There's no better place in the Hunter Region to discover this than the University of Newcastle.

It's a crucial institution to Newcastle, the Central Coast and many other areas.

One of the most important parts of the university has, for many years, been it's so-called "enabling programs".

This includes the Newstep, Open Foundation and Yapug courses. These free courses enable students to gain qualifications to be admitted to study for an undergraduate degree.

The future of these courses is unclear because of a federal government review into the funding of places for them.

The power of these courses cannot be underestimated. They enable people to enter university who otherwise would not get the chance.

Take, for example, a person who did not find the academic side of high school compelling enough to apply themselves properly. Or a person who had a difficult youth and was unable to do well at school. Or an Aboriginal person who is disadvantaged purely because of the colour of their skin.

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Many people who attend and complete these courses use them as a stepping stone towards a degree that enables them to progress to good, well-paying jobs. As such, these courses have significant social and economic benefits.

A consultation paper for the review said the government provided a specified number of Commonwealth supported places for enabling, sub-bachelor (diploma, advanced diploma and associate degree) and postgraduate courses each year.

"The current distribution of these places among higher education providers reflects historical, ad hoc decisions that may no longer be optimal," it said.

Nevertheless, the paper said the government was committed to "a world-class higher education system that provides appropriate support for students and removes barriers for under-represented groups".

The government wanted this system to be "sustainable for future generations".

"To this end, the government is seeking to ensure there is a robust rationale and framework for government investment in enabling, sub-bachelor and postgraduate places that provides capacity to respond to changing demands and priorities."

The paper recognised that places for these courses provide greater options for students "so they can study at a level suitable to their academic preparation or labour force need".

It seems reasonable for the government to review funding to ensure courses are relevant to changing times. But this review must not become a cynical cost-cutting exercise with no consideration for the long-term effects.

The government shouldn't burn bridges to university, it should build them.

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