Academics have limited influence on public policy because they don’t give bureaucrats what they need, says Australia’s top public servant. Policy-makers in government turn to think tanks and consultants for evidence to base their policies on, because academic research is ...
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Australian researchers delve into Japanese nuclear crisis
One of the first reports to make sense of the catastrophe facing Japan urges the country to reconsider nuclear power. Two Australian-based researchers are the lead authors of a well-received international report on the nuclear crisis threatening Japan. Adjunct Professor ...
More »TAFEs, universities and business explore new degree model
Government targets for inclusive education will not be achieved under current pathways arrangements, says NSW TAFE's deputy director-general. Present arrangements for integrating VET and higher education will never deliver the government's ambitious plans for enrolment and SES participation, says TAFE ...
More »VET completion rates underestimated: skills council
A report challenging claims of low VET completion rates has sparked a spat between the service industries skills council and the national VET research centre. A report commissioned by the service industries’ skills council has revealed retail training completion rates ...
More »Lies, damned lies, and marking
Higher education research moved away from multivariate studies in the 1970s because the thrill of big data was rarely matched by finding out anything interesting, writes Peter Kandlbinder It is a sad fact that if I had to give most ...
More »Why degrees belong in a TAFE environment
Achieving diversity in education will require fundamental changes to the current system, says TDA's Bruce Mackenzie The current higher education institution classification system and the funding arrangements supporting it limit development and are socially detrimental, Bruce MacKenzie, chair of TAFE ...
More »The right referral? Lessons from the NVR
The NVR experience provides lessons for the federal government’s next shot at grabbing state powers – over health, for example. The federal government might have secured the peak TAFE bodies’ support for its legislative program to establish a national VET ...
More »No country for straw men
Service Skills Australia’s report on the measurement of non-completions impugns the integrity of the NCVER's statistics, says managing director Tom Karmel. Here is his rejoinder. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research takes its role as the national statistical agency ...
More »Choice in education carries a risk
Choosing wisely does not come easily to students so perhaps a little judicious guidance would not go astray. There is some irony that the word “choice” has won a firm place in the lexicon of youth as a word of ...
More »TEQSA Bill with Senate committee
The devil is in the detail as universities pursue changes to draft TEQSA law Australia’s universities have pledged to battle on to have self-accreditation enshrined in the primary legislation setting up the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) Legislation, ...
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