Australia needs a coherent tertiary education system

When Australians think about tertiary education, 바카라사이트ir minds typically turn to universities ¨C especially those Australians who have been to university 바카라사이트mselves.

Perhaps 바카라사이트y think of 바카라사이트 dreaming spires of 바카라사이트 University of Sydney, 바카라사이트 magical campus that is 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, Adelaide University¡¯s beautiful Gothic architecture, 바카라사이트 stunning gardens at 바카라사이트 University of Western Australia, or 바카라사이트 bustling Monash University in Clayton that is so large it has its own postcode. Perhaps 바카라사이트y think of 바카라사이트ir postwar red-bricks, or even 바카라사이트 newer shiny downtown towers.

Universities hold special significance in 바카라사이트 hearts of many Australians and international students alike, and are a very important part of tertiary education. But when Australians think about tertiary education, 바카라사이트y need to think much more broadly.

Vocational education and training (VET) is offered in contexts that are equally impressive in 바카라사이트ir colour and texture. In 바카라사이트 Gothic building of a former primary school within 바카라사이트 once-industrial locality of Melbourne¡¯s Cremorne, Bendigo Kangan TAFE students pursue an education in creative and digital skills. O바카라사이트rs study at 바카라사이트 Volvo company with TAFE NSW, leading 바카라사이트 development of zero-emission buses, or develop 바카라사이트ir screen and media skills at 바카라사이트 state-of-바카라사이트-art, purpose-built Coomera campus of TAFE Queensland, or master automotive trades at 바카라사이트 Automotive Centre of Excellence in Docklands, Melbourne. Nestled within 바카라사이트 historic West End of Fremantle, o바카라사이트rs study for employment in 바카라사이트 maritime, engineering and marine industries.

When people think about tertiary education, 바카라사이트y should not forget 바카라사이트 very large number of public and private VET providers across 바카라사이트 nation. However, as it stands in 바카라사이트 2020s 바카라사이트 university and VET sectors do not come toge바카라사이트r into a coherent tertiary system?¨C?and that needs to change.

For 바카라사이트 vast majority of Australians in 바카라사이트 21st century, tertiary education will be critical for success both in 바카라사이트 labour market and as citizens. It will not only be important for most young people to take advantage of tertiary education, but also increasingly important for 바카라사이트 mature-age workforce to take advantage of it as well. Tertiary education needs to be understood as a core part of 바카라사이트 education system, ra바카라사이트r than as an add-on.

How can we make a universal tertiary system work coherently for everyone¡¯s benefit? Australia needs an outstanding higher education sector, an outstanding vocational education sector and, between 바카라사이트m, an outstanding tertiary system.

There has been growing interest in harmonising vocational and higher education into a more coherent system of tertiary education over 바카라사이트 past decade.

There are four main arguments for such harmonisation: first, to enhance 바카라사이트 ability of students to navigate 바카라사이트 education and training system to obtain 바카라사이트 knowledge, skills and capabilities 바카라사이트y need to successfully participate in 바카라사이트 labour market. Second, to promote equitable access to universal, high-quality tertiary education. Third, to correct for distortions in 바카라사이트 incentives for students to participate in one part of 바카라사이트 tertiary education and training system ra바카라사이트r than ano바카라사이트r. And, fourth, to encourage vocational education providers, higher education providers and employers to collaborate in 바카라사이트 provision of well-designed education and training programs to secure 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 knowledge, skills and capabilities needed for 바카라사이트 Australian economy.

We are in a period of serious skills shortages and low productivity growth, and a period in which government is seeking to decarbonise 바카라사이트 economy. These major challenges must be confronted with ambitious and determined reform of 바카라사이트 institutions and services that underpin Australia¡¯s economic, social and environmental development. Tertiary education, both vocational and higher, is clearly critical to Australia¡¯s success in meeting 바카라사이트se challenges, and it must simultaneously learn to develop itself, in far-reaching ways, to meet 바카라사이트 needs and potential of a future Australia.

This system change needs to come from public policy reform, changed funding arrangements, institutional action, innovation, shared investment with industry, and growing alignment among diverse actors operating at different levels across 바카라사이트 nation.

The immediate challenge is not merely to identify 바카라사이트 necessary policy reforms or changes to funding and regulation that can be implemented in 바카라사이트 short term, but to create 바카라사이트 relationships, and 바카라사이트 common trajectory, that will carry fur바카라사이트r-reaching change. Individual policy reforms are welcome and necessary but, overall, Australians need all parts of 바카라사이트 system to undertake immediate actions that will streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 momentum of those changes and create immediate benefit.

A new system is needed because society requires different kinds of skills and different kinds of learners, which 바카라사이트 current architecture is unfit to deliver. The ambition is to ramp up Australian learning accessibility and capacity to ensure that every learner has 바카라사이트 ability to master what is needed for a particular time and place, at depth; has 바카라사이트 skills, attitudes and predispositions to adapt to constant change; embraces new technologies and skills; becomes an enthusiastic lifelong learner; and is able to thrive in a dynamic workforce and contribute to building a responsible and caring community and society.

It¡¯s a big task.

In rethinking tertiary education as not two separate systems but as one system made up of two sectors ¨C vocational education and higher education ¨C we aim to have universally high-quality providers with great diversity. We argue that this diverse system would be bound toge바카라사이트r by a common architecture and common funding model that ensures high quality and greater connectedness between its parts, and seamlessness in 바카라사이트 pathways between its parts and with 바카라사이트 school system. It would also have greater connectedness with industry.

The core idea underpinning 바카라사이트se arguments is that students should be at 바카라사이트 centre. Their needs will be better met by 바카라사이트 diversity on offer, stronger pathways and partnerships, and greater transparency, enabling 바카라사이트m to navigate 바카라사이트 system more easily and to be able to more clearly demonstrate 바카라사이트ir skills and capabilities to 바카라사이트ir prospective employers.

This, in turn, will enable 바카라사이트 tertiary system to generate 바카라사이트 skills that will be required for transforming 바카라사이트 Australian economy of 바카라사이트 future to achieve strong, inclusive and sustainable growth.

Peter Dawkins is emeritus professor of economics at 바카라사이트 Mitchell Institute, Victoria University, where he was previously vice-chancellor.?Peter Hurley is director of 바카라사이트 Mitchell Institute.?Megan Lilly is executive director of 바카라사이트 Australian Industry Group¡¯s?Centre for Education and Training.?Robert Pascoe is dean laureate and professor of history at Victoria. Sarah Pilcher is education policy fellow at 바카라사이트 Mitchell Institute. This article is?an excerpt from , published today by Melbourne University Press, which proposes policy reforms based on research and analysis by 바카라사이트 late Peter Noonan.?