The Group of Eight is heartened by the renewed, bipartisan interest in higher education. This convergence of views on fundamental tenets of policy is a rare historical opportunity, after 35 years of disagreement, to achieve a coherent policy outcome for Australia. This paper seeks to test the possibilities of this opportunity. This paper sets out...

The Strategic Industry Leaders Group formed four working groups, involving wider industry representatives, to investigate key areas where opportunities for and barriers to growth had been identified. These areas were investment, exports and international engagement, research and development, and skills and training. Intellectual property and statistics and standards were considered by all of the groups.

The basic model of higher education delivery in Australia has not fundamentally changed since its establishment. This paper reviews the present situation and develops an argument, based on both educational and economic grounds, that Australia should move to a system similar to that in the United States.

Patterns of pathways between and within vocational education and training (VET) and higher education are examined in this study. It compares the notion of straightforward pathways with what is actually happening. The researchers interviewed 49 students in South Australia who had participated in VET and/or higher education and who had been through more than one...

Academic freedom is essential to the work of Australian universities. Their role in educating students and advancing human knowledge depends upon academics and students working and learning in an environment in which they can freely exchange ideas, challenge conventional wisdom and debate controversial issues. Indeed, it is hard to see how universities can achieve excellence...