to universities and student support since late last year.

The latest OECD figures show our public investment in tertiary education as a percentage of GDP is ranked just 25th out of 29 advanced economies.

Since 1995, other OECD countries have, on average, grown their investment in university education and research by over 200 per cent more than Australia.

The time to act is now to stop us falling behind:

We must ensure we have a smarter and stronger Australia by proper public investment in our universities by supporting our University Australia's Smartest Investment Campaign

Through the campaign every Australian can send an email directly to their local MP calling for them to increase investment in universities, not cut it.

Website: http://www.smartestinvestment.com.au/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/smartestinvestment

Twitter: @investinausunis (#investinunis)

University education is the Smartest Investment you can make:

One extra dollar invested in tertiary education grows the economy by $26 and grows tax revenue by $8.

University education and research provides a strong base on which to build a new pillar to grow our economy (ensuring we are people ready, not just shovel ready) - the time for action is now.

Remember, investing in universities is investing in our future.