The Australian Government’s review of the higher education system should be bold and deliver lasting outcomes that are student-centric in nature and cut unnecessary red tape. That’s the view of the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA), the peak body representing independent providers in the higher education, vocational education, training and skills sectors.
“Now is the time to be bold. The key to reform is to place students at the centre of a tertiary education system in which the higher education and skills training systems operate as one, but retain their separate strengths and identities. It’s time to end the constructed delineation that sees the higher education and skills training system supported by different student funding, student loans, and regulatory models.,” said Troy Williams, ITECA Chief Executive.
ITECA was invited to tender advice to the panel leading the Australian Government’s higher education review. The review will drive the development of the proposed Australian Universities Accord, which will devise recommendations and performance targets that will improve the quality, accessibility, affordability and sustainability of higher education, in order to achieve long-term security and prosperity for the higher education sector and the nation.
“The advice from ITECA members was clear. Australia’s higher education system is not broken, but it is not delivering its full potential. A funding model that is not student-centric limits accessibility and does not offer students the ability to study with the provider of their choice,” Mr Williams said.
The comprehensive submission tendered by ITECA identifies ten areas where significant improvements to the higher education sector are required. These are set out in ITECA’s submission that can be
