This paper was presented at a conference held at the University of New England, Armidale, NSW in February 1991. Australian higher education is currently undergoing a rapid and extensive change. The recent amalgamations of universities and colleges of advanced education in the unified national system for higher education may establish the appropriate environment for the emergence of a new ‘binary system’ consisting of universities and TAFE colleges. This brings tertiary education in Australia full circle to an almost identical position as existed prior to the implementation of...  [+] Show more

This paper was presented at a conference held at the University of New England, Armidale, NSW in February 1991.

Australian higher education is currently undergoing a rapid and extensive change. The recent amalgamations of universities and colleges of advanced education in the unified national system for higher education may establish the appropriate environment for the emergence of a new ‘binary system’ consisting of universities and TAFE colleges. This brings tertiary education in Australia full circle to an almost identical position as existed prior to the implementation of recommendations made by the Martin Committee Report.

The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of Martin's 1964 recommendations on TAFE.