With Vocational Degrees is there Much Left for Universities to Do?

Vocational Degrees were added to the Australian Qualifications Framework on 17 February 2025. These are at the same level as a university bachelor's degree (AQF Level 7), but deliver by Vocational Education institutions and with an emphasis on work skills, including those gained via an apprenticeship.  It is not clear if this signals a Dedawkinsation of Australian higher education. In 2024 I visited two of Singapore's Polytechnics and was impressed with their work. 

In my discipline of computing it would be difficult to see the difference with a vocational degree. Students are required to do practical training, through a project, group work or internship, for their qualification to be accredited, regardless of what type of institution is delivering it.

In the late 1980s Education Minister John Dawkins reformed Australian higher education. This "Dawkins Revolution" resulted in degree awarding colleges merging and becoming universities. Having VET sector institutions awarding degrees could be seen as a partial undoing of this revolution, although they will not have the autonomy universities have to define their own degrees.

Australian universities only need a few students undertaking undergraduate training oriented to research in order to provide candidates for advanced research in academia and industry. The majority of undergraduates are undertaking vocational training for a job. If the VET sector can now provide Vocational Degrees for these students, will university education need to be scaled back?

Vocational degrees are being introduced at the same time AI is developing. New degrees could be AI enabled, providing each student with a synthetic personal tutor.

ps: I happened to bump into John Dawkins a few years ago at the ANU campus and was delighted to be able to point out the new buildings to him.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Next on the EduTech Asia 2024 tour of Singapore higher education is Ngee Ann Polytechnic. We are in the Optometry Centre. This is a fully functional centre open to the public and staffed by students.

This is conceptually similar to the Hive in the computer science building at ANU. It is set up as a computer consulting company's office for students to work on projects for real clients.
 

The polytechnic 
features digital automated eye test equipment as well as traditional analogue tools in their space. 

Temasek Polytechnic Singapore

Greetings from Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore. The closest equivalent in Australia would be a large TAFE, such as Canberra Institute of Technology. This is part of the EduTech Asia 2024 conference. We are in the T P Interactive Digital Experiments with AI Studio (IDEAS). This has a false floor, similar to a computer room, allowing easy recalling. There is a theatre style framework to attach screens, lights, & sensors. Students projects using augmented reality are on display.

For engineering students, TP has an advanced manufacturing lab. As well as computer controlled machines, there is a stimulated control centre, with workstations and a wall display. These have been cleverly located in the foyer of the engineering building, rather than hidden away.