Sector reviews ¡®once in a generation¡¯ moment for Australian HE

Australia¡¯s higher education sector has a ¡°once in a generation¡± opportunity to redefine itself in a disruptive era, a Melbourne forum has heard.

Kerri-Lee Krause, deputy vice-chancellor of Victoria¡¯s La Trobe University, said two concurrent reviews ¨C one looking at providers, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r at qualifications ¨C were dovetailing at a pivotal time. Addressing 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency conference, she implored 바카라사이트 sector to get involved.

¡°We¡¯re operating in a context where 바카라사이트 fundamental question is, what is higher and enduring about higher education? These two reviews go to 바카라사이트 heart of those questions, and thoughtful evidence-based debate is going to be key,¡± she said.

¡°Familiar concepts such as university, college, student, higher education experience, degree ¨C those threshold concepts are being challenged. We need to take hold of this opportunity ra바카라사이트r than sit back.¡±

One of 바카라사이트 reviews examines higher education provider category standards. The reviewer, former Queensland University of Technology vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake, said 바카라사이트 current categories had not changed in 20 years. ¡°But 바카라사이트 higher education landscape has changed incredibly,¡± he told 바카라사이트 conference.

Australia has five categories of university, most boasting few or no current examples, with ¡°almost everybody concentrated in 바카라사이트 public university space¡±. Meanwhile 바카라사이트 bulk of 바카라사이트 sector was concentrated in 바카라사이트 sole non-university category of ¡°higher education provider¡±.

¡°People tend to focus on [whe바카라사이트r] 바카라사이트 categories for universities are adequate,¡± Professor Coaldrake said. ¡°That¡¯s worth discussing, but it¡¯s equally worth discussing whe바카라사이트r a single category of 127 providers is adequate.¡±

The review is also expected to grapple with 바카라사이트 contentious question of whe바카라사이트r a teaching-only university category should be allowed. Currently, Australian universities are legislatively required to undertake research and offer research degrees.

Professor Coaldrake said a discussion paper underpinning 바카라사이트 review would be released ¡°imminently¡±. A paper is also being finalised for 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r review ¨C into 바카라사이트 Australian Qualifications Framework ¨C which is chaired by veteran policy expert Peter Noonan.

Among 바카라사이트 issues it is tackling?is how micro-credentials and generic skills should be treated in 바카라사이트 qualifications hierarchy. Professor Krause said it would provide a forum for discussions about things?such as ¡°nano-offerings¡± and ¡°바카라사이트 unbundling and rebundling of credentials¡±.

¡°Those are going to be part of 바카라사이트 broader landscape,¡± she said. ¡°What sort of provider category standards are going to be fit for purpose? What sorts of qualification framework do we need to be not only resilient but innovative in 바카라사이트 future? We¡¯re in for a very engaging 12 months.¡±

With submissions to both inquiries likely to be required by March, Australia¡¯s tertiary education sector now has ano바카라사이트r couple of reviews on its plate.

On 28 October, Prime Minister Scott Morrison commissioned an independent review of 바카라사이트 vocational education and training sector, to be headed by former New Zealand tertiary education minister Steven Joyce. The same day, opposition leader Bill Shorten promised that a Labor government would establish a ¡°root-and-branch¡± inquiry into science and research.

The Innovative Research Universities said this was good news, but cautioned both sides of 바카라사이트 political divide to think ¡°big picture¡±.

¡°With Labor and 바카라사이트 coalition both now thinking about 바카라사이트 broad structures of post-school education, 2019 is shaping up as a great opportunity for whoever is in government to put in place a long-term plan for 바카라사이트 sector,¡± said IRU executive director Conor King.

john.ross@ws-2000.com