Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Workplace Relations

Inquiry into the Role of Institutes of TAFE
Submissions

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Submission 46

Box Hill Institute of TAFE

Response to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training 'Inquiry into the Appropriate Roles of Institutes of Technical and Further Education'

October, 1997

 

Preamble

This document constitutes the response of the Council of Box Hill Institute of TAFE to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training 'Inquiry into the Appropriate Roles of Institutes of Technical and Further Education'. A Capability Statement for Box Hill Institute is provided in Appendix 1.

This paper addresses the Inquiry's terms of reference:

• the appropriate roles of Institutes of Technical and Further Education; and
• the extent to which those roles should overlap with Universities.

 

The Appropriate Roles of Institutes of Technical and Further Education

It is the Council's view that the TAFE system needs to be an active and competitive part of the VET Sector whilst acknowledging the responsibilities which are inherent in utilising publicly owned facilities. The Council:

• is cognisant of the need to ensure that TAFE Institutes operate with a flexible, market oriented approach to ensure that government funded training is delivered in an efficient and effective manner;
• believes that a vibrant and competitive system of TAFE Institutes operating in a competitive training market of public and private providers is essential in the development of an effective training market; and
• believes that an effective network of public providers is essential to ensure equity and access to all groups from industry and the community.

The Extent to Which Those Roles Should Overlap with Universities

The extent to which the roles of TAFE Institutes and Universities should overlap is addressed in relationship to the awards which are provided by each sector, and, the relationships between TAFE Institutes and Universities.

Awards Which are Provided by TAFE Institutes and Universities

In relation to awards which can be offered by each sector. TAFE is currently limited to Certificates I to IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels but unable to offer Degrees. Universities are able to offer Advanced Diplomas, or Degrees and Post Graduate qualifications.

The Council is of the opinion that the VET sector generally should be able to offer Vocational Degrees as is the case in a number of European countries. It is considered that these qualifications should be seen as complimentary to, rather than in competition with awards currently offered by Universities. They should not duplicate a system which is already in existence but provide an alternative, and more vocationally specific pathway for students to obtain competencies at a higher level of skill than is currently available to meet the needs of industry.

These Vocational Degrees should be:

• developed in accordance with the National Training Framework to ensure that successful graduates meet the needs of industry and enterprises; and
• distinct from Degrees currently offered by Universities.

The Organisational Arrangements between TAFE Institutes and Universities

The Council of Box Hill Institute supports TAFE/University relationships based on an alliance model.

This model allows TAFE Institutes to form alliances with other providers without the limitations of forced amalgamations between different sectors and ensures a range of pathways which are in the best interests of customers. In particular, this model:

• provides the capacity to develop a range of alliances between sectors which enhance pathways and meet the needs of customers and the community; and
• maintains the integrity and identity of TAFE, allowing it to pursue its mission and purpose.

Any model of forced amalgamations with Universities is rejected by the Council. In particular, such models are not supported for the following reasons:

• the two sectors have significantly different missions and purposes

multi-sector industrial awards will lead to tensions between staff in the different sectors

• career paths for employees of the TAFE sector will be significantly inhibited in an environment dominated by a University culture
• when institutions from two sectors are amalgamated into one institution, the mission, sense of purpose and operations become blurred resulting in neither the University nor the TAFE component being able to pursue their core business, to the detriment of both
• there is a danger that the vocational nature of VET programs may be diluted in order to maximise pathways to higher education
• observation of existing dual sector Universities suggest that TAFE operations often suffer in an environment dominated by University culture
• the trend in articulation from higher education to TAFE rather than the reverse, demonstrates the different outcomes between the two sectors
• there is little evidence to confirm that students of TAFE Institutes which are affiliated with a University necessarily articulate to that particular University-

 

Appendix 1: Box Hill Institute of TAFE - Capability Statement

Box Hill Institute is one of the largest multi-purpose Institutes of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) in Victoria, it trains more than 28,000 students each year a growing number coming from interstate and overseas.

The Institute operates forty-four campuses throughout Victoria, interstate and overseas. These campuses consist of. 10 Institute, 6 Industry and 28 Extended campuses in secondary schools. Most of these campuses are located in Melbourne, with the remaining located in Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia, Indonesia and Fiji.

Box Hill Institute is the most diverse TAFE institution in Australia due to its scale of operation. The Institute engages in a wide range of projects within Australia and overseas. Supported by the TAFE systems in Victoria and throughout Australia, it has developed strategic alliances with internationally recognised organisations, that provide further support for its projects.

Its staff of 1,300 consist of 450 full-time teachers and 284 full-time general staff. The remaining members are sessional teachers and general part-time and casual staff.

The Institute services its clients through its four teaching divisions, each responsible for a broad field of study. These are: Health, Arts and Sciences; Building and Engineering; Business and Hospitality; and Electronics Technology. Training activities are also conducted through the Industry Training Centre, a component of the Division of Business Development.

Additionally, the Institute has been awarded the right to manage and develop curriculum for Engineering, Automotive and Electronics in Victoria. This statewide function involves the Institute in major research and project development; it also indicates the depth of Box Hill Institute's expertise in these fields.

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