Thursday 3 September

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Address

BILL BURMESTER
Deputy Secretary, Tertiary Education, Youth and International, DEEWR

Positioning TAFE: Meeting the challenges of the changing domestic and global marketplace

Internationally a range of countries have felt the impact of the global financial crisis (GFC), more keenly than Australia. Australia is emerging from the GFC although unemployment is expected to still rise. TAFE institutes in meeting the challenges of the changing domestic and global marketplace have to respond on many different fronts. This session presents three different perspectives (although not mutually exclusive) on future challenges for TAFE.

Market design

• What is market design?

• What are the key elements of market design?

• What is the philosophy behind "market design" and what are its benefits?

• How should TAFE institutes respond to a market design landscape?

Australian apprentices

• What are the likely impacts on apprenticeship engagement and retention of the current financial crisis?

• What are the current measures introduced by Australian Governments to support apprentices?

• Will there be any significant impact on apprenticeship numbers?

• Is there a need to rethink how entry level trade training operates?

International market place

• What are the key challenges in the international student market for TAFE institutes?

• What do the Australian Government and TAFE institutes have to do to enhance their presence in international vocational education markets?

DAVID HETHERINGTON
Executive Director, Per Capita

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SIMONE WETZLAR
General Executive Manager, People and Sustainability, Thiess Pty Ltd Qld, Co-Chair Australian Apprentices

Taskforce

COLIN WALTERS
Group Manager, International Group, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

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TAFE making choices

TAFE leaders need to position their institutions in a challenging domestic and international landscape.

• What are the choices for TAFE leaders?

• How should TAFE institutes differentiate themselves in a crowded education marketplace? What is its essential/unique value for potential students?

• What do TAFE leaders/institutes need to take into account in developing a strategic response?

GERHARD VORSTER
Managing Partner, Deloitte Consulting Australia

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Winning the skills race in a globally competitive world

We are living in a very perplexing moment. The current recession has fractured our confidence with a decline in global productivity and corresponding increases in unemployment and despair. The IMF is, however, anticipating a turnaround by mid 2010 and a recovery that will mirror other past recessions. The economy that evolves promises to be more dependent than ever on brains rather than brawn. Education, in a variety of forms, has emerged as the nexus of a complex set of economic and political challenges. Who and how many should be educated? Are the pedagogies of the past sufficient to the task of educating new populations? What should be the balance between technical skill education, which provides the applications we need in the workforce, and the humanities, which provide access to the social skills of citizenship which become increasing important as immigrant populations increase and workplaces become more cooperative?

• What then should be the response of education to these challenges?

• What does internationalisation mean for Australian TAFE institutes/students? What is the response of the American community colleges?

• What lessons can Australia learn?

DR RONALD WILLIAMS
Vice President, The College Board, Member of the American Association of Community Colleges

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Friday 4 September

Talent Management

EMMA LLOYD
Senior HR Consultant, People Solutions - Slade Group (Gold Sponsor)

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International perspectives – challenges of the changing international and domestic marketplace

Due to the profound impact of megatrends such as globalization, a move from the Industrial Age to the Information Age and the widespread use of new information and communication technologies, on national, regional and international labour markets, countries are having to fundamentally rethink their approach to skills development for employability. This presentation will focus on the implications of such megatrends on globalization of the labour market, with particular reference to vocational education and training; and will argue that changes to education for the world of work are so profound that there is a need to develop a new paradigm in vocational education and training.

• What are the skills of the future?

• Are there lessons to be learned from the response of countries in Europe and Asia to the development of their workforces?

• Do we need a different/new pedagogy for developing vocational skills?

PROFESSOR RUPERT MACLEAN
Chair Professor of International Education, the Hong Kong Institute of Education

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(Powerpoint)

International perspectives – challenges of the changing international and domestic marketplace

This paper proposes that a coherent approach to tertiary education and training is necessary to enhance lifelong learning opportunities for citizens, in order to develop capacity and capabilities to deal with the challenges posed by the new world-of-work. To achieve this type of approach compatible systems and processes need to be introduced which facilitate communication between existing structures particularly in the areas of recognition, access and progression. The paper reviews key European Union education and training policy initiatives such as the Lisbon Strategy (1999), Bologna Process (1999) and the European Qualifications Framework (2006). These policies provide a meta-framework of systems and processes that support the move towards the emergence of a European tertiary education area. Then utilising a case study method, relevant Irish education and training policy initiatives are described, specific focus is placed on the Dublin Institute of Technology as an example of an institute enabled to utilise a coherent tertiary education and training approach.

• What is the philosophy behind the European Union education and training policy initiatives?

• How successful are they? What are the opportunities and challenges,?

• How are the distinctive missions of the training and higher education sectors reflected in the structures of Dublin Institute of Technology?

AIDAN KENNY
Coordinator UNEVOC National Centre Ireland (UNCI), Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT)

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One Tertiary Sector – Perspectives

The Bradley Review was asked to examine the place of higher education in the broader tertiary education sector, especially in building an integrated relationship with vocational education and

training’ (Bradley Review, p. 205). Subsequently, the concept of a tertiary system has rapidly gained momentum and some action by Government.

• What are the key differentiators for TAFE as the largest public provider of post-school VET?

• Should there be a special role for public VET providers?

• What structural, policy positions are necessary to support this special role?

• Are the different pedagogies compatible? Will we have two different types of curricula and two different approaches to teaching on the same campus?

PROFESSOR PETER COALDRAKE
Vice-Chancellor, Queensland University of Technology

Chair, Universities Australia

PAM CHRISTIE
Institute Director, TAFE NSW - Sydney Institute

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PHILIP BULLOCK
Chair, Skills Australia

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PATRICIA NEDEN
CEO, Innovation and Business Skills Australia

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Stronger pathways between the sectors – fact or fiction?

The Pathways Project is being undertaken by the Australian Qualifications Framework Council to prepare policy advice on credit transfer, articulation and student pathways in the context of the

implementation of Commonwealth government decisions on the Bradley Review.

A key finding of the Phillips KPA 2006 report, Credit Where Credit’s Due, was that institutions are central to improving credit transfer and articulation. The critical step is a decision by the leadership

within an institution to commit to these objectives. As a consequence, the Pathways Project will focus on institutions and look at what factors lead them to commit to improving credit transfer, student pathways and articulation, best practice, the difficulties they encounter, how they solve perceived problems and what plans they have for future activity.

Institutions are supported (or impeded) by the policy, regulatory and funding context in which they operate. Each of these areas will be examined to identify changes that could be made to provide the most supportive environment for institutions to implement best practice in credit transfer and articulation.

The most common issue identified by stakeholders is the difference in the way the VET and Higher Education sectors describe course content and assess student achievement. Are there systemic

changes which would make it easier for institutions to deal with these differences and practical ways for institutions to address the issues at the local level? Closely related to this is the influence

over course content exercised in both sectors by external groups. Does the nature of the influence and the associated processes facilitate or impede credit transfer and articulation.

Given the Bradley ‘target’ to increase the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Higher Education and other related government targets for educational attainment, how well

do the pathways currently available to such students work? Other pathways to be considered are those within industry areas and pathways for students seeking vocationally specific qualifications

to complement university qualifications.

KIM BANNIKOFF
Director - Queensland Studies Authority, Project Team Leader, AQFC Pathways Project

Paper available soon

A demand driven system

The Government has agreed to introduce a demand student entitlement system for universities from 2012 and Victoria has already also introduced student entitlement for VET.

• Is the rationale - choice for students or is it unfettered competition for VET providers?

• Who benefits?

• How will TAFE manage this change?

MARK BURFORD
Principal, Strategy and Public Policy, The Nous Group

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DAVID WINDRIDGE
CEO, MEGT (Australia) Ltd

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DR ANNE JONES
Deputy Vice Chancellor & Director TAFE, Victoria University

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PAT FORWARD
Federal TAFE Secretary, Australian Education Union, Federal Office

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TAFE in the new international landscape

The internal and external environments for international education are rapidly changing. The Bradley Review recommended changes to the structure of Australia’s international education and training regulation and promotional body, AEI. Australia’s competitors employ a range of strategies and organisational structures to position their destination with the global student market. With a focus on the external environment recent issues of quality in the sector, agent recruitment practices, the nexus between skilled migration and international education and student safety have all been in the headlines. This session will focus on the impacts of the internal and external changes on TAFE.

• How is TAFE prepared to respond to the challenges?

• What is the Australian Government doing to respond to the new international landscape?

• How are student’s expectations and experiences impacting the changes?

• What is the role for TAFE in collaboration with other sectors of the international education industry?

• What strategies should TAFE institutes employ to ensure continued success and sustainability in the market?

DAVID RIORDAN
CEO, DET International NSW

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KEVIN BRETT
Director, Client Services Australia, i-graduate

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HELEN COOK
Vice-President, International Education Association of Australia (IEAA)

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DI WEDDELL
Branch Manager, International Strategy Branch, Australian Education International

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TDA member input – international

Under normal economic conditions international graduates can look forward to exciting new opportunities in a burgeoning employment market. But these are no ordinary times.

The international financial crisis will dramatically impact the shape and constitution of the employment marketplace for many years to come. Whether or not actual numbers of enrolments will decline in the long-term is a matter of conjecture; however, the actual shape of purchase will undoubtedly change.

At a superficial level there will be much greater interest in accelerated programmes, an increase in demand for twinning / partner programmes, greater demand for funding support, and much shorter yield as a consequence of a shorter time in destination.

As students aspirations go unrealised thanks to an over-supply of graduates across all levels, and fewer graduate openings, students and their families will be forced to reconsider just what an international education needs to provide. Indeed, the next five years may see a dramatic realignment of all the key purchase variables.

One thing is for sure. More students will need to be recruited to maintain revenue at today’s levels. And as a result, the prospect pool will need to expand; this in a more competitive market environment where media will enable access to an ever greater range of alternative pathways and options.

So where does this leave the TAFE sector? Find out just how far TAFE institutions will need to journey to be market-led.

ROB LAWRENCE
Director, Prospect Research & Marketing

Enhancing the international student experience – perspectives on agents, employment services and the homestay experience

The experience of international students during studies in Australia must be a focal point for all education providers. Recent media focus on the issue of student safety and welfare, coupled with the Senate Inquiry into the Welfare of International Students elevates the importance of this issue. With proposed changes to the skilled migration policy international students will need to demonstrate 3 Es – English, Experience and Employment. This session will focus on perspectives from agents on student’s motivations and needs, employment services and improving the home stay experience.

• What are the new drivers for international students?

• What services are available to assist domestic and international students enter the workplace?

• How can the home stay experience be improved?

• Is your institution compliant in your home stay management?

• How important is English performance pre and post enrolment?

• What are agents saying about us?

PAULA DUNSTAN
PIER Manager, International Education Resources

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DAVID BYCROFT
CEO, Australian Homestay Network

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(Powerpoint - 3rd September)

(Powerpoint - 4th September)

BRANDON THOMPSON
Managing Director, E2e

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Additional papers

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH
How a ‘tertiary education’ sector impacts the way NCVER thinks about research and statistics

AUSTRALIAN FLEXIBLE LEARNING FRAMEWORK
Meeting the challenges and opportunities of emerging technologies in VET