AEI Industry Forum 2004 Latin America

1
Current Developments in Higher Education in
Australia
Tony Crooks Counsellor (Education, Science and
Training South and Central America Government
of Australia
2
Overview of presentation

• Future face of Higher Education -
  an Asia-Pacific perspective
• Bologna Process and Australia
• The Brisbane Communiqué

3
Future of Higher Education

• Shifts in global power ? impact on education
• India, China world economic and political powers
• Emerging regional powers Turkey, Korea,
  Indonesia
• Growth rates down in traditional study
  destinations
• Asian countries investigating in education
  capacity
• Vietnam education funding up 80 over 10 years
• Thailand expansion e-learning and vocational ed.

4
Future of Higher Education

• Singapore, Malaysia becoming educational hubs
• Increase in programs taught in English
• Education in Chinese strong regional appeal
• Demographic issues ? changes in supply/demand
• Technological changes
• Development of fully global labour market
• Challenge of Quality Assurance
• Just-in-time and lifelong learning

5
Bologna Process and Australia

• Future of Australian HE sector must be considered
  in international context
• Bologna Process receiving attention both within
  Europe and elsewhere, including Asia
• Bologna will have implications for Australia
• Bologna provides opportunities and challenges
• Australian HE has much to gain, domestically and
  internationally, from working with Bologna

6
Asia-Pacific region and Bologna

• Alignment of approach key feature of Australian
  dialogue with Asia
• Some Asian countries already monitoring Bologna
• Growing strength of Asia interests Europe
• Australia interested in Asia-Pacific
  consideration of Bologna

7
Benefits of Bologna compatibility

• Facilitation of interaction and recognition
• Australian-European relationships exist
• But so do impediments (recognition, credit
  transfer)
• 32,000 European enrolments in Australia,
  contributing to international diversity agenda
• Study Abroad trend growing
• Common format would be useful for employers

8
Benefits of Bologna compatibility

• Benefits to Australian students and employers
• Diploma Supplement high acceptance
• ECTS provides common measure of student workload
  linked to learning outcomes
• Australian EFTSU system impediment to mobility
• Australians have experience with UMAP CTS
• Common credit system domestic benefits

9
Risks of Bologna incompatibility

• Other countries follow the Bologna route
• Scale of process/importance of countries
  non-European countries may align
• Latin America observers at Berlin and Bergen
• Emerging interest in Asian countries
• Barriers to recognition of quals for employment

10
Risks of Bologna incompatibility

• Europe as a more attractive study destination
  than Australia
• Harmonised structures Euro-wide recognition
• European labour market 20x that of Australia
• Post-Bologna European HE attractive package
• Some countries moving to shorter programs in
  English for international students

11
Risks of Bologna incompatibility

• Europe focuses on Europe
• Reforms will focus energies on integration
• Costs of mobility within Europe reduced
• Risks lead to withdrawal of loans or grants
• External focus likely to be on USA, China,
  less-developed countries

12
What would compatibility involve?

• At a minimum, compatibility would entail
• Three-cycle degree structure
• Promotion of Diploma Supplement
• Credit transfer system compatible with ECTS
• Accreditation/QA framework meeting Bologna
  criteria
• Challenges
• Graduate entry/4-year Bachelors degrees
• One-year Masters programs
• Hons. degrees as direct entry point to doctoral
  studies
• QA system documented audit of compatibility

13
The Brisbane Communiqué

• 27 Education Ministers and senior officials from
  across Asia-Pacific met Brisbane 3-4 April 2006
• Held in parallel to International Education Forum
• Theme of Education Ministers Meeting
• What actions on education and training can be
  agreed that will strengthen good relations in the
  region and underpin its social and economic
  development, the through the international
  mobility of students and research collaboration?
  

14
The Brisbane Communiqué

• Ministers recognised diversity of economies,
  political structures, education systems
• Internationalisation critical element across
  region
• QA and recognition frameworks must underpin
  mobility
• Mobility basis for friendship, respect,
  understanding

15
The Brisbane Communiqué

• Agreement to collaborate on
• QA frameworks linked to international standards
• recognition of educational/professional
  qualifications
• common competency standards for teachers
• common recognition of techincal skills
• Biennial meeting next meeting in 2008
• Officials Working Group convened by Australia

16
The Brisbane Communiqué

• OWG will maintain cognisance of future
  possibilities for compatibility with initiatives
  already in development such as the European
  Bologna and Copenhagen processes.

17
References

• Opening address International Education Forum
• http//www.dest.gov.au/ministers/bishop/media
• (Speech delivered on 4 April 2006)
• Discussion paper The Bologna Process and
  Australia Next Steps (April 2006)
• Text of Brisbane Communiqué
• http//aei.dest.gov.au/AEI/GovernmentActivities/Bo
  lognaProcess

18
Current Developments in Higher Education in
Australia
Tony Crooks Counsellor (Education, Science and
Training South and Central America Government
of Australia