Standing Committee on Employment, Education
and Workplace Relations
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Submission 23
Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment,
Education and Training on behalf of the University of Western Sydney.
Context and Purpose
The University of Western Sydney is dedicated to enhancing educational
opportunities for the diverse and growing communities of Greater Western
Sydney (GWS) in a context of economic and social development. The needs
and demands which this places on the education system are huge, diverse,
and frequently inter-related.
It is essential that the education system be developed responsively to
need, and as a loosely articulated system rather than as segments or sectors
in isolation from one another. It is also important that the education
system here develops in consort and partnership with the other key elements
and stakeholders which comprise the growing GWS community and region.
In terms of post-compulsory and post-secondary education (we use the
concept 'tertiary' here) it is impossible for the University to meet all
needs single-handed. Tertiary education, provided jointly by the university
or higher education and the TAFE sectors and in close cooperation with
other private, community and public sector interests, can raise aspirations
and expectations, enhance access and equity, and raise attainment levels
throughout this vital area of Australia.
To fulfil its mission, UWS needs a close partnership with the TAFE Institutes
in its region. There are excellent examples of cooperative endeavour between
TAFE Institutes and UWS. These are multiplying, and discussions are under
way to move towards a major system-level partnership between TAFE and
UWS for the educational, economic and social development of GWS.
The potential economic gains to Australia from the mobilisation and utilisation
of human resources in this region are immense. No less important are the
gains which can be won for social integration and in combatting social
exclusion.
GWS is unique among Australian regions in the rapidity of its population
and economic growth, and its potential to do good or harm for the country,
depending on how successful development and a sense of civic participation
in the national endeavour may be. This is the local context for this submission.
However, the GWS phenomenon merely dramatises the propositions about
the roles of TAFE Institutes made below. These propositions have similar
force through Australia, although the mission of different universities
in a diversifying Unified National System will lead some universities
to work more closely with TAFE than others.
TAFE Institutes and Higher Education
With wise political leadership and appropriate resourcing, TAFE Institutes
will play a much enhanced role in Australia's development, and in its
ability to sustain prosperity in the competitive global environment and
within the East and SE Asian region. It is important in the next few years
to ensure that TAFE comes of age, grows in confidence and is able to connect
its efforts from a position of strength not only with schools and universities
but also with private and public sector employers.
The relationship between TAFE Institutes and State Administrations requires
reflection and review to ensure that proper institutional and professional
development can occur.
Whether at Institute or at large-College level, it is now time to consider
incorporation of TAFE institutions to give them the capability for operational
enterprise within accountability and quality assurance frameworks. This
is showing large benefits to the Further Education sector in the now booming
UK.
Central regulatory frameworks should be so managed as to guarantee quality
while minimising administrative cost, bureaucratic delay, and standardisation
which inhibits local responsiveness and local partnership. The first decade
of the 21st century should be the decade of the 'new TAFE'.
TAFE Institutes, like universities, must balance within their curricula,
the practical and applied education which an intelligent application of
the 'Competency approach' offers, with the wider general or liberal education
traditionally associated with the universities.
Both TAFE and higher education must combine liberal and vocational, theoretical
and applied, education in ways which prepare ALL their students, and ultimately
all citizens, to become and remain active learners throughout life.
Through-life participation in tertiary education on a flexible, recurrent,
needs-driven basis should approach the 100% participation level as the
whole adult population comes to use TAFE Institutes, or universities,
at some time or times in their lives and working careers.
It is not acceptable in the Australian ethos permanently to separate
training for TAFE students from education for university students. TAFE
Institutes must - like universities - become service stations for lifelong
learning and technical or professional updating.
Combined promotion of tertiary education opportunities, joint curriculum
development and review, shared staff and Organisation development, and
combined articulation and partnership with local industry (in the broadest
sense) are required.
This integration of effort between relatively autonomous entrepreneurially
led and innovative TAFE and universities will allow Australia to compete
economically by building continuous renewal of skills and knowledge at
all levels. It will also sustain the essential Australian tradition and
value of a relatively open, egalitarian, land of opportunity.
The Standing Committee should therefore take as its reference point abiding
Australian values and qualities. It cannot limit itself to just the particular
economic models which may temporarily hold reign. It should note the tendency
away from narrow market-driven and consumer-based approaches which is
evident in other leading regions of the world.
Institutional autonomy, entrepreneurialism and efficiency should be combined
with accountability in TAFE Institutes or colleges. At the same time there
is a clear public interest and public good in fostering skills and knowledge
acquisition through all sectors on the population, and the State (whether
federal or State level) has a responsibility to protect and advance this.
Failure of access and equity is very costly in lost human and production
potential as well as in terms of possible social disruption. TAFE Institutes
should be resourced, and judged for their value added, from these perspectives,
with criteria operationalised in social development and equity as well
as narrowly fiscal terms.
The Relationship between TAFE and University
There is no sharp actual distinction between the education offered and
the learning which occurs in TAFE, and what happens at university. Both
have strong vocational or economic orientation and both are and must be
increasingly market-responsive, led by economic requirements and individual
(or client) demand.
In future TAFE Institutes should acquire more of the characteristics
historically associated with universities in their longer-vision general
education and human development (equipping for lifelong learning).
The role of TAFE Institutes should thus progressively shift. They should
not abandon in any way their dedication to serving the whole post-school
population of their regions. Partnership with universities as well as
other modes of development should however enrich the longer-term or through-life
aspects of the curriculum.
There needs to be progressive fading of the distinction between short-term
training and long-term education so that higher proportions of the population
become equipped to cope with continuous change and globalisation.
As part of this progressive development of the strictly educational role
of TAFE
Institutes, partnership with universities should strengthen.
Articulation should become automatic, so that full credit recognition
allows natural progression between TAFE and universities in both directions
and at any time in an individual's life. Consultation should lead to join
planning, curriculum development, so that students will quite normally
take 'terminal' vocational courses which are also fully recognised parts
of university degrees. Devices such as [associate degrees within TAFE
will naturally assist this.
It is unhelpful, and will increasingly prove impossible, to draw a sharp
distinction between university and evolving TAFE education. An increasing
proportion of 'higher education will and should take place within TAFE
Institutes.
There are dangers of wasteful competition to provide courses in common
and popular areas, while less obvious and easily serviced needs are ignored
by both sectors. Local and regional partnerships between confident and
quite autonomous, but professionally led, institutions may progressively
allow the development of much more integrated, yet diverse, learning opportunities.
Note
This short submission addresses the crucial strategic issues which the
Standing Committee needs to consider. The University will be pleased to
make an oral submission to the Committee, and to discuss the practical
operational steps which this view of the future role of TAFE Institutes
implies.
Deryck M chreuder
22 October 1997
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