If the Australian Government is to achieve its goal of closer alignment of the skills training and higher education systems, it needs to first recognise, and then actively harness the strengths of independent providers across both those systems. That’s the view of the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA), the peak body representing independent Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and higher education institutions.
“ITECA has been a strong advocate of reforms that allow the skills training and higher education systems to operate as one but retain their separate strengths and identities. This position is built upon the work of independent providers in both RTOs and independent higher education providers,” said Troy Willims, ITECA Chief Executive.
Across the Australian Government, a focus on a more integrated and cohesive tertiary education system, but this is consistently compromised by the fact it is focussed only on the experience from a small number of public universities and TAFE colleges that support both skills training and higher education students. It’s the experience of 60 independent dual sector providers that the Australian Government needs to leverage.
“The lived experience of independent dual sector providers offers incredibly useful insights as to what a more integrated tertiary education system offers. It’s the lived experience of thousands of staff and students that offers some great insights on how a more integrated tertiary education system can support a culture of lifelong learning,” Mr Williams said.
As government agencies such as Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) consider approaches to a more integrated tertiary education model, they need to look beyond the narrow experience of public universities and TAFE colleges to understand the roadblocks and the required reforms.
“Independent dual sector providers and their students have the daily challenge of dealing with different funding models, different student loan programs and different approach to regulation. It would be remiss of JSA and other agencies not to leverage the expertise the independent sector has to offer,” Mr Williams said.
ITECA has formally approached the Australian Government with an offer of support to design an integrated tertiary education system based on the experience of its member institutions and their students across the country.
“Australia’s economic prosperity is based upon having a skilled and educated workforce. This will require workers to dip in and out of both skills training and higher education throughout their working lives and it’s in this context that the experience of independent dual sector providers will be of great value to policymakers,” Mr Williams said.
According to ITECA, the first step towards an integrated tertiary education system will be for the Australian Government to place students at its heart, look at the system in its totality, not just through the narrow prism of public universities and TAFE colleges.
“If the Australian Government is serious about developing a more integrated tertiary education system, it needs to take an approach that recognises the complementarity of independent and public providers in the skills training and higher education system,” Mr Williams concluded.
Ends.
Troy Williams - High Resolution Photo [Download]
About us:
ITECA Introduction: The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA) is the peak body representing independent Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) that support 89.4% of the 4.5 million students in skills training and institutions that support 10% of the 1.6 million students in a higher education awards program.
Contact details:
Troy Williams - ITECA Chief Executive
e: troy.williams@iteca.edu.au
m: 0400 599 934
