2009 Archived News
Bruce Mackenzie will become Chair of TAFE Directors Australia, after serving as Deputy Chair and Treasurer, and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee of 'TDA'. Bruce Mackenzie is CEO of Holmesglen Institute of TAFE (VIC)
TDA has responded toof a new National Regulator for vocational education and training, and outlined its position on the interim report released by the Baird Review into international student regulation.
COAG today agreed to establish a national regulator for the VET sector which will be established under Commonwealth legislation. The regulator will be responsible for the registration and audit of registered training providers, and the accreditation of courses.
The Senate Inquiry into the Welfare of International Students published its report on 25 November. The Committee's sixteen recommendations cover most areas of concern including access to accurate information, employment entitlements, transport concessions and professionalism of agents.
At the meeting of the Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE), in Canberra last week, Ministers agreed to the establishment of a national regulator, replacing historic arrangements for states and territories to manage training regulation.
The 2009 Mick Young Oration and Parliamentary Dinner to be held this week in Canberra is fast approaching a full house with a wide range of politicians, government officials, industry representatives and TAFE Directors and staff attending.
Tickets are still available for the Mick Young Oration, the third annual lecture hosted by TDA acknowledging the contribution of the Mick Young Scholarship Trust. The 2009 Oration will be delivered by the Federal Treasurer, the Hon Wayne Swan MP
The Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, addressed the National TAFE Day celebrations at Parliament House last week. Ms Gillard highlighted the importance of TAFE through its history as a quality provider, and its role in providing the future skills vital to a sustainable economy.
The Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, has announced that relevant green skills will be included in all apprenticeships and vocational education training packages by March, and all other courses by the end of 2010.
The Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, and the Minister for Employment Participation, Senator the Hon Mark Arbib MP, have announced a $100 million Apprentice Kickstart program aimed at supporting up to 21,000 people entering traditional trades this summer.
TDA is pleased to announce that the Treasurer, the Hon Wayne Swan MP, will present the 2009 Mick Young Oration at Parliament House Canberra, 18 November.
At its most recent meeting, the Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE) agreed to progress national VET regulatory arrangements and promote a National VET Regulator at the COAG meeting in December.
Colleges could be regulated for the number of international students they enroll, and the concentration of students from individual countries, according to an issues paper released as part of the Baird Review into the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000.
TDA Members are invited to join the upcoming TDA Mission to UK Colleges and the 2009 UK Birmingham Conference due to take place 7-22 November 2009.
The Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, is hosting from today an International Student Roundtable in Canberra, to discuss student experiences and concerns.
TAFE Directors Australia recently held its National Conference on the GoldCoast. Delegates can access speaker presentations and photos from theConference here.
The Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, spent the past week in India seeking to restore confidence in international education, and outline regulatory responses by the Australian Government.
This is the final week to book for the TDA09 National Conference, to be held 3-4 September on the Gold Coast.
Final registrations are taking place for the TDA09 National Conference. The Conference, to be held 3-4 September on the Gold Coast, has an outstanding line-up of keynote international and domestic leadership that will highlight perspectives based around two themes: Positioning TAFE to meet the challenges of the global marketplace , and 'One Tertiary' sector - implications for domestic and international markets
Professor Peter Coaldrake, the incoming Chair of Universities Australia, will be a guest speaker on day two of the TDA Annual Conference next month, focusing on -One Tertiary- reforms in the post-Bradley environment.
The Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, has announced a $94 million initiative to provide green jobs and skills to young people during the economic downturn.
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.
A group of TAFE executives will visit Singapore in August to participate in the APEC Women Leaders' Network meeting.This year's theme "Women and Sustainable Development in APEC" is in line with APEC 2009's focus on sustaining growth and connecting the region.
Two international perspectives from the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training will be aired in keynote addresses at TDA09, the TAFE Directors Annual Conference on the Gold Coast in early September.
Official National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) data shows Australia's 58 TAFE Institutes are experiencing the impact of an increased focus on training and skills flowing from the economic downturn, with student enrolments at record levels, and big increases in Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma and higher subjects across the TAFE Institute network.
TAFE Directors Australia has issued a Board Communiquéurging Federal, State and Territory leaders to agree to tightened licensing and quality of VET providers, to support last week's Darwin COAG International Student Strategy announcement...
TDA has welcomed COAG'sand outlined recommendations that Federal, State and Territory agencies respond with a series of measures to strengthen the quality of student experience whilst they are studying in Australia. To view a Communique outlining the measures
Australia's TAFE Institutes have been given a clear message that sustainability in skills and training will be a key theme for the next round of funding under the Education Investment Fund.
Minister Gillard announced key reforms surrounding the future of the VET sector and TAFE's role in tertiary education in her speech at the BIG Skills Conference.to view the speech.to view TDA's response.
TDA has responded to the Bradley Review of Higher Education with its report: 'Three pillars: The key to the quality of an expanded Australia tertiary sector'. The report responds to the key characteristics of an effective tertiary education and training system set out in the Bradley Review. To view the report . View an attachment to the submission .
The Federal Government hasannounced $400 million to supportthe back-log in TAFEinfrastructure improvements, andto support moves toward greenskills projects as a part of the$4.7 billion 'Nation Building'stimulus package.
TDA has presented a detailedsubmission to the House ofRepresentatives ParliamentaryStanding CommitteeInquiry, 'Combining school andwork: supporting successful youthtransitions'.
The Bradley Review of HigherEducation report provided variousrecommendations impacting TAFEInstitutes. On 30 January 2009,the Deputy Prime Minister includedTDA in a special roundtablediscussion on the Review. TDA hassought views from members on theReview, and a further discussionwill take place at the TDA boardmeeting in Sydney on 12 February2009.
A national consultation will seekto bring clarity to the operationsof the new $11B EducationInvestment Fund - a central partof the 'education revolution' withthree infrastructure fundstotaling $40B proposed in lastweek's Federal Budget.
TAFE has taken centre stage in Budget 2008 with the announcement of an $11 billion Education Investment Fund, for TAFE and VET special projects. The Fund would be established from the next two financial years' Budget surpluses.
There is a real challenge inbringing 1,000 bright and eagerAustralians together, often withdisparate views across the tenareas of focus that were under themicroscope at the historicAustralia 2020 Summit.
The NSW Minister for Education andTraining, the Hon. John DellaBosca MP hosted the boards of TAFEDirectors Australia and theAustralia China Business Council,at a special Chinese New Yearreception at State Parliament inSydney.
The Deputy Prime Minister andMinister for Education, Employmentand Workplace Relations, the HonJulia Gillard MP, has approved forTAFE Directors Australia toestablish a Tuition AssuranceScheme for VET and HigherEducation TAFE providers.
TAFE Directors Australia haslodged submissions to two of theAustralian Government's keyinquiries examining skillsdevelopment and innovation.