Contents

• About the Australian Education System
• Australian Government Policies and Programs
• Statistics
• Organisations
• Databases and Online Journals 
• International Links

• About School Education in Australia
• Australian Government Policies and Programs 
• Key Federal Legislation
• Resources Compiled by the Parliamentary Library
• State and Territory Resources
• Statistics
• Organisations
• Online Journals

• About Higher Education in Australia
• Australian Government Policies and Programs
• Key Federal Legislation
• Statistics
• Organisations
• Online Journals

• About the VET System in Australia
• Australian Government Policies and Programs 
• Key Federal Legislation
• State and Territory Resources
• Statistics
• Organisations
• Databases and Online Journals 

• About Indigenous Education in Australia
• Australian Government Policies and Programs 
• Key Federal Legislation
• State and Territory Resources
• Statistics

• About Preschool Education in Australia
• Statistics
• Organisations
• Online Journals

• About Overseas Students in Australia
• Key Federal Legislation
• Statistics

Social Policy Resources

Education and Training Resources Guide

GENERAL RESOURCES - SCHOOL EDUCATION - HIGHER EDUCATION - VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET) - INDIGENOUS EDUCATION - EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION - OVERSEAS STUDENTS IN AUSTRALIA - ADULT AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION

This Resource Guide provides links to a selection of websites and electronic resources to meet the information needs of senators and members of the Australian Parliament.

General resources

About the Australian education system

• Country Education Profiles: Australia 2008, published by the Australian Government’s Australian Education International, provides an introduction to the Australian education system, including its history, an overview of each sector, Indigenous education, and a statistical overview.

• The Australian Qualifications Framework (commonly known as the AQF) is a unified system of national qualifications in schools, vocational education and training (TAFEs and private providers) and the higher education sector (mainly universities).

Australian government policies and programs

• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) website provides access to information about Australian Government education policies and programs.

Statistics

• The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Education and Training theme page provides links to all ABS statistics relating to education and training. It also includes links to non-ABS education statistics sources, Australian and overseas.

• Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators 2009 provides comparative data on the education systems of member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

• The UNESCO Institute for Statistics includes a link to tables from the UNESCO Yearbook, a searchable database, selected world indicators and country and regional profiles.

• The Institute's Global Education Digest 2009 compares education statistics across the world.

Organisations

• The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) provides educational research, products and services.

• The Australian Council of Deans of Education (ACDE) is the peak organisation representing the deans of faculties of education and heads of schools of education in Australian universities and other higher education institutions.

• The Australian Education Union represents employees in schools, colleges and early childhood centres.

• The Independent Education Union of Australia represents employees working in non-government schools and institutions, including pre-school settings, Life Education Centres, business colleges and private English language colleges.

• The Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) comprises state, territory, Australian Government and New Zealand ministers with responsibility for school education, early childhood development and youth affairs.

• The Ministerial Council of Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE) comprises state, territory and Australian Government ministers with responsibility for tertiary education and employment.

Databases and online journals

• Ebsco Research Databases is a scholarly collection offering full text for nearly 4,500 journals in almost every area of academic study.  (For senators, members and parliamentary staff only.)

• Education Network Australia (EdNA) is a joint initiative of the state and territory governments and the Australian Government, and provides free news, resources, networks and online tools for educators.

• The Networker, a fortnightly newsletter published by EdNA, contains information about resources, services and tools EdNA has to offer.

• ERIC—the Education Resources Information Center—is a library of education research and information sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education. It provides access to bibliographic records of journal and non-journal literature indexed from 1966 and full-text materials.

• ProQuest includes a number of education related databases that have citations and full text articles. (For senators, members and parliamentary staff only.)

International links

• EURYDICE: the Information Network on Education in Europe provides comparable information on European education systems and national policies.

• Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) Directorate for Education

• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – Education

• Overseas Education Ministries
  • The OECD’s Directorate for Education maintains a links page to the education departments of OECD member countries.

   

  • United Kingdom
    • Department for Children, Schools and Families
    • Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
  • USA

  

School education

About school education in Australia

• The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (2008), agreed to by state, territory and Australian Government education ministers, sets the direction for Australian schooling for the next 10 years.

• The National Report on Schooling in Australia, published annually and progressively online by MCEECDYA.

• School term dates

Australian Government policies and programs

• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations's Schooling website provides access to information about Australian Government school education policies and programs.

• The Australian Government Programmes for Schools: Quadrennial Administrative Guidelines 2005–2008 set out the objectives, administrative requirements and funding allocations for Australian Government school programs provided by the Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004.

Key federal legislation

• Schools Assistance (Learning Together—Achievement through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004 is the major enabling act for the 2005–2008 schools funding quadrennium.
• Schools Assistance Regulations 2005
• The Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skills Needs) Act 2005 provides for the establishment and operation of Australian Technical Colleges for Year 11 and Year 12 students.
• The Student Assistance Act 1973 funds the student financial assistance schemes, ABSTUDY and the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme.

Resources compiled by the Parliamentary Library (for senators, members and parliamentary staff only)

• Schools by Commonwealth Electoral Division. These lists of schools by Commonwealth electoral division are based upon information from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). The information includes school name, suburb and full-time equivalent enrolments. For non-government schools, affiliation is also included.

State and territory resources

• Australian Capital Territory
  • Find an ACT school
  • ACT Department of Education and Training
  • ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies
  • Association of Independent Schools of the ACT
  • Catholic Education Office
  • Australian Education Union ACT Branch

• New South Wales
  • Find a NSW government school
• Find a NSW non-government school
• Department of Education and Training
• Board of Studies NSW. Responsibilities include non-government schools.
• NSW Institute of Teachers
• Association of Independent Schools of NSW
• Catholic Education Commission NSW
• New South Wales Teachers' Federation

• Northern Territory
  • Find a NT school
  • Department of Education and Training
  • Northern Territory Board of Studies
  • Association of Independent Schools of the Northern Territory
  • Catholic Education NT Office
  • Australian Education Union – NT Branch

• Queensland
  • Find a Queensland school
  • Department of Education, Training and the Arts
  • Queensland Studies Authority
  • Queensland College of Teachers
  • Independent Schools Queensland
  • Queensland Catholic Education Commission
  • Queensland Teachers’ Union

• South Australia
  • Find an SA school
• Department of Education and Children's Services
• Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia
• Teachers Registration Board of South Australia
• Association of Independent Schools of SA
• Catholic Education South Australia

• Tasmania
  • Find a Tasmanian school
• Department of Education
• Tasmanian Qualifications Authority
• Association of Independent Schools of Tasmania
• Catholic Education Office
• Australian Education Union Tasmanian Branch

• Victoria
• Find a Victorian school
• Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
• Office for Government School Education
• Victorian Institute of Teaching
• Association of Independent Schools of Victoria
• Catholic Education Commission of Victoria
• Australian Education Union Victoria

• Western Australia
  • Find a WA government school
  • Find a WA non-government school
  • Department of Education and Training
  • Department of Education Services (WA). Responsibilities include non-government schools.
  • Curriculum Council
  • Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia
  • Catholic Education Office of Western Australia
  • State School Teachers’ Union of WA

Statistics

• Australian Bureau of Statistics, Schools Australia. ABS cat. no. 4221.0. Published annually.

• The National Report on Schooling in Australia, published annually and progressively online by MCEECDYA.

• Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision, Report on Government Services, published annually by the Productivity Commission.

• Student achievement statistics:
  • National Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy and numeracy benchmark results are published in the National Report on Schooling in Australia.

  The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), sponsored by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, is an international survey of students aged about 15 years of age conducted every three years.

  The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the world's longest running mathematics and science study (held since 1994/95). International surveys of educational achievement data at Year 4 and Year 8 are conducted every four years.

Organisations

• The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is responsible for the development of the national curriculum, the national assessment program and national data collection and reporting.

• The Curriculum Corporation, owned by all Australian education ministers, provides curriculum development, assessment and training services and products.

• Teaching Australia. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.

• Australian Primary Principals’ Association

• Australian Secondary Principals Association

• The Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO) represents the interests of government school communities.
• The Australian Parents Council represents the interests of parents of non-government school students.

• Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA). The website includes information about individual independent schools in Australia and the AHISA publication, Independence.

• The Independent Schools Council of Australia is the national representative body for non-government, non-Catholic schools.

• The National Catholic Education Commission is the portal for Australian Catholic schools and services and provides links to state and territory Catholic Education Offices.

• The Australian Education Union represents employees in schools, colleges and early childhood centres.

• The Independent Education Union of Australia represents employees working in non-government schools and institutions, including pre-school settings, Life Education Centres, business colleges and private English Language colleges.

• Save Our Schools is a public education advocacy organisation.

Online Journals

• ACEL FastNews is a daily published by the Australian Council for Educational Leaders and
• Curriculum Leadership, published by the Curriculum Corporation, contains school education news, feature articles, information about new publications and article abstracts.

• The edna-for-schools newsletter is an online newsletter that contains recent news items and resources added to the EdNA database.

Higher Education

About Higher Education in Australia

• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) annual Higher Education Report provides an overview of the higher education sector in Australia, including funding information and statistics.

• The DEEWR Going to Uni site has information on courses, admission centres and fees and loans.

• Student fees and Australian Government contributions

• Student loans includes information about the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) which comprises HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP and OS-HELP.

• Find an Australian University

• Australian University Rankings

Australian Government Policies and Programs

• Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)’s Higher Education webpage provides access to information about Australian Government higher education policies and programs.

Key Federal Legislation

• The Higher Education Support Act 2003 is the major higher education funding act.  It also provides for the approavl of higher education providers.

Statistics

• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Higher Education Statistics Collections include current and time series data about finance, research expenditure, students and staff.

• Universities Australia's statistics include general overview data and data on funding and expenditure, educational outcomes, students, internationalisation, research, staff and international comparisons.

• The GradStats and the Grad Files provide summaries from the Graduate Destination Survey. Includes information about the employment prospects of graduates, their earnings and their level of satisfaction with their university experience. Produced annually by Graduate Careers Australia.

Organisations

• Universities Australia is the national representative body for Australian universities. This site contains useful links, policy documents and statistics. It replaced the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee (AVCC) from 22 May 2007.

• The Australian Research Council (ARC) provides Australian Government funding for research in Australia’s universities, as well as fostering research collaboration between universities and partner organisations in the community, government and private sectors.

• Graduate Careers Australia promotes and fosters employment and career opportunities for graduates; provides careers education products and services; and researches first destinations and salaries of graduates and trends in graduate outcomes.

• The Group of Eight universities includes the Australian National University, Monash University, and the Universities of Adelaide, Melbourne, New South Wales, Queensland, Sydney and Western Australia.

• The Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)'s mission is to promote and advance learning and teaching in Australian higher education.

• The National Tertiary Education Union represents employees in the tertiary education sector.

Online Journals

• Higher Education Update is an Education Network Australia (EdNA) online newsletter that contains recent news items and resources added to the EdNA online database.

• Higher Education 2020 Newsletter aims to keep the sector and stakeholders informed about the Australian Government's higher education policies and programmes.

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

About the VET System in Australia

• The VET system, also referred to as the National Training System (NTS), is a co-operative arrangement between the Australian and state and territory governments, public and private providers and students.

• The Ministerial Council for Vocational and Technical Education (MCVTE), which comprises the Australian Government and state and territory ministers with responsibility for VET, has overall responsibility for the National Training System.

• The 2005–08 Commonwealth-State Agreement for Skilling Australia’s Workforce is the agreement that establishes the conditions under which the Australian Government will fund the state and territory governments in their role as providers of VET.

• Bilateral Funding Agreements and VET Plans have been developed collaboratively between the Australian Government and the states and territories.

• The Australian Qualifications Framework (commonly known as the AQF) is a unified system of national qualifications in schools, vocational education and training (TAFEs and private providers) and the higher education sector (mainly universities).

• The National Training Information Service (NTIS) is the official national register of information on courses, qualifications, Training Packages, units of competency and registered training organisations.

• The Annual National Report of the Australian Vocational Education and Training System includes an overview of the VET system and a summary of Australian, state and territory government developments.

Australian Government Policies and Programs

• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Training and Skills webpage provides access to information about Australian Government VET policies and programs.

• Australian Apprenticeships, formerly known as 'New Apprenticeships', is the Australian Government’s program to support apprenticeships and traineeships.

• The Australian Government is funding the development of 25 Australian Technical Colleges in order to encourage school-based apprenticeships.

• Key Federal Legislation
• The Skilling Australia's Workforce Act 2005 grants financial assistance to the states and territories and to other persons for vocational education and training, and for related purposes.

State and Territory Resources

• Australian Capital Territory
  • Department of Education and Training’s Contact Training and Tertiary Education webpage

• New South Wales
  • Department of Education and Training’s Training and Industry webpage
  • TAFE NSW

• Northern Territory
  • Department of Education and Training’s Vocational Education and Training webpage

• Queensland
  • Department of Education, Training and the Arts’ Training webpage
  • TAFE Queensland

• South Australia
  • Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology
  • TAFE SA

• Tasmania
  • Department of Education’s Vocational Education and Training webpage
  • TAFE Tasmania

• Victoria
  • Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s VE&T Way to go webpage
  • Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Technical and Further Education (TAFE) webpage

• Western Australia
  • Department of Education and Training’s Training webpage
  • TAFEWA

Statistics

• The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) is responsible for collecting, managing, analysing, evaluating and communicating VET research and statistics. Key statistical resources include:
• Apprentices and trainees
• Students and courses
• Student outcomes
• Atlas of Australian Public VET

• The Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision’s  Report on Government Services is published annually by the Productivity Commission

Organisations

• TAFE Directors Australia represents at a national level the state and territory government run Institutes of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and the TAFE divisions of multi-sector universities in Australia. It aims to provide leadership in the development of the National Training System. The web site includes links to TAFE Institutes.

• The Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) is the national industry association for independent providers of post-compulsory education and training.

Databases and Online Journals

• NCVER publications

• VOCED is a research database for vocational and technical education and training produced by the NCVER. It is an international database of research abstracts with a special focus on Australia and the Asia Pacific region.

• VET and ACE e-News is an Education Network Australia (EdNA) online newsletter that contains recent news items and resources added to the EdNA online database.

• The Australian Education Union produces The Australian TAFE Teacher.

• Australian Training Fast Facts is published by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).

Indigenous Education

About Indigenous Education in Australia

• The National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training, published annually by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), reports on progress in Indigenous education and training at all levels.

Australian Government Policies and Programs

• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)’s Indigenous education webpage provides access to information about Australian Government Indigenous education policies and programs.

• ABSTUDY is the financial assistance scheme for Indigenous students.

• The Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council provides policy advice to the Minister and DEEWR on higher education issues.

• Key Federal Legislation
• The Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000 is the main act that provides the legislative basis and appropriates funding for Indigenous education programmes.

State and Territory Resources

• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Indigenous education webpage includes links to state and territory government Indigenous education policies, programs and resources.

Statistics

• The National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training, published annually by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), reports on progress in Indigenous education and training at all levels.

• Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision, Report on Government Services: Indigenous Compendium. Published annually by the Productivity Commission.

Early Childhood Education

About Early Childhood Education in Australia

• Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Early Childhood.

• M. Harrington, ‘Preschool education in Australia’, Background Note (May 2008).

Statistics

• Australian Bureau of Statistics, Child Care Australia, ABS cat. no. 4402.0. Published annually.

• Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision, Report on Government Services. Published annually by the Productivity Commission. (See Part F: Community Services, chapters on children’s services.)

Organisations

• Early Childhood Australia is the peak early childhood advocacy organisation.

Online Journals

• Early Childhood News is an Education Network Australia (EdNA) online newsletter that contains recent news items and resources added to the EdNA online database.

Overseas Students in Australia

About Overseas Students in Australia

• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) regulates the education and training sector’s involvement with overseas students studying in Australia on student visas. DEEWR’s Education Services for Overseas Students webpage provides access to information about Australian Government policies and programs for overseas students.

• The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) lists all providers registered to offer courses to people studying in Australia on student visas and the courses offered.

• Australian Education International, which is part of DEEWR, works to develop and support the Australian international education and training industry.

Key Federal Legislation

• The Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) and associated legislation is the means by which the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) regulates the education and training sector’s involvement with overseas students studying in Australia on student visas.

• Education Services for Overseas Students Regulations 2001

Statistics

• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Higher Education Statistics Collections include overseas student enrolments at Australian universities.

• Australian Education International reports on overseas students enrolled in all education sectors in Australia.

Adult and Community Education

• Adult Learning Australia is the national peak organisation in this sector.

• VET and ACE e-News is an Education Network Australia (EdNA) online newsletter that contains recent news items and resources added to the EdNA online database.

Comments and suggestions can be sent to Marilyn Harrington
Last reviewed 11 January, 2010 by the Parliamentary Library Web Manager
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