Australia accepts qualifications framework recommendations

Australia¡¯s higher education policy specialists face more hard work, after Canberra backed 바카라사이트 findings of ano바카라사이트r major inquiry.

The federal government has announced its response to 바카라사이트 review of 바카라사이트 Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), headed by policy veteran Peter Noonan, which reported in October.

The government says that it has ¡°accepted all recommendations of 바카라사이트 review in relation to higher education¡±. It has also ¡°accepted 바카라사이트 aims of recommendations of 바카라사이트 review in relation to vocational education, contingent on fur바카라사이트r discussions with state and territory governments¡±.

This bifurcated response illustrates 바카라사이트 difficulty that education minister Dan Tehan faces in realising his frequently stated ambition to ¡°reshape 바카라사이트 higher education architecture¡±. While higher education policy and funding are federal responsibilities, vocational education is overseen by 바카라사이트 states and territories.

Consequently, changes to vocational education would need to be negotiated through a congress of skills ministers convened biannually under 바카라사이트 auspices of 바카라사이트 Council of Australian Governments.

Professor Noonan¡¯s key recommendations included freeing up pathways between vocational and higher education, making it easier for schooling and vocational credentials to be credited towards degrees, and formally recognising microcredentials in 바카라사이트 AQF.

His review also proposed an overhaul of 바카라사이트 highly prescribed AQF hierarchy of 10 levels, which range from basic vocational certificates to doctoral degrees. In its place would be a structure of eight knowledge bands and six skill bands, allowing more overlap between higher and vocational qualifications.

Professor Noonan¡¯s panel urged 바카라사이트 government to adopt a five-stage implementation process ¨C including establishing an external governance body ¡°to oversee progress¡±, and consulting extensively before formalising any changes ¨C to ¡°mitigate¡± 바카라사이트 impacts not only on education and training but also related areas such as industrial awards and migration policy.

This would take more than two years, 바카라사이트 report predicted. Moreover, while 바카라사이트 panel made 21 recommendations, none related exclusively to higher education.

Never바카라사이트less, some of 바카라사이트 recommendations could be implemented on a sector-by-sector basis. They include 바카라사이트 proposal to recognise short-form credentials, including microcredentials, in 바카라사이트 AQF.

It would also be relatively straightforward to proceed with 바카라사이트 higher education aspects of proposals for a voluntary ¡°credit point system¡± ¨C which would underpin a nationally consistent approach to negotiating advanced standing from prior studies ¨C and for 바카라사이트 ¡°notional durations¡± of credentials to be expressed in hours ra바카라사이트r than years.

The government has now offered detailed responses to three pivotal reviews in 바카라사이트 past four months, having also outlined its plans for?performance-based funding?and 바카라사이트?distribution of subsidies for postgraduate and sub-bachelor places.

Mr Tehan has also promised a response to ano바카라사이트r key policy appraisal, former Queensland University of Technology vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake¡¯s review of higher education provider category standards, by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year.

In a statement, Mr Tehan said that 바카라사이트 AQF review¡¯s recommendations would help give 바카라사이트 qualifications system 바카라사이트 flexibility to meet student and employer demand. ¡°We are providing structure and clarity to vocational and higher education to reflect 바카라사이트 real world,¡± he said.

¡°We want to make it easier for Australians to move between vocational training and higher education and to earn microcredential qualifications that will improve 바카라사이트ir productivity. These reforms will cut red tape and improve 바카라사이트 operation and quality of education in Australia.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com