Seminars
Tertiary Policy seminars
Commencing in 2007, University of Melbourne has hosted an annual series of high-profile public seminars on tertiary education public policy. These seminars have addressed contemporary national debates, and have provided a forum for leaders from across Australia's education and government sectors to discuss issues of national importance and interest.
2011 Tertiary Education Policy Seminars
A new policy architecture for Australian tertiary education
July & August 2011
The Centre for the Study of Higher Education and the LH Martin Institute jointly present the University of
Melbourne's "2011 Tertiary Education Policy Seminars: A new policy architecture for tertiary education".
Australian tertiary education is on the brink of major changes yet their real substance and impact is unclear. The new ERA system of research evaluation has sent shock-waves round the higher education system but the implications for funding and research training are yet to be revealed by the federal government. International education numbers have stopped growing and most tertiary institutions will be more dependent on public funding in future, but there is no sign of increases in public funding for VET, and income contingent repayments have yet to be established in that sector. In higher education there is a national review of base funding in higher education that reports on 31 October: will this rescue the funding of teaching in the universities? Or will Australia follow the UK government, remove public funding altogether in some disciplines and in its commitment to returning budget to surplus further shift to private contributions? 2011 is also the first year of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). Will this usher in changes in tertiary programs and accountability arrangements? Will a more rigorous regime on standards suppress institutional diversity or stymie institutional innovation? How will TEQSA use its new authority to drive improvements? How will TEQSA and other mechanisms secure a most needed closer integration between VET and higher education – or will the big issues in system design be postponed for yet another year?
At the 2011 Tertiary Education Policy Seminars invited experts and participants will explore these issues and more. These seminars have become established as Australia’s leading public discussion of higher education, attracting active audiences and media attention.
Archive of past events:
The 2010 Tertiary Education Policy Seminars
Realising the national vision for tertiary education - July-August 2010
The federal government’s 2009 budget decisions on tertiary education, following the landmark report of the 2008 National Review chaired by Professor Denise Bradley, ushered in the ‘higher education revolution’ — or so it was said by the then federal Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and now Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. The government promised to phase in the fuller indexation of grants for teaching and the full-cost funding of research, to provide subsidised higher education places to all local students accepted by universities, and to cap student tuition charges while lifting the level of federal student support. It also announced a new regulatory framework with emphasis on nationally coordinated standards and accreditation, and a long-term commitment to lift national participation and social inclusion in higher education. The 2010 budget added funding for apprenticeship training. But are these reforms on track? Do they meet national needs? Has the ‘education revolution’ now been accomplished — and what will the future bring?
View the videos from the first, second, third and fourth seminars.
Series papers
The 2009 Tertiary Education Policy Seminars
A series of three seminars in 2009 which explored the consequences for higher education of the 2009 Federal Budget, the implications of the Bradley Review targets on participation and equity, and the role of the new agency, (TEQSA), in monitoring quality and institutional performance in the context of compact negotiation, target-setting and performance funding. Series papers
Investing in the Future: Renewing Australian Tertiary Education
A series of high-profile seminars in 2008 which explored the Rudd Government's major inquiries into the higher education system (the Bradley review) and the national innovation system (the Cutler review).Series papers
Education, Science and the Future of Australia
A special series of seminars in 2007 which discussed key issues before the nation in the areas of education, research and science. Series papers