Newsletter 22 March 2010

     

    Declining TAFE funding hits student waiting lists

    Government funding for vocational education and training has declined by more than 12% between 2003 and 2008 according to two new reports from Australia Education Union (AEU).

    AEU surveyed 2,600 teachers and managers from TAFEs across Australia. The survey was accompanied by a research paper from the Centre for the Economics of Education and Training (CEET) at Monash University.

    The findings show that a lack of funding is impacting the availability of teaching resources, and increasing the number of students turned away because of inadequate training places. Some 46% of respondents said there were student waiting lists at their organisation.

    The CEET report says that to reach COAG’s targets for increased qualifications, an additional $200 million must be spent on average every year from 2009-2020.

    To view a media release about the research, as well as the full reports, click here.

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    Youth allowance agreement reached in Parliament

    An agreement has been reached in the Federal Parliament that will see changes to youth allowance pass through the Senate.

    The changes will give more than 100,000 students access to youth allowance for the first time, and new parental income test arrangements will be enforced from July 1.

    Universities Australia has welcomed the agreement. Click here to read the media release.

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    Local study advantage should remain in migration test

    TDA has argued that study in Australia should continue to attract higher points under the test for skilled migration.

    In a media release, TDA says that study in Australia as a pathway to permanent residency is a legitimate and cost effective means of meeting Australia’s current and future skills needs.

    The media release outlined TDA’s response to a discussion paper from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) on the General Skilled Migration Points Test

    TDA said that the actions of a small number of unscrupulous private providers and their agents shouldn’t overshadow the rest of the industry. It said that there are many advantages to having studied in Australia prior to entering the workforce, and so those with local qualifications should receive higher points in the test.

    To view a TDA media release click here. To view the submission click here.

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    TDA AGM

    Nominations are open for positions on the TDA Board which will be decided at the 2010 TDA Annual General Meeting to be held 28 May, at the Sydney Institute of TAFE.

    For more information, or to nominate for a position, click here. Nominations are due by 16 April and should be submitted to Pam Caven.

    A program of activities is included below. Members who will be attending the AGM, are asked to advise of their attendance at each activity by contacting the TDA Secretariat.

    Time

    Activity

    9.00am – 12.30 pm

    TDA Board Meeting

    12.45pm – 1.30pm

    Light lunch

    1.30pm – 2.00pm

    Launch of TDA Reports and Publications

    2.00pm – 2.30pm

    TDA 2010 Annual General Meeting

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    TDA helps shape new qualifications guide

    TDA has been invited to contribute to a workshop to discuss a new User’s Manual that will support the changes made to the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

    The workshop is organised by the Australian Qualifications Framework Council and will be held in Melbourne, on 26 March. TDA will be represented by Keri Bailey (Swinburne University of Technology), Jennifer Oliver (Box Hill Institute of TAFE) and Jane McGlashan (RMIT).

    Also on the AQF...

    TDA members are invited to participate in an online survey to help validate and fine tune the AQF. People who use the AQF to develop, accredit, deliver or assess Australian senior secondary, vocational education and training or higher education qualifications are encouraged to participate.

    Please go to www.aqf.edu.au and you will be directed to the survey. It will take about 20 minutes to complete.

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    Register for the VTA Conference

    Registrations are open for the Victorian TAFE Association’s State Conference, to be held in Creswick, 6-7 May.

    The Conference, ‘Victorian TAFE in the Tertiary Landscape’, is sponsored by TDA and a full Conference program is available to view here.

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    Call for papers – No Frills Conference

    The National Centre for Vocational Education and Training Research (NCVER) is calling for research papers for the 2010 ‘No Frills’ Conference to be held in Perth 7-9 July.

    The Conference, jointly sponsored by NCVER, Polytechnic West and Central Institute of Technology, will focus on strategies that can influence policy and practice to improve education and training systems in Australia.

    NCVER is calling for papers that rely on sound evidence-based research and presentations. Papers are due 16 April.

    To submit a paper, or to register for the Conference, click here.

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    Vacant positions – NSW Institutes

    TAFE NSW is currently seeking experienced Directors for three of its Institutes:

    For more information click here.

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    Consultations for industry portal

    The Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN) is holding consultations for its National Work Integrated Learning Portal Project which will provide an online gateway for industry and community to tertiary educational institutions.

    The consultation process will encompass portal function, design, potential usage and protocols. The project has a number of dual sector universities involved, however the project team is seeking further input from the TAFE sector with regard to opportunities for its usage. More detailed information about the Portal Project can be found at the ACEN website.

    If you would like to contribute to this consultation process, please contact Melinda Bufton, Project Officer, via email or phone 03 9919 4805.

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    E-learning remote training opportunity

    The Australian Flexible Training Framework is funding a partnership between the Outdoor Power Equipment Association and six TAFE Institutes to integrate e-learning into workforce development in the mechanics sector.

    TAFE Institutes will be required to contribute resources to the development of national e-learning material which will help to train remote mechanics.

    For more information click here.

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    International professional development conference in Canada

    The North American Council of Staff, Program, and Organizational Development (NCSPOD) – an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges – has extended an invitation to TDA members to participate in its 2010 Conference in Vancouver, Canada.

    The Conference will highlight the professional development programs that are enriching higher education institutions in the United States, Canada, and internationally.

    To view an invitation letter from Dr Judy Snyder, President of the NCSPOD click here.

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    Submissions to ‘World Multi-Conference’ closing soon

    TDA members are advised of the opportunity to submit a paper to the ‘Education and Information/Communications Technologies’ area of the 14th World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics.

    The Conference will be held 29 June – 2 July in Orlando Florida, and is based around the exchange of concepts, prototypes, research ideas, and other results which could contribute to the academic arena and also benefit business, and the industrial community.

    For more information click here.

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    Diary Dates

    AUSTRADE
    Study in Australia VET Showcase
    DATE: 26-28 March 2010
    LOCATION: Philippines
    DETAILS: Click here for more information

    AVETRA
    2010 Conference
    DATE: 8-9 April 2010
    LOCATION: Holiday Inn, Surfers Paradise
    DETAILS: Click here for more information

    VTA STATE CONFERENCE 2010
    Victorian TAFE in the Tertiary Landscape
    DATE: 6-7 May 2010
    LOCATION: Novotel Forest Resort, Creswick
    DETAILS: Click here for more information

    TAFE DIRECTORS AUSTRALIA
    2010 National Conference
    DATE: 13-14 September 2010
    DETAILS: Details will be available soon

    AUSTRALIAN COLLABORATIVE EDUCATION NETWORK
    Work Integrated Learning (WIL): Responding to Challenges
    DATE: 30 September - 1 October 2010
    LOCATION: Curtin University of Technology, Perth
    DETAILS: Click here for more information

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