Qualifications framework

What are enabling programs? How do they help Australians get to uni?

Retrieved on: 
Mardi, juillet 25, 2023
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One of Education Minister Jason Clare’s top priorities for the Universities Accord is encouraging more Australians to go to university.

Key Points: 
  • One of Education Minister Jason Clare’s top priorities for the Universities Accord is encouraging more Australians to go to university.
  • As he notes, “more jobs are going to require a university qualification in the years ahead”.

What are enabling programs?

    • Enabling programs are run by universities and taught by academics and are also known as “foundation” or “bridging” programs.
    • It also says university funding for these years should be “directed towards a range of assistance, such as increased support for students in enabling courses”.

What do they teach?

    • Courses cover a wide range topics, from generalised study skills to preparation for a specific degree.
    • Enabling programs can teach academic writing, library research, foundational mathematics, study skills and discipline-specific knowledge.

Who are they for?

    • When applying to university, students can preference enabling programs as a viable “plan B” if they don’t receive an undergraduate offer.
    • Enrolments in enabling programs have grown from 6,490 students in 2001 to 32,579 in 2020.
    • For example, 32% of students in enabling programs are from low socioeconomic backgrounds, which is double the proportion of undergraduate students.

How can you access one?


    Universities have enabling programs on their websites and in their program guides for future students. They are supported by federal funding so they can be offered free to students. Depending on the program, you can apply directly to the university or through state-based tertiary admissions centres, at the time when you nominate your university preferences.

Why are they so important?


    Australian studies show students who complete enabling programs do just as well in undergraduate study as students who enter via traditional pathways, such as directly from high school. Enabling programs are effective because they are designed to meet the needs of students who want a university qualification but have experienced educational disadvantage. They focus not only on academic skills but also on building confidence to study.

How can we improve them?

    • This means fee-free places need to be demand-driven, with flexible funding to match fluctuations in student enrolments and allowing universities to increase enabling places as demand grows.
    • In addition to existing payments such as Austudy and ABSTUDY, there should be further financial support for disadvantaged students doing these courses.
    • We would also like to see enabling qualifications included in the Australian Qualifications Framework, which regulates education and training qualifications.

Many Australians will need to study at both TAFE and uni: how do we get the two systems working together?

Retrieved on: 
Jeudi, juillet 20, 2023
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This is the first broad review of higher education since the 2008 Bradley Review.

Key Points: 
  • This is the first broad review of higher education since the 2008 Bradley Review.
  • If the government’s aspirations are met, it could mean the most significant changes to Australian higher education in a generation.
  • The interim report covers many different issues, from student fees to governance, teaching, international students, student wellbeing and research.

What does ‘alignment’ and ‘collaboration’ mean here?

    • When politicians and education commentators talk about the university and vocational sectors collaborating more, this can mean many different things.
    • This can include creating pathways between vocational and higher education, including how prior study in each is recognised.

Why is this important?

    • As the report notes, “many students move between the higher education and vocational education sectors during their lifetime”.
    • Vocational education can be an entry pathway into higher education.
    • Or people will complement their higher education with job-specific skills from vocational education.

Changing educational landscape worldwide

    • Just before the pandemic, global enrolments in higher education and higher vocational education were estimated at more than 200 million people.
    • Overall, it is estimated global higher education and upper vocational education has grown by more than 50% in the past 20 years.
    • It is argued this growth is driven by the expansion of higher education in developing countries, particularly India.

What is being proposed?

    • Rules can be a challenge here, especially where vocational courses are industry specific.
    • The government is yet to fully respond to a 2019 review of the Australian Qualifications Framework, which remains an important piece of the puzzle.
    • Read more:
      The National Skills Agreement needs time in the policy spotlight and it must include these 3 things

‘Must adapt’

    • As the report notes:
      The tertiary sector must adapt to facilitate growth in lifelong learning.
    • The tertiary sector must adapt to facilitate growth in lifelong learning.