Newsletter: 27 July 2009

• Dr. Jill Biden addresses the UNESCO Higher Education Conference
• High-profile international speakers to lead TDA09 Gold Coast Conference
• Regional and remote TAFE CEO’s Roundtable with Senate Regional Committee
• Skills Australia releases its training system recommendations
• International student visas
• Representative sought for new building design review
• Green focus for TAFE NSW Managers’ Conference
• Diary Dates

Dr. Jill Biden addresses the UNESCO Higher Education Conference

Dr. Jill Biden, teacher and advocate of Community Colleges, and wife of the US Vice President, has made an historic Welcome Address to the UNESCO Higher Education Conference 2009.

Dr Biden spoke of her belief in the role of Community Colleges in educational attainment targets, as proposed by the US Administration.

Dr. Biden, a teacher in American Community Colleges, spoke passionately about the place of Colleges, and how frequently this education market is neglected at the expense of other areas of school or traditional post-school university education.

Professor David Battersby, Vice Chancellor of University of Ballarat, whose TAFE division a member of TDA, was a delegate to the UNESCO Conference, and wrote a special report in the Ballarat Courier about Dr. Biden’s speech.

The UNESCO Conference Address flags a similar policy debate in Australia regarding higher post-school attainment targets, and the unique role for TAFE Institutes in supporting higher vocational and higher education qualifications.

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High-profile international speakers to lead TDA09 Gold Coast Conference

Dr. Ronald Williams, of The College Board, Washington DC, will be a Special Guest Speaker at TDA09. Dr. Williams along with leadership from UNESCO-UNEVOC will head up domestic and international speakers on the theme of internationalisation of the labour market, and the shape of the ‘One Tertiary’ sector in Australia.

The program topics will include:

• Winning the Skills Race in a globally competitive world
• Globalisation of the labour market: implications for vocational education and training
• One Tertiary Sector – perspectives
• Pathways between sectors – fact or fantasy?
• A demand driven system
• TAFE in the new international landscape
• New drivers for international programs - employment, English and experience

TAFE CEOs, senior managers and international business managers participating in the Conference will hear presentations by Federal and State Ministers, international speakers, and high profile speakers from industry, education and training. Click here for information on speakers and details for registration.

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Regional and remote CEO’s Roundtable with Senate Regional Committee

TAFE CEOs in regional and remote districts will be invited to take part in a TDA-hosted Senate Regional Committee visit to the Gold Coast, proposed 2 September, ahead of the TDA09 National Conference.

TDA will be contacting regional and remote CEO’s, and liaising with the Senate Regional Committee, to finalise the Roundtable, which aims to assist their Budget 2009 Inquiry (see attached).

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Skills Australia releases its training system recommendations

Skills Australia has released its findings and recommendations from a nine month review of the national training system.

‘Foundations for the Future: proposals for future governance, architecture and market design of the national training system’, outlines proposals including: the merging VET and higher education; the formation of a new national agency to replace the functions of TVET, and the National Quality Council; and reform of TAFE governance.

The paper builds on Skills Australia’s April discussion paper and incorporates the views from industry submissions. View TDA’s submission to the review here.

View the full Skills Australia report here.

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International student visas

Key regulatory challenges for international education have been highlighted for the Australian Government by last week’s SBS Insight program, and tonight’s ABC1 Four Corners program.

The Insight program focused on issues of advertising by private college agents, and the Four Corners program will also highlight concerns about colleges.

The TDA board earlier this month released an International Student Communiqué, seeking urgent regulatory reform to support market transparency for international students, and wider support from several States and Territories, for travel concessions.

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Representative sought for building design course review

TDA is seeking a representative for a Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council (CPSISC) Project Steering Committee for the development of a national competency-based building design course.

The first meeting is schedule in Melbourne, 4 August. To nominate for the Committee please contact Pam Caven, Director Stakeholder Engagement, TDA, by 29 July.

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Green focus for TAFE NSW Managers’ Conference

The TAFE NSW Managers’ Conference - ‘Green Light for Green Skills’ - will be held in Sydney 14 August.

The Conference will bring together industry, academic research and government agencies to discuss sustainability and green skills.

Key speakers include:

• Michael Coutts-Trotter, Director General, Department of Education and Training
• Dr Heinz Schandl , Senior Research Leader, CSIRO
• Roz Hall, Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change
• Matthew Tukaki, GM - Government & Public Sector, Drake International
• Kathy Rankin, GM TAFE NSW Training and Education Support

For more information click here. To register click here.

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