Govt confident of uni reform: crossbench

The federal government is confident it has the numbers to pass higher education changes, despite failing to win over the support of outspoken senator Jacqui Lambie.

The bill, which passed the lower house in September, has been listed as the first piece of business for the final sitting week of the Senate for 2014.

Senator Leyonhjelm says over the past week Education Minister Christopher Pyne had been "strenuously lobbying" both him and five other crossbench senators needed to pass the changes.

"He's pretty confident he's got the numbers," Senator Leyonhjelm told Sky News on Sunday.

However the government is struggling to win over the support of Senator Lambie, who has previously vowed to vote against all government legislation until Defence personnel get a fair pay rise.

"It's all or nothing on the ADF pay deal. I'm not going to take any prisoners," she said on Sunday.