Tertiary education in Australia [Martin report]

This report of the Committee on the Future of Tertiary Education in Australia highlighted the link between tertiary education and economic growth as well as the importance of diversity. Established on August 27, 1961 as a committee of the Australian Universities Commission and chaired by L. H. Martin, it was commissioned to ‘consider the pattern of tertiary education in relation to the needs and resources of Australia, and to make recommendations to the Commission on the future development of tertiary education’. The first volume contains eight chapters covering: (1) the nation and...  [+] Show more

This report of the Committee on the Future of Tertiary Education in Australia highlighted the link between tertiary education and economic growth as well as the importance of diversity. Established on August 27, 1961 as a committee of the Australian Universities Commission and chaired by L. H. Martin, it was commissioned to ‘consider the pattern of tertiary education in relation to the needs and resources of Australia, and to make recommendations to the Commission on the future development of tertiary education’. The first volume contains eight chapters covering: (1) the nation and tertiary education; (2) the Australian educational scene; (3) the universities; (4) the training of teachers; (5) technological education; (6) a plan for the development of tertiary education in Australia; (7) financial assistance to students; (8) financial proposals. The second volume presented conclusions and recommendations in relation to specific academic disciplines: the land industries; management; law; medicine; para-medical fields; the defence services; and theology. Volume three dealt with the following areas: teaching and research in the humanities; education for the sciences; the training of teachers; training in social work; libraries and the training of librarians; the need for mathematicians; education in music, fine art and the theatre; a survey of higher degree students; and engineering in universities. The report proposed that there be three distinct categories of institution: universities, college or institutes, and teacher training facilities. This resulted in a ‘binary’ system comprising a separate sector of vocational and applied colleges in parallel with universities. The idea was to preserve the elite nature of university education while at the same time meeting the training needs of industry and business through institutions providing further education.