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The purpose of this statement is to provide an overview of the Australian government’s science and technology strategy. It sets out the major issues essential to developing the nation’s scientific and technological capacity and enhancing its contribution to meeting national needs. The strategy is presented under four broad headings: (1) the central role of science and technology in achieving national objectives; (2) management strategy (including an increase in overall funding of research and development); (3) human resources strategy (including research training); and (4) science and technology and the wider community. The government intends to increase the resources available for allocation to higher education institutions and researchers on the advice of the Australian Research Council (ARC) in consultation with the Higher Education Council (HEC). Additional funding will be provided to support research training and to open research scholarships, linking directly with industry. The health and medical research workforce will be strengthened through the provision of funding to assist young scientists transition into full independence.

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The inquiry into the education of students with disabilities, undertaken by the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education References Committee in 2002, was established in response to concerns about the effectiveness of Commonwealth programs for students with disabilities and whether the needs of students with disabilities were being met in the schools sector and in post-secondary education. The terms of reference for the inquiry required the Committee to examine current policies and practices to determine their adequacy in meeting the needs of students with disabilities and to make recommendations to change the way the Commonwealth and states and territories discharge their responsibilities to these students. Submissions were received from: state and non-government school educational authorities and universities; parents and parent groups; peak disability groups; teachers and individual schools, teacher unions and university academics; and student and student organisations. The inquiry found that schools do not adequately meet the educational needs of students with disabilities and there are deficiencies in the preparation and continuing training and education of teachers. Show less

The continued growth in student numbers participating in higher education over the last 25 years, particularly since the introduction of the demand driven system of undergraduate funding in 2009, has created pressure on the Commonwealth budget. Between 2009 and 2016 the number of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) increased by 31.5 per cent. As a result, over the period 2009 to 2016, growth in Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS) expenditure was double the rate of growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The demand driven system has substantially increased higher education opportunities, with the proportion of 25 to 34 year olds with a bachelor degree increasing to 37 per cent in 2016, up from 24 per cent in 2001. The employment prospects for graduates continue to be better, with a persistent 2–3 per cent advantage in unemployment rates over non-graduates.

The Australian Government supports the continuation of the demand driven system but recognises that its operation can be improved. The substantial funding provided through the demand driven system allows higher education providers the freedom to determine who should be admitted to which courses in what numbers. However, this freedom comes with the twin obligations to admit students to courses in which they can succeed, and to provide quality teaching and support to students during their studies. These reforms provide further incentives, and support further processes, to ensure that this happens, underpinning the substantial investment in higher education made by taxpayers.

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A review of Australia’s higher education system was undertaken by the Commonwealth Government in 2002. The Review began with the release of an overview paper entitled ‘Higher education at the crossroads’ in April 2002 (indexed at TD/TNC 71.381). The paper described some of the characteristics of the higher education sector and the challenges facing it. It raised a number of questions for debate and called for submissions on the issues raised. There were 355 submissions from a variety of stakeholders in response to the overview paper. This document, based on the outcomes of the review process, presents the Government’s blueprint for reform. It proposes increased Commonwealth investment of $1.5 billion over four years linked to progressively introduced reforms in areas such as teaching, workplace productivity, governance, student financing, research, cross sectoral collaboration and quality. Show less

The 'Mapping Australian higher education' series of reports aims to provide information on trends, policy and performance in the Australian higher education sector. The 2018 report is the fourth in this series. Chapter 1 explains how higher education is defined in Australia, the different types of higher education provider, the various types of qualification, and what makes universities distinctive among higher education providers. Chapter 2 reports on student trends, including enrolment numbers, courses chosen, and the mix of students on campus. It also discusses how students enter the higher education system. Chapter 3 examines the student experience, including subject fail rates and satisfaction with teaching. Chapter 4 looks at the higher education workforce, including why people become academics, their employment arrangements, and their pay. Chapter 5 looks at research in Australian universities, including what topics are researched and research outputs. Chapter 6 provides information on how higher education is funded, including overall levels of funding, the income-contingent HELP student loan scheme, and research funding. Chapter 7 outlines how per student funding levels are determined, and how student places are distributed among higher education providers. Chapter 8 describes the expanding scope of the Commonwealth Government in higher education, the key government departments and the higher education interest groups. Chapter 9 examines higher education's benefits to the public and employers, including whether higher education graduates meet employment needs, the quality of university research, and public satisfaction with Australian universities. Chapter 10 reports on graduate employment and income, showing differences by discipline, age and gender.

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Earlier reports from this series are indexed in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 107.739, TD/TNC 111.329, TD/TNC 118.435 and TD/TNC 125.429. Show less

This report examines the dramatic and far-reaching changes that occurred in Australian higher education (HE) throughout the decade of the 1990s. It chronicles the changes that have reshaped the HE system in Australia, including developments in government policy, the impact on students, the strategic directions taken by universities and their operation and governance. These changes touched numerous aspects of Australian Commonwealth HE policy and university life. They also consolidated and extended the substantial reforms of the late 1980s. The chapters are: A perspective on a decade of change; Education developments; Developments in research and research training; Access and equity; International perspectives; Quality assurance; Students and staff; and Governance and management. Show less

This report presents the findings and recommendations of the 2016 evaluation of the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP). The HEPPP was established in 2010 and funds universities to 'undertake activities and implement strategies that improve access to undergraduate courses for people from low [socioeconomic status] SES backgrounds and improve their retention and completion rates'. The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the effectiveness, efficiency and appropriateness of the program, in particular examining: the outcomes achieved by the program; who has benefited from the activities of the program, with particular reference to all disadvantaged groups, including people from regional and remote Australia; whether the program provides good value for money; and what changes might be required to the program.

In this report, the effectiveness of the HEPPP is considered within the four stages of the student life cycle in which equity initiatives can take place: (1) pre-access: outreach to schools and communities; (2) access: pathways and admissions (including enabling pathways); (3) participation: transition, engagement and progression; and (4) attainment and transition out. Also considered are the effectiveness of HEPPP-supported research and the program overall. The evaluation found that, overall, HEPPP funding has encouraged universities to implement a wide variety of activities and projects aimed at increasing the number of low SES students interested in attending university, being prepared for and admitted to university, and progressing through and graduating from university. HEPPP appears to be positively influencing the quantity and rigour of higher education equity activities and policies. Notwithstanding this, low SES individuals are still under-represented in higher education as compared with their population presence, so there is a continued need for action if the low SES equity target is to be achieved. A potential contributing factor is that not all of the HEPPP funding is targeting the intended low SES cohort, with evidence that some HEPPP projects are aimed at other equity groups, and in some cases even at the broader student cohort. It is also not clear to what extent some projects funded under the HEPPP are additional to what would be implemented as part of normal university operations. As such, improvements have been identified in a number of areas which could further increase the effectiveness of the HEPPP - first in sharpening its focus on the activities, projects and equity groups to be targeted, second in revising the funding arrangements to support this focus, and third in designing and embedding a stronger evaluation framework with which to collect

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