In "Bill Shorten ‘re-imagines universities’, with specialist institutions and bespoke degrees", Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra, reports on a speech by their new Vice Chancellor (VC). In this the VC is reported as calling for a “fundamental re-imagining” of Australia’s universities. But much of what the Canberra VC is describing is routine in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. Students from the Canberra Institute of Technology already undertake their initial training there, before transitioning to University of Canberra. However, there would be value in universities adopting some of the VET approach themselves. The 3 year degree model can be modified to make it more flexible, rather than "broken".
Australian law already allows for specialist higher education institutions, both universities and vocational education, offering degrees, and run by not-for-profit government and non government bodies, as well as for-profit companies. However, most universities have chosen to expand by offering a broad range of programs and government have allowed them to duplicate what is already available from nearby institutions. At present some specialisation appears to be taking place, with universities shutting down unprofitable programs. However, this might result in them all offering the same limited range of business and STEM.
A more diverse education sector would, as the VC suggests, help with economic resilience and national security. However, our universities need to look to their own resilience first. COVID-19 might just be a small taste of the shocks to come. Our universities need to be ready with online teaching techniques and financial reserves, in case most of the international students leave Australia suddenly due to geopolitical tensions.
Australia's higher education sector already has considerable flexibility. in 2012 I was studying how to teach at the ANU. As part of this I wanted to learn how to teach online, which was uncommon at Canberra's university. With the approval of my ANU supervisor I enrolled for two terms at the University of Southern Queensland, a leading provider of online education. To learn about vocational education techniques, I later enrolled at the Canberra Institute of technology. To learn how to teach international students online, I enrolled as an international student in North America.
As well as bolstering the economy with well trained workers, our universities can provide technology for defence. One team of students I was tutoring were testing the advanced phased array radars for Australian warships, and this technology will form the core of Australia's anti-ballistic missile shield.
Higher education can strengthen the economy by being ready with the research inventions and trained staff needed to respond to threats and exploit opportunities.
The VC suggested a "new architecture for learning was needed in today’s world". However, I suggest this is one of those areas where our academics have anticipated the need and already have what is needed developed and ready to implement. Some Australian educational institutions already have fast and flexible programs. These are mostly in the vocational education sector, but universities can quickly be brought up to speed.
The monopoly of the 2 year degree was broken early this year, when the "vocational degree" was introduced. This allows government, private and for-profit vocational institutions to issue job-ready degrees. Those institutions can apply their nested, competency based and work integrated learning techniques. In this way someone can enroll in a short program to get just enough of a qualification to get their first job. They can then build on that, getting course credit for skills gained at work, progressing through more advanced qualifications to a degree. The worker can then consider postgraduate studies at university.
The VC gave the example of quantum mechanics for defence applications. Australian universities have research programs in this area. The Australian National University spun off a company to provide quantium products for industry and defence.
The Graduate Certificate in Strategic Technologies proposed by the VC is an interesting idea. Canberra already has several institutions with experience in this area. As a defence employee, I attended short training courses at Australian Defence Staff College, and later helped teach at ADFA, through the use of hackathons.
As the VC points out there is scope for using AI for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). At CIT I learned techniques for evaluating what students already know. I apply these skills at ANU processing applications for course exemptions and credit. This is a very complex process, already computer supported, and requiring teamwork from professional and academic staff. Some AI support would assist.
In the past I have suggested a portfolio based program, where the student is given a table showing all the skills and knowledge they are required to demonstrate top graduate and all the ways they could do this, including RPL and work integrated learning. But this would be overwhelming if presented as a large spreadsheet and careful step by step help would be needed. There would still be the need for specialist advice to students. I vividly remember using USQ's pre-enrollment system to work through options. I scratched my head and though "what now?". At that point the phone on the desk beside me rang and it was USQ's staff offering help. This was a little spook, but they said they had saw I was having difficulty.
The VC's proposed re-imagining of university I suggest need to look further. The VC suggests areas of teaching STEM, artificial intelligence, & trauma-informed health care. However, these are already areas investigated, researched, planned and being implemented.
Government already subsidies higher education and this model can be applied to micro and shorter credentials. Where there is a shortage government can offer direct subsidies and incentives for industry. However, there is a risk of government and industry micromanaging skills and pushing students into programs which will be obsolete by the time they graduate.
All Australian universities are required to be a bit general. They can't specialise in just one discipline. But they are not required, as the VC suggests, to do everything. Recent criticism of several institutions has been because they are making painful cutbacks, dropping some discipline areas to focus on fewer.
It is true that Australian universities use prestige in research to market education which has very little to do with that research. However, they do this because it is a very successful marketing strategy. Regional and education focused universities have difficulty coming up with an alternative approach. As a mature-age student from a first-in-family, low SES background I experienced some of these contradictions first hand.
The VC's proposal for specialist universities, would be part of a Dedawkinsation, which is perhaps already underway. However, Australian governments have a poor track record at picking winners. It might be better to have policy and funding settings which encourage institutions to further specialise.
The VC also suggested creating a pre-Dawkins two-tiered system, with some institutions focused on teaching. I suggest instead policy and funding to promote teaching skills for academics, wherever they teach. It is one of the dirty little secrets of universities that their teach staff are less qualified to teach than those in vocational education, or schools. As a university academic I am one of the exceptions having a MEd. During COVID-19 I was able to quickly pivot to online teaching and assessment. When I colleagues asked me how I could do this with little apparent effort I said "I have a degree in this".
Higher education is important to national security. However, I suggest caution in the VC's suggestion of focusing exclusively on sovereign capability. Australia does have a lead in some areas, such as phased array radars and high speed multi-hull vessels. However, our two most successful current defence projects are partnerships with US companies: the Ghost Bat robot fighter jet and Ghost Shark robot submarine. However, there is no corresponding Ghost Geco robot tank project, and that might be an area for exclusively sovereign capability.
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