Session 8: Cross sectoral collaboration:
future directions in Australia
Presented by:
• Neville Moo
• Craig Setter
Department of Education and
Training
Department of Education and
Training
Cross-Sectoral Collaboration
Between
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
and Higher Education
Future Directions in Australia
Presenters:
Neville Moo – Director, Internal Audit
Craig Setter – Manager, Internal Audit
ANZUIAG 2010 – Session 8 – Thursday 14 October – 4:00 – 4:45pm
Discussion Outline
• References
• Cross-Sectoral Collaboration : The Difficulties and
Benefits (An Introduction)
• Recommendations from the 2008 Review into Higher
Education in Australia (The Bradley Review)
• Federal Government Actions
• Cross-Sectoral Collaboration : Now
• Cross-Sectoral Collaboration : The Future (A Conclusion)
• Handouts
Cross-Sectoral Collaboration: The Difficulties and Benefits
(An Introduction)
“The VET and Higher Education sectors in Australia are
governed by different policies and decision-making
processes, have different imperatives, are subject to different
drivers, pressures and directions, are seeking different
outcomes and are accountable in different ways. Such
differences are reflected at all levels of both sectors and their
institutions. Even when there is a will to collaborate and
negotiate cross-sector pathways, the fundamental differences
between the sectors present practical as well as
philosophical barriers to such pathways.”
(Phillips KPA 2006, p12)
Cross-Sectoral Collaboration: The Difficulties and
Benefits (An Introduction) (Cont’d)
Students who have both VET and Higher Education qualifications:
• possess a valuable combination of theoretical understanding and
critical thinking skills,
• possess vocational and technical skills,
• are better equipped to play a role in improving the productivity of
industry and in addressing issues of sustainability and climate change.
More broadly, credit transfer and articulation arrangements are
regarded as a means of facilitating lifelong learning and a way of
providing access to higher education, especially for those economically
disadvantaged.
(Cram 2008)
Cross-Sectoral Collaboration: The Difficulties and
Benefits (An Introduction) (Cont’d)
Research also shows that:
• such arrangements provide significant benefits to students and
the institutions involved,
• in some institutions, their most highly articulated courses are
the most popular.
These institutions also have the highest rate of success in terms of
student retention and achievement, with outcomes comparable to
or better than the outcomes of all university students.
(Cram 2008)
Recommendations from the 2008 Review into Higher
Education in Australia (The Bradley Review)
The Australian Government to:
• Adopt a framework for higher education accreditation, quality
assurance and regulation.
• Establish by 2010, a national regulatory body.
• Introduce a demand-driven entitlement system for domestic
higher education students.
• Expand the national regulatory and quality assurance body to
cover the entire tertiary sector.
• Take full responsibility for the regulation of tertiary education
and training in Australia by 2010.
• Negotiate with the states and territories to introduce a tertiary
entitlement funding model across higher education and VET.
Federal Government Actions
• From 2010, the current cap on over enrolment in
universities will be raised from 5 to 10 percent.
• From 2012 the cap will be removed entirely and
universities will be funded on the basis of student
demand.
• An independent national regulatory and quality agency
for Higher Education will be established.
• The Government will work with the states and territories
to develop strong and cohesive national regulatory
arrangements for VET alongside the proposed Higher
Education regulator.
Federal Government Actions (Cont’d)
• The Australian Qualifications Framework Council
will be commissioned to improve articulation and
connectivity between the university and VET
sectors.
• The role of Skills Australia will be expanded.
• The Government will provide $2m towards a
feasibility study into the possible merger of Charles
Sturt University and Southern Cross University in
order to improve access and support for regional
students.
Cross-Sectoral Collaboration : Now
Despite the Federal Government’s actions and
announcements, it does not simply follow that VET
and Higher Education will merge or that one sector
will take over the other.
However, the increased blurring of boundaries
between VET and Higher Education is a national
event arising directly from the Bradley Report.
Existing Dual Sector Universities in
Australia
•
•
•
•
•
University of Ballarat
Swinburne University of Technology
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Victoria University
Charles Darwin University
The University of Ballarat – Swinburne University
of Technology Dual-Sector Collaboration Project
Discussion Paper
• Investigates how dual sector universities can become
more cohesive, effective and agile organisations.
• There are numerous other organisational models in which
VET and Higher Education co-exist, with the outcomes
from this project probably applicable to all of them.
• The changing Australian political and education
environment is driving evolution in this area and that
governance arrangements are critical to an effective
connection between the two sectors.
The University of Ballarat – Swinburne University
of Technology Dual-Sector Collaboration Project
Discussion Paper (Cont’d)
• They explore many of the internal and external
governance issues that need to be addressed to ensure the
evolution of dual sector universities is not hampered.
• Internal and external governance is required to respond
to two jurisdictions, Federal and State (and Territory)
Governments, which creates a maze of obligations,
responsibilities and challenges. Mission and plans,
organisational structures, Academic Board dynamics,
administrative and corporate support for collaborative
educational programs, as well as staffing, personnel and
industrial issues must somehow comply with these dual
jurisdictional requirements.
Proposed Merger between Central Queensland
University and Central Queensland Institute of TAFE
• One of the most exciting developments in post-school
education in Queensland for many years.
• Still waiting on the government’s response to the formal
proposal.
• To run in parallel from the beginning of 2011 and be
fully amalgamated by the start of 2012.
• 15 campuses from Mackay down to Bundaberg on the
coast and west to Barcaldine.
Proposed Merger between Central Queensland
University and Central Queensland Institute of TAFE
(Cont’d)
• Offering dovetailed vocational education and higher
education courses enabling students to go from
certificate level vocational courses through to degrees,
masters and doctorate courses and vice versa and for
students to undertake vocational training, including
apprenticeships, at the same time as tackling a degree
course.
• Will take higher education into regional communities
which had never before had ready access to it.
Proposed Merger between Central Queensland
University and Central Queensland Institute of TAFE
(Cont’d)
• DET – the viability of the proposal is still being
evaluated.
• DET – once analysis is complete, further processes,
including evaluation of the service delivery impact on
regional Queensland will be completed prior to a
decision being made.
Cross-Sectoral Collaboration : The Future
(A Conclusion)
The Higher Education and VET sectors will
continue to come together over time
especially once the one national regulator
TEQSA covers both. However, even then
there will still be many barriers to cross.
Handouts
•
•
•
A Typology of Dual Sector Higher Education
and Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Providers
AUQA Audit Reports on Selected Dual Sector
Institutions
Summary of the Potential Advantages and
Disadvantages of Full Dual Sector Universities