Standing Committee on Employment, Education
and Workplace Relations
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Submission 59
Department of Vocational Education and Training
The University of Melbourne
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education
and Training
THE APPROPRIATE ROLES OF INSTITUTES OF TECHNICAL AND FURTHER
EDUCATION
ISSUE 1
It was agreed that TAFE and universities are different organisations
and should remain separate bodies. Each play a unique role in higher education
and vocational education and training with provision already in place
for articulation and reticulation. However, it was agreed that TAFE should
retain its 'further education' charter, thus maintaining its commitment
to community as well as industry interests and needs.
The meeting agreed that TAFE should:
- become Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) through the proper
processes as outlined in ANTA's
- recently released Australian National Training Framework, 1998-2003;
- gain delegated accreditation powers and be able to provide accreditation
services to other providers;
- provide training services and consultancy to enterprises in private
and public sectors, both nationally and 'internationally, on a fee-for-service
basis;
- deliver off-the-job vocational education and training, English as
a Second Language (ESL) and further
- education to international students;
- work with secondary schools in support of, and to enhance, vocational
education and training in schools;
- provide adult remedial education, including further education;
- promote vocational education and training and 'further education'
with communities and local industry.
The meeting was of the opinion that the 'further education' (FE) component
of TAFE should remain as it plays an important role in providing second-chance
education and opens the door for those seeking a university qualification
following their TAFE studies.
TAFE Institutes should also:
- pursue excellence and be seen as providing benchmarks in quality and
value for money both in
- vocational education and training and further education;
- participate in research and development activities for the betterment
of vocational education and training
- overall;
- provide services to the vocational education and training sector and,
where appropriate, provide further education, as opposed to higher education
which should remain within the domain of universities (for example,
in areas of curriculum development and accreditation);
- provide information, curriculum and associated materials on a fee-for-service
basis;
- support its students and communities through various ancillary services
not available through
- universities, such as specialised counselling, access to specialised
infrastructure, study workshops, etc;
- provide a non-threatening learning environment for disadvantaged groups,
some of which have not participated in education for many years and
are returning to a learning environment. TAFE caters for unemployed
youth, isolated community groups, women, the disabled, the intellectually
and physically impaired, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, youth
at risk and people of non-English speaking background.
TAFE's social justice role has always been a primary feature of its contribution
to both individual students and industry. TAFE's counselling and study
workshops facilitate the learning needs of those identified as disadvantaged
groups in the new Australian National Framework, particularly in rural
and isolated areas of the State.
TAFE Institutes are well placed to perform the following functions
Deliver per full-time student per annum, measured in Annual Student Contact
Hours (ASCH) at about half the cost of universities. However, private
providers in most States are cheaper than TAFE Institutes. TAFE willingly
accepts responsibility for providing education and training to the less
academically able (or those students who elect to undertake a trade or
paraprofessional career in lieu of a university degree).
Most TAFE Institutes have well established relationships with local industry
in their communities through ongoing liaisons by teaching staff in their
respective industries.
Economies of scale enable TAFE institutes to cater for the high level
of diversity in course structure required by students and their employers.
TAFE Institutes are large enough to champion vocational education and
training to the general community alongside universities which champion
higher education endeavours.
ISSUE 2
The extent to which those roles should overlap with Universities
There is room for possible rationalisation where it can be demonstrated
that both the vocational education and training sector and higher education
are serving the same occupational or education needs. Articulation and
reticulation, which occurs in almost every TAFE Institute in every State,
on a region by region basis, should be maintained and further developed.
There should be a maintenance of two curricula, one for TAFE and one
for universities as both have different roles and functions and these
should remain an easy transition in the phase of articulation. It is imperative
that staff interaction continue between Universities and TAFE Institutes
in order that increased understanding be gained by both educational sectors
- including cultural differences.
The possibility of a Year 13 was raised. If secondary schools in Victoria,
or high schools in other States and Territories, can provide a suitable
environment for young adults, study which can form part of their final
year 12 accreditation would assist greatly in solving several economic
and social problems, including those of youth unemployment.
The above raises the question of whether or not Year 12 (or Year 13)
should remain in schools or be taught within a TAFE College. It was suggested
by the meeting that such a year within a TAFE College would be advantageous
to the student because TAFE offers a different environment and one in
which students have an opportunity to 'test' a different learning environment
with older students.
Distance Delivery was discussed with caution. While the meeting agreed
that distance education through the progression of technology has a vital
role to play it should remain complementary to face to face teaching and
the cultural surroundings of an institution which provide a maturing process
for young adults. Distance learning can perform a vital role for those
students in rural areas or those unable to physically attend an educational
institution because of such factors as family commitments. Distance, computer-aided
learning, should, however, not replace traditional classroom interaction,
which facilitates cultural development and interpersonal skills.
Pending Mergers
The committee was in agreement that further mergers between TAFE institutes
and Universities would be disadvantageous. Both sectors are unique in
their level of course offerings, their methods of teaching and assessment
- methods quite incompatible to those of a traditional University. A mismatch
of this compatibility would occur if forced amalgamations were to eventuate.
It should also be noted that Victoria is the only State contemplating
this experiment and not all Victorian TAFE institutes, realising the problems
this would cause, are in favour of such an initiative.
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