Back to drawing board on uni plan: Pyne

The new government ministry is going back to the drawing board on university reforms, former education minister Christopher Pyne says.

The Abbott government was unable to pass its university deregulation plan through the Senate, which refused to allow the proposed funding cuts and higher debts for students.

"Now that there's a new government effectively, we'll be going back to the drawing board and talking about what can be done," Mr Pyne told ABC radio on Wednesday.

After taking over from Mr Pyne on Monday, new Education Minister Simon Birmingham said the government was standing by its deregulation policy for the moment but could be open to compromise.