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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 Ministerial Statement, 'Our universities backing Australia's future', was released with the Federal Budget on 13 May, 2003. This independent study has been commissioned to analyse the Commonwealth's decisions with emphasis on issues in areas of particular concern to State and Territory Governments. The report is provided in two volumes. Volume one analyses the current situation in Australian Higher Education. Volume two then analyses the decisions announced in 'Backing Australia's future'.

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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

In the 1987-88 Budget, the Australian Commonwealth Government announced that it would delay the start of the next funding triennium for higher education to 1989. This paper explains more fully the reasons for the decision in the context of the Government’s longer-term plans for development of the higher education system. The Government is determined that the education and training system play a central role in responding to major economic challenges facing the nation. The paper suggests that Australia can no longer rely on established practices and institutional arrangements to meet these needs. Australia’s universities and colleges of advanced education (CAEs) are the main source of highly educated people necessary to continued economic growth. Research activities within higher education are also vital. For these reasons, the Government is strongly committed to the further development of the national higher education system. The paper outlines the reasons why the Government believes that continuing with current funding arrangements for higher education would not be in the best long-term interests of either the system itself or of the nation in general. The government will therefore embark on a process of policy development and consultation leading to the establishment of a new set of arrangements for Commonwealth support of higher education from the beginning of 1989. In the meantime, the Government has decided to treat 1988 as a year outside the normal triennial funding process. The paper contains an overview of the higher education system and the Government’s plans. Show less

This paper highlights Australia’s position as part of the international community and the need for change in the education sector, in particular the higher education system, to enable the Australian community to respond to the dynamism of world events and thus prosper as a nation. This policy discussion paper aims to promote further growth in the higher education system in response to Australia’s economic, social and cultural needs. Part one, ‘Assessing the challenge’, contains the following chapters: The nature of the challenge; The size of the task; The implications for education; A fair chance for all. Part two, ‘A unified national system’, contains: Structure and organisation; Resource allocation; Management; Staffing; Research and postgraduate studies. Part three, ‘Funding the system’, contains: Future arrangement; Non-Commonwealth sources. Included as appendices are: Participation in higher education; Labour force status and educational attainment; Australia’s participation from an international perspective; Demographic projections; Recurrent grants and student load in each institution; Commonwealth funding of higher education. 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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In June 1999, ‘New knowledge, new opportunities: a discussion paper on higher education research and research training’ outlined the Australian Government's vision for the future of higher education research in Australia. The paper proposed a policy and funding framework for research and research training. Since its release, the Government has announced further initiatives to enhance Australia's research capabilities. This policy statement, released in December 1999, announces major changes to the current arrangements for funding of higher education research in Australia with the aim of achieving the objectives outlined in ‘New knowledge, new opportunities’. These changes make the best use of available resources to ensure that the research and research training undertaken in Australian universities continues to be world class and that the new knowledge it generates is effectively linked to innovation in Australian industry. The new framework provides for: (1) a strengthened Australian Research Council and an invigorated national competitive grants system; (2) performance-based funding for research student places and research activity in universities, with allocative formulae and transitional arrangements designed to ensure that all universities are able to compete effectively under the new arrangements; (3) the establishment of a broad quality verification framework supported by Research and Research Training Management Plans; and (4) a collaborative research program to address the needs of rural and regional communities. An evaluation of these reforms was initiated in May 2003 as part of the higher education reform package, ‘Our universities: backing Australia’s future’. An issues paper that identifies key issues for consideration as part of the evaluation is indexed at TD/TNC 74.292. Show less

In response to the findings of the Bradley Review of Australian Higher Education, the Australian government will invest in universities and the tertiary education system to drive comprehensive reform across the postcompulsory education and training sector. The government is proposing a phased 10-year reform agenda for higher education and research to boost Australia’s national productivity and performance as a knowledge-based economy. The program will involve: (1) transforming access to higher education through a major package designed to radically improve the participation of students from low socio-economic backgrounds (SES) in higher education, and enhance their learning experience; (2) promoting greater diversity and quality within the tertiary sector by phasing in a new system to allocate funding on the basis of student demand; support to encourage more students to choose teaching and nursing and to study overseas; and support for the renewal of student services and amenities; (3) providing funding certainty and creating a more sustainable higher education sector through higher indexation of teaching and learning grants; (4) ending historic funding cross-subsidisation by increasing funding for the full cost of university research, and enabling universities to strive for research excellence in areas of strength; (5) upgrading university and TAFE infrastructure to meet the teaching and learning requirements of students, teachers and researchers now and into the future; (6) establishing the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), which will provide the foundation for enhancing quality and accreditation in higher education; (7) reforming student income support, which will redirect assistance so that it reaches the most needy students to boost both their higher education participation and attainment; (8) supporting regional tertiary education provision with a review of regional loading, encouragement to explore new models of delivery and access to new structural adjustment funding for the sector; (9) building stronger connectivity between the higher education and vocational education and training sectors; and (10) forging a new relationship between government and educators built on mutual respect, trust and agreed funding compacts.

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This report represents the fulfilment of an important Australian Government commitment heralded in the White Paper [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 87.2305] and a significant contribution towards establishing equitable funding arrangements in the new system of higher education. It presents conclusions concerning a relative funding model derived following a lengthy process of research and consultation that has involved peak bodies, institutions and a wide range of interest groups.

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The national strategy for vocational education and training 1998-2003 expresses the collective commitment by Australian governments, in partnership with Australian industry, to vocational education and training (VET). The strategy analyses economic, industrial and social forces for change and their implications for vocational education and training over the next five years. It sets out a vision for VET, aligned with five key objectives. These objectives are: (1) equipping Australians for the world of work; (2) enhancing mobility in the labour market; (3) achieving equitable outcomes in VET; (4) increasing investment in training; and (5) maximising the value of public vocational education and training expenditure. Show less