Tertiary sector: it’s game on, as states follow Victoria’s lead

At least four state governments have started work on creating their own versions of Denise Bradley’s integrated tertiary education sector. Three states have followed Victoria’s lead in developing their own tertiary sector plans, with Commonwealth policies paving the way for demand-driven funding and greater integration between higher education and VET. Last week, Queensland announced an independent review of post-secondary education and training. The week before, South Australia released a green paper outlining its proposals for a fully contestable demand-driven VET system and improved pathways to higher education (CR online, 12.07.10). And NSW has wrapped up initial consultations on its own tertiary education plan, with responses to its discussion paper falling due earlier this month. The Commonwealth set the agenda for this flurry of state activity with its attainment and equity targets demanding wider participation in higher education, while vocational and schooling targets negotiated through COAG also required more participation at the certificate and diploma levels. The Commonwealth also sketched the roadmap by announcing its demand-driven funding system for higher education in the 2009 budget, followed by a national VET entitlement scheme this year CR, 17.05.10). But if Canberra provided the compass, Melbourne has been the trailblazer. The VET training guarantee Victoria announced in 2008 has largely served as a model for the Commonwealth and the other states, while Professor Kwong Lee Dow’s tertiary education report in March underpinned what’s expected to be Australia’s first state tertiary education plan (CR, 22.03.10). The Victorian government has already borrowed from Lee Dow’s report in the new regional strategy it announced last month. This regional blueprint adopts local versions of the Commonwealth higher education targets, and injects over $100 million into student accommodation, transport, cadetships and TAFE-university collaboration. The Victorian government’s efforts have helped spark a frenzy of activity from the state’s universities and TAFEs. Among various pathway arrangements, Deakin proposes a Year 13 program enabling nervous students to stay an extra year at school and make a start on university programs. Swinburne has introduced guaranteed articulation for its diploma students, while Ballarat is now proposing partnership arrangements with all regional Victorian TAFE institutes (see pages 1 and 17). And Victoria’s TAFEs are busily establishing new pathway partnerships with universities, while leading the country in developing their own higher education programs. Nevertheless, South Australia has made some notable departures from the Victorian model in its own VET entitlement proposal – particularly in its ideas around eligibility criteria and the role of the adult and community education (ACE) sector (page 4). However, the eastern states’ tertiary systems aren’t as well advanced. NSW’s discussion paper on a tertiary education plan, quietly released by the state education department last month, did little more than summarise current tertiary education arrangements and challenges. Rather than outlining strategies, the paper asked for ideas on issues such as developing the workforce, boosting participation, strengthening international education, expanding education infrastructure and fostering research and development. Queensland is even further behind. Its independent review of tertiary education, to be led by consultant and researcher Peter Noonan – a Bradley review panellist who was also closely involved in the Dawkins reforms – appears unlikely to report publicly. Education and training minister Geoff Wilson said the review was “timely” in light of ongoing national reforms to VET and higher education. “Key to this process will be a review of the TAFE system to further improve the flexibility and responsiveness of the public training provider,” he said. “The government wants to put TAFE in the box seat to provide the skills needed by employers over the next decade.” Wilson said TAFEs, universities, the private training sector, unions, employer organisations and other agencies would be consulted as part of the review. He said a cross-government steering committee had been established to oversee the review and develop recommendations for government consideration late this year. But it’s not clear whether the review will actually look at the operations of universities or private colleges. CR sought details on the terms of reference from Wilson’s office, which didn’t return our calls. In recent years, Queensland has taken a Victorian-style approach to its TAFEs, with some converted into statutory authorities and more to follow. However, sources claim the financial situation of some TAFE institutes – including at least one corporatised institute – is perilous. NSW is generally regarded as the state most resistant to opening its VET system to full private competition. But federal developments – including the new entitlement scheme and the devolution of the Productivity Places Program – appear to have made the gradual full marketisation of VET systems a fait accompli. NSW has also been regarded as the most hands-off state in its relationship with its universities. But it has boosted its university research funding over the past two years, while TAFE NSW has developed new pathway arrangements and plans to offer higher education programs next year. Queensland has been rivalled only by Victoria in the scale of its research funding for universities. It also has some well-regarded pathway arrangements, including dual-badged programs leading to both university and TAFE qualifications.