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Higher Education Review ProcessVarieties of Learning: the Interface between Higher Education and Vocational Education and TrainingforewordAs the nature of work changes and as students and employers demand more from the post school education experience, the relationship between universities and vocational education and training institutions is becoming more complex. These changes can be seen in many areas; the growing number of students who move from TAFE courses into a university and vice versa joint courses, shared campuses and research and infrastructure partnerships. The closer ties between the sectors have much to offer but also raise new policy questions. For example, the paper recognises that students who start their course in a TAFE and complete it in a university can pay substantially less for their degree. This discussion paper asks ‘is this equitable? It is not within the scope of this Review to consider the overall funding arrangements for the vocational education and training sector. There is no suggestion that a HECS style system might be applied to the sector as a whole. The VET sector offers a unique product, as does the university sector. They have different missions and structures and these differences are the strengths of each sector. However, these delineations have become blurred in recent years. The Bracks Government in Victoria recently announced its TAFEs would be offering full fee paying degrees for domestic students. Some question whether VET institutions should be offering degrees. Others ask whether universities should offer courses better delivered by the VET sector. The paper looks at some of the barriers to further partnerships, including differences in learning and assessment between the sectors, and notes the lack of information for students about the available options. The paper acknowledges the different funding and reporting requirements of the two sectors. Currently, dual-sector institutions have to report two sets of data at different times to different jurisdictions. Notwithstanding the need to acquit funds properly and ensure accountability, it can be argued that some streamlining is possible. The large amounts of resources being devoted to these reporting requirements could then be better utilised in other areas. The paper raises these issues in full acknowledgement of the respective roles and responsibilities of the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments. There are areas where a more cooperative approach may be beneficial.
The Honourable Brendan Nelson MP
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Any comments or
queries should be sent to:
highered@dest.gov.au
Department of Education, Science and Training
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