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This paper describes some key features of the Australian system of financing and regulating education and training. The author begins by outlining the economic and social background and the education and training context in terms of quality, participation, expenditure, and the roles of both the government and of vocational education and training (VET) in the overall educational system. Particular aspects of financing and regulation are then described in more detail. Financing aspects covered include: tuition fees, income contingent loans and student assistance; government incentives to employers to engage apprentices and trainees; and the User Choice system that enables employers and apprentices and trainees to choose the training provider of their choice with government funding directed to those providers, whether private or public. The section on regulation describes the development of a national system of training and qualifications underpinned by training packages and administered by state and territory authorities within the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF). The author concludes by highlighting that major changes have been made to the regulation and funding of VET in Australia. This has resulted in an increased emphasis on competition among training providers thus promoting efficient delivery of the types of training required by both students and employers. Show less

Small business represents over 90 per cent of enterprises within Australia and employs over half of the Australian workforce. Its success is vital to the health of our modern economy. It represents a way of work and quality of life that many Australian families cherish, yet it continues to be the sector that has the most difficulty in gaining access to formal vocational training. Research has shown that many small businesses are unsure of what training they need and what is available. They also often lack the financial resources for training. The Small Business Training Bonus Scheme was implemented over a nine-month period in three regions in New South Wales (NSW). More than a thousand targeted businesses were sent a $500 Training Bonus voucher to be used for a range of training programs offered by selected registered training organisations (RTOs). One-to-one and small group training was preferred as was training in information technology and office skills. Show less

This paper is one of a series of policy discussion papers presented by the LH Martin Institute. The aim is to contribute to the debate the Institute sees as necessary to reform and invigorate the tertiary education sector, in particular vocational education and TAFE. The series covers a range of topical issues, from policy settings, governance, funding, competency based training, social inequality and training markets.

VET FEE-HELP was promoted widely by the Australian Government as an equity measure, allowing anyone, including those on low income and disadvantaged learners, to participate in high-level fee-for-service vocational courses, without upfront fees and financial barriers. Loans for VET students would also facilitate the marketisation of vocational education, to allow students to move to private providers if they chose. This paper explains the inception of VET FEE-HELP and how the design of the system enabled an environment where VET fees increased, unscrupulous providers flourished, students were burdened with debt without commensurate outcomes, and budgets of government were drained. Concluding reflections touch on regulation of the VET market, future funding, and the reputation of the sector.

Edited excerpts from publication and publisher's website. Show less

International aid to education is changing and this book examines some of the new directions regarding international development cooperation, globalisation, international funding and technical-assistance agencies, as well as national responses to changes in international development cooperation. Contributing authors represent a cross-section of leading scholars and key officials in international funding agencies and in national bodies in the North and in the South.

Part one is entitled 'Development co-operation in the context of globalization' and contains the following chapters: The new boundaries of international development co-operation / Jacques Forster; The future of international aid to education: a personal reflection / Aklilu Habte; Aid, international co-operation and globalization: trends in the field of education / Michel Carton; Education, development and assistance: the challenge of the new millennium / Simon McGrath. Part two is entitled 'New approaches to development co-operation among international funding and technical-assistance agencies' and contains the following chapters: Educational multilateralism at a crossroads / Karen Mundy; Education and development co-operation: a UNESCO perspective / Wyn Courtney; Development aid in education: a personal view / Stephen P. Heyneman; The Europeanization of aid / Wolfgang Gmelin; Education and geopolitical change in Africa: a case for partnership / Lennart Wohlgemuth; Changing frameworks and practices: the new Department for International Development of the United Kingdom / Myra Harrison; Redefining strategies of assistance: recent trends in Japanese assistance to education in Africa / Yumiko Yokozeki and Nobuhide Sawamura; Non-governmental organizations as partners in Africa: a cultural analysis of North-South relations / Juliet Elu and Kingsley Banya.

Part three is entitled 'New directions for aid practice: constraints and opportunities' and contains the following chapters: Aid co-ordination through the other end of the telescope / Henry Kaluba and Peter Williams; Co-ordination of aid to education at the country level: some experiences and lessons from the United Republic of Tanzania in the 1990s / Lene Buchert; Aid co-ordination in theory and practice: a case study of Botswana and Namibia / Ulla Kann. Part four is entitled 'National responses to changes in international development co-operation' and contains the following chapters: Aid to South African education: a case of the reluctant recipient? / Kenneth King; Educational policies, change programmes and international co-operation: the case of Chile / Cristian Cox and Beatrice Avalos; Issues amidst assistance: foreign aid to education in China / Kai-ming Cheng; Development assistance to primary education in India: transformation of enthusiastic donors and reluctant recipients / Jandhyala B. G. Tilak. Show less

Higher education (HE) has become increasingly important in Malaysia, both as tool for the country to cultivate a competitive workforce and as stepping stone for its people to gain employment as well as career advancement. However, despite constant efforts and investment aimed at encouraging student to pursue HE, graduates with vocational education and from low socioeconomic backgrounds (VET-LSEG) are still underrepresented in HE. The ongoing underrepresentation of VET-LSEG graduates in HE in Malaysia indicates the presence of barriers that may have prevented these students from progressing to HE. This study investigated the barriers to HE encountered by VET-LSEG students in Malaysia, and highlighted strategies designed to overcome these barriers and make HE attainable for these students.

A mixed methods, Explanatory Design with follow-up explanations study was conducted, incorporating questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect data from multi-group respondents, including vocational students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, school leaders from both vocational education and higher education institutions, and representatives from the Malaysian Ministry of Education. A case study was also conducted at a higher education institution in Malaysia, which has been offering progression pathways successfully to VET-LSEG students for HE studies.

This multi-method, multi-site and multi-respondent study concluded that VET-LSEG students in Malaysia aspired to pursue higher education study but were prevented from doing so by barriers associated with their disadvantaged background. The study identified six major factors contributing to these barriers, including financial difficulties, students' disadvantaged family background, students' low confidence, negative social influences, cultural factors and an unhelpful education system in Malaysia. The findings of this study contributed to the formulation of five strategies aimed at overcoming these barriers, included revamping the financial support system according to the needs of VET-LSEG students, developing effective pathways and support to facilitate students' smooth transition from VET to HE, ensuring effective flow of relevant information about these pathways, establishing relevant collaboration between major stakeholders, and enhancing second chance and alternate learning pathways.

This study contributes significantly to the literature. First, it highlights the educational aspirations of VET-LSEG students in Malaysia; students who are usually perceived to have less interest in pursuing education. The high aspirations found in these students added a new dimension to the studies about the educational aspirations of Malaysian students, especially those from VET and lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Second, this study confirms the existence of educational barriers within the Malaysian education system; a system that has tried to promote fair educational access. The barriers identified in this study indicate that there are flaws in the education system which need to be addressed in order to meet the educational needs of Malaysian students. Thirdly, the six factors contributing to educational barriers for VET-LSEG students identified in this study help scope future studies focussing on barriers to higher education encountered by students in Malaysia, especially those from VET and LSEG backgrounds. Lastly, the strategies formulated from this study inform the development of new policies that target the progression needs of VET-LSEG students. These strategies also promote the close collaboration of major stakeholders, including industry, VET and HE institutions, in order to make HE in Malaysia more accessible to all students, especially those from vocational and low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Published abstract. Show less

The Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) is a large and growing Australian government programme that supports participation in higher education by providing income-contingent concessional loans to students to assist with the costs in education. Although the costs of HELP are included in the budget financial statements, they are not separately identified to allow the impact of the programme on the budget to be readily assessed. The cost of the HELP is growing strongly, driven by the introduction of the demand driven approach to higher education funding, recently announced policy decisions to reduce subsidies for university courses and to allow universities to set their own course fees, and expansion of HELP loans to vocational education.

This report discusses the size and costs of HELP and provides an estimate of the impact of the programme on the underlying cash balance. The analysis in this paper is based on the government's announced policies as at the 2015-16 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), including those that are yet to be legislated.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

The growth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in Australian higher education from 1959 to the present is notable statistically, but below population parity. Distinct patterns in government policy-making and programme development, inconsistent funding and political influences, together with Indigenous representation during the last 50 years have shaped the higher education participation of Australia's Indigenous populations. In this article, the authors identify a constant ideological flux between welfare, equity and economic priorities in successive Australian government approaches impacting on equal opportunities for Indigenous Australians in higher education. Maintaining and increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in higher education requires a continued focus on targets for higher education enrolments, governance and working with Indigenous educators.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This is the report of an assessment of the adequacy of government measures to provide equitable access to secondary and post-secondary education opportunities to students from rural and regional communities attending metropolitan institutions, and metropolitan students attending regional universities or technical and further education (TAFE) colleges, with particular reference to: (a) the financial impact on rural and regional students who are attending metropolitan secondary schools, universities or TAFE; (b) the education alternatives for rural and regional students wanting to study in regional areas; (c) the implications of current and proposed government measures on prospective students living in rural and regional areas; (d) the short- and long-term impact of current and proposed government policies on regional university and TAFE college enrolments; (e) the adequacy of government measures to provide for students who are required to leave home for secondary or post-secondary study; (f) the educational needs of rural and regional students; (g) the impact of government measures and proposals on rural and regional communities; and (h) other related matters.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act [ARRA], better known as the economic stimulus plan. Congress and the Obama Administration acted in the wake of an economic crisis spurred by a deepening recession. Among its aims in passing the ARRA, Congress moved to help states and local jurisdictions reduce growing fiscal shortfalls that threaten the work of community leaders across the nation. Yet the intent of Congress went beyond acting to stabilize state and local budgets and create jobs: it also uses this one-time, unprecedented appropriation to lay the groundwork for long-term economic growth. The act dedicates funding for innovation in and the expansion of many federal investments. This document summarizes selected ARRA funding streams for struggling students and disconnected youth. Funds authorized under ARRA will flow quickly to states and localities. This summary is designed to help community leaders who seek to maintain and advance efforts to create pathways for struggling students and disconnected youth. It addresses what is known of the intent, the allocation process, and the most relevant sections of ARRA. However, beyond the legislative language and the accompanying House-Senate conference report, there is little information on how ARRA funds will be dispersed and how states may access them. In the coming weeks, executive branch departments will provide guidance and, where applicable, application procedures for accessing the funds.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This report presents the outcomes of modelling of the potential costs of an income contingent loan (ICL) that would form a core element of a tertiary education entitlement, as proposed in the Mitchell Institute paper 'Financing tertiary education in Australia: the reform imperative and rethinking student entitlements' (Noonan and Pilcher 2015). The tertiary education entitlement is intended to be a coherent and practical Australia-wide system that provides guaranteed funding support for tertiary education to a particular qualification level through course subsidies and access to an income contingent loan. As outlined in the Noonan and Pilcher paper, the entitlement would have two core funding elements: (1) a direct subsidy - paid by either a state/territory government and/or the Commonwealth government, and based on eligibility to the entitlement; and (2) student contributions - initially paid by the Commonwealth to the provider with students taking out an ICL with the Commonwealth. In this report, the authors consider ICL design options and associated cost implications of a single universal ICL scheme that could apply to tertiary qualifications which, importantly, includes Certificate III and IV. The report examines the sharing of tertiary costs between students and all taxpayers, with a particular emphasis on ICL subsidies.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less