Integration with Universites Proposed by Private Training Providers

The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia has proposed  "Seven Priorities For A Skilled & Educated Workforce". ITECA is made up of private sector vocational training providers, and their proposals aim to integrate that sector with the mostly government funded university sector. The federal and state governments run separate funding and regulatory systems for the university (which are mostly public) and the vocational sectors (which has more private providers, both not and for-profit). Part of the difference is due to Australia's universities having dual roles of both research and education, and a resulting level of autonomy which neither the public or private sector vocational institutions enjoy.

Australia already has an integrated tertiary education system, at least conceptually. Universities and vocational education are part of the ten level Australian Qualifications Framework, with VET at the lower levels, university at the upper end and an overlap in the middle. Some Australian universities are dual sector, typically offering students a vocational qualification with the option of articulation to university. However, the level of standardization which exists in the VET sector, does not apply to university. As a result a student who has undertaken studies at VET, can't be assured of receiving full recognition at a university (or even from one university to another).

While a fully integrated system with student choice, and less red tape is appealing, it would not come without risks and costs. The Australian government previously expanded funding of student loans for VET without putting in place adequate controls. This resulting in billions of dollars being wasted, by unscrupulous providers, signing up students who had no hope of completing their courses. As well as a loss of public money, and damage to Australia's reputation as an education provider, this caused harm to thousands of students. Any new system will need to ensure there are checks and balances in place to prevent a repeat of this happening again. The use of real time online reporting, and industry self regulation would help.

The seven priorities proposed by the ITECA are:

1. "An integrated tertiary education system: That the Australian Government develop a five-year strategy to deliver an integrated tertiary education system, in which the higher education and vocational education and training sectors operate as one, yet retain their separate and distinct strengths and identities.
2. A more cohesive approach to regulation and reporting: That the Australian Government places tertiary education red tape reduction on the agenda at National Cabinet to develop a strategy that delivers a convergence of regulatory and reporting obligations, eliminating duplicative, redundant and burdensome regulation and reporting at a state/territory and national level.
3. An investment that strengthens students choice in higher education: That the Australian Government expand the highly successful investment it has made, enabling students to study in a Commonwealth-subsidised place with a quality independent higher education provider and engage in the critical thinking and learning needs they choose.
4. An approach to skills funding that empowers student choice: That the Australian Government’s investment in skills be provided only to those jurisdictions that award funding on the basis of empowering student choice, allowing students to study with a provider (whether independent or public) that has a demonstrated ability to help them achieve their life and career goals.
5. An approach that funds courses where the skills shortages are: That the National Skills Commissioner, working with states and territories, identify where an increase to skills funding is required by identifying the qualifications to be subsidised with the support for students (and made available to an RTO) reflecting the cost of achieving excellence in training outcomes.
6. A single student loan program that supports lifelong learning: That the Australian Government overhaul tertiary education student loans programs, creating a single lifelong learning account (incorporating FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans), enabling students to access income-contingent loans, without the existing Student Loan Tax, available from Certificate IV through to post-graduate level study in a seamless way, throughout their working lives.
7. A bold new plan for international education: That the Australian Government immediately put in place a plan to rebuild Australia’s capacity and reputation to support international students, backed by a new International Education Commission tasked with implementing the new Australian international education strategy."

More Flexibility from Accreditation Bodies During Pandemic

Five organizations with members who train medical and other professionals have called on accreditation bodies to be more flexible during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian Council of Professions (ACoP), Universities Australia (UA), the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA), the Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN) and the Independent Higher Education Australia (IHEA) are concerned that accreditation procedures may slow the supply of trained staff when they are needed most.

The problem is that front line professionals need hands-on training, supervision and testing, but this is difficult to provide due to lock-downs and stringent processes at places of employment. With the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA), they are supporting creation of principles for professional accreditation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim is to maintain quality while there are fewer reduced availability of Professional Placements available, and with measures such as online assessments required.

However, the first of the proposed principles I don't agree with: 

a. Professional accreditation bodies recognise that during the current pandemic higher education providers must attend to educational delivery and student needs first.

In a pandemic, the need of the community for intimidate support comes first, with education of students a lower priority. All professional codes of ethics state that the needs of the community override those of the individual professionals and their organizations. Trained staff are needed now to save lives, so training programs may be shortened, and students asked to volunteer for font-line duty, sooner than they otherwise would. As future professionals, this is a valuable lesson for students: my needs do not come first.

One way I suggest accreditation bodies can help, without compromising standards, is though online working and allowing online training and assessment. The need to physically visit and meet with educators should be replaced with an online option, and not hours of tedious Zoom meetings: a genuine online, efficient process.

The use of online forms of reporting by and of students in placement should be encouraged. Much of the tedious paperwork which takes up everyone's time can be put online, streamlined, and in some cases eliminated all together. Some years ago I helped the University of Queensland develop a system for online reporting of occupational therapy students in professional practice placements. This took several attempts and revisions, to get something practical for use in a clinical environment. This proved a lot harder than it first looked.

To a large extent, the need for reporting can be replaced with monitoring of the online logs already kept routinely in the workplace. The Australian National University provides an example of this with its TechLauncher program. Students undertake team projects for real clients, as part of the requirements for Australian Computer Society professional accreditation. Students use online tools to collaborate. A byproduct of this is that the tools keep a log of what every student did, stamped with the time and date they did it. Examiners have access to all the logs, so they do not have to rely on what students, and their clients, say they did. Students, clients and instructors, can also report on the quality of student work, as it is happening, rather than waiting until long after the event.