List of Recommendations

Recommendation 1

2.72
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
Analyse and evaluate cross-portfolio and cross government STEM education initiatives;
Work with higher education providers to increase the quantity and quality of the STEM graduates from higher education;
Improve STEM education and awareness through development, streamlining and implementation of better teacher training and resources;
Facilitate a national approach to STEM teaching and learning that meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students;
Identify the skill base that employers require from STEM graduates in the workforce now and in the future; and,
Develop a STEM Reference Panel reporting to the relevant Federal portfolio ministers, through the Chief Scientist, to drive strategies for strengthening STEM at all levels of education.

Recommendation 2

2.74
The Committee recommends that the Australian Department of Education and Training identify metrics and report on outcomes regarding STEM teaching in schools.

Recommendation 3

2.76
The Committee recommends that the CSIRO and ANSTO develop a pilot STEM role model program; assess its impact and report to the Minister for Education and Training.

Recommendation 4

2.78
The Committee recommends that Australian Government, through COAG, develop a systematic approach to career advice, which can be externally and independently assessed.

Recommendation 5

2.82
The Committee recommends that Australian Government funding for schools require reporting on funding for:
Proportions of teachers with STEM qualifications; and,
Mismatch; where STEM teaching is performed by non-STEM trained teachers.

Recommendation 6

2.83
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, through COAG, require jurisdictions to develop and submit strategies which phase out the teaching of STEM subjects by non-STEM trained teachers over a five year period.

Recommendation 7

2.85
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government develop online credentialing and incentives for teachers to enhance and update STEM knowledge.

Recommendation 8

2.87
The Committee further recommends that university education faculties, collectively or individually as appropriate:
work with State jurisdictions and non-state schools to produce workforce estimates for STEM teaching needs and report them publicly;
provide to TEQSA the size of student teaching specialisation streams annually;
develop specific STEM enhancement strategies for pre-service coursework; and,
collect statistics on how many maths teachers have graduated.

Recommendation 9

2.89
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, through COAG, require jurisdictions to:
ensure every school has a STEM specialist, responsible for driving STEM as a priority among staff and students;
report their STEM professional development programs for teaching staff; and,
guide principals on being leaders in STEM.

Recommendation 10

2.94
The Committee recommends that the National Innovation and Science Agenda explicitly recognise the importance of STEAM, creative digital skills, the creative industries and the arts more generally.

Recommendation 11

3.96
The Committee recommends that relevant professional groups, such as Engineers Australia, report to the Minister for Education and Training the tertiary undergraduates courses requiring a math prerequisite.

Recommendation 12

3.97
The Committee recommends that mathematics be re-established as a pre-requisite for obtaining an ATAR.

Recommendation 13

3.99
The Committee recommends that universities re-establish mathematics as a pre-requisite for relevant tertiary courses with an option for special circumstance exceptions.

Recommendation 14

3.101
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government closely look at the results of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) program and implement changes arising from it across schools.

Recommendation 15

3.103
The Committee recommends that ASQA develop a set of VET quality metrics that can be reported on and is accessible by students and employers.

Recommendation 16

3.106
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government’s National Science and Innovation Agenda be expanded to include the VET sector.

Recommendation 17

3.108
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government funding to VET maximises the provision of work integrated learning opportunities.

Recommendation 18

3.109
The Committee recommends that the VET and tertiary education sectors should collaborate to:
ensure that the competencies taught in certificate IV, diploma and other VET qualifications are linked to corresponding bachelor degrees; and,
design and deliver bridging courses to explicitly teach the STEM skills students may have missed out on at the secondary school level, but which are required to successfully complete tertiary qualifications.

Recommendation 19

3.113
The Committee recommends that a small working group consisting of representatives of the Australian Government Department of Employment and the Australian Government Department of Education and Training, TEQSA, ASQA, students and unions be formed to consult with universities, TAFE’s and the private RTO sector with a view to preparing a submission for COAG to work towards streamlining integration between universities and the VET sector.

Recommendation 20

3.115
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government
Allow self-accrediting universities more scope to integrate vocational units into degree courses by recognising within TEQSA guidance that year 1 of a bachelor course is at AQF level 5.
Encourage closer alignment of ASQA and TEQSA standards at AQF5 level, or allow them to be directly substituted without penalty.
Reconsider the structure of VET qualifications and move to a model whereby national qualifications have a common core built around ‘capabilities’ required for an occupation, with greater discretion at VET provider level for course customisation to meet local industry needs.
Encourage the development of joint VET / HE offerings between self-accrediting universities and local autonomous TAFE institutes.
Improve the interface between VET and HE sectors, which would contribute towards a more resilient VET sector.

Recommendation 21

3.117
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government address the issue of dual enrolled students appearing as a tertiary non-completion where they exit with a vocational diploma.

Recommendation 22

3.119
The Committee recommends that:
STEM courses have a business or entrepreneurship unit incorporated into their coursework; and,
University faculties incorporate a unit of business, statistics, technology or entrepreneurship in non-STEM degrees.

Recommendation 23

3.123
The Committee recommends that access for Commonwealth Supported Places for sub-bachelor courses be applied in a way that disadvantages neither the University or VET sector.

Recommendation 24

3.129
The Committee recommends a 12 month benchmark for accreditation of new courses.

Recommendation 25

3.133
The Committee recommends that ASQA and training package designers move towards real time curricula development; allowing real-time course updates that reflect the rapidly changing skill requirements in the workforce.

Recommendation 26

3.134
The Committee recommends that Skills Service Organisations:
require STEM skills to be explicitly assessed in all STEM related VET qualifications;
require VET providers to explicitly assess students’ development of STEM skills in all relevant qualifications;
require Vocational Education and Training providers to explicitly assess students’ development of soft skills such as effective communication, team work and problem solving in all relevant qualifications; and,
require VET providers to link the competencies developed in certificate IV, diploma and other VET qualifications to corresponding bachelor degrees.

Recommendation 27

3.135
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government support VET and University providers to design and deliver STEM bridging courses required for VET students switching to tertiary STEM degrees.

Recommendation 28

4.54
The Committee recommends that the Department of Employment investigate options for a national work integrated learning framework which includes reporting requirements.

Recommendation 29

4.56
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider the merit of adopting elements of Canada’s Applied Research and Innovation Services model with a view to strengthening connections between vocational education and training providers and small- and medium-sized enterprises via a $50 million fund over four years which is specifically targeted at funding collaborations between the VET sector and business.

Recommendation 30

4.57
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government include industry representatives on all panels which award funding for scientific research.

Recommendation 31

4.58
The Committee recommends that the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council develop a cost neutral mechanism where industry collaboration and commercialisation are incentivised.

Recommendation 32

4.59
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government implement the National Research Compendium.

Recommendation 33

4.60
The Committee recommends universities allow academics to take unpaid leave to pursue the commercialisation of their research.

Recommendation 34

5.28
The Committee recommends extending the period of time for which companies are eligible for early stage innovation company (ESIC) incentives.

Recommendation 35

5.30
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate extending eligibility for the Tax Offsets for Early Stage Investors rule from three years to five years.

Recommendation 36

5.32
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government drive improved access to talent through a more streamlined ‘start-up visa’.

Recommendation 37

5.34
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce a funding scheme based on the former Australian Interactive Games Fund.

Recommendation 38

5.36
The Committee recommends that
Start-ups are an eligible activity under the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme; or
A scheme similar to the existing New Enterprise Incentive Scheme for those jobseekers wishing to establish a start-up be created.

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About this inquiry

The inquiry will look at ways to ensure that Australia’s tertiary system can meet the needs of a future labour force focused on innovation and creativity.



Past Public Hearings

29 Mar 2017: Canberra
16 Mar 2017: Brisbane
15 Mar 2017: Melbourne