Transcript Slide 1

TAFE Governance & Regulations Forum
February 24, 2010
The Urgency of Reforms
Virginia Simmons
Board Member,TDA
Overview
About TAFE Directors Australia
 Governance Context
 Policy Context
 Two case studies on how governance
affects policy responses
 Implications for A National Training System
 CONCLUSION

TAFE Directors Australia
TAFE Directors Australian Inc (TDA) is the
peak body representing Australia’s
educational network of TAFE institutes.
Membership includes institutes, universities
of technology, institutes of technology and
polytechnics from every state and territory.
TDA was established by TAFE Directors in
1998 and incorporated as a not-for-profit
educational organisation
TDA is a key advocate for TAFE on
governance and other issues.
TDA’s Mission and Vision
Mission:
To provide leadership at a national level as
the ‘public provider voice’ for Australia's
vocational education.
Vision:
TAFE: Australia's provider of choice in
vocational education
As the national voice of public provider vocational
education, TDA commissions research and
independent reviews on vocational education, and
stages regular professional development programs for
executive membership.
Governance in VET - Context

TAFE’s overlay with VET
◦ Private sector governance arrangements
◦ Other RTO governance arrangements

Governance levels
◦
◦
◦
◦
National - presentation focus
State
Regional
Institute
Governance Models for TAFE –
Continuum across Australia
Centralised –
limited autonomy
Decentralised –
significant
autonomy
Advisory Bodies
Board of Directors
Public service
employment of staff
Institute
employment
Centralising of
operational
surpluses
Institute retention of
operational
surpluses
Centralised
marketing/branding
Institute
marketing/branding
Disclaimer
Because of the different governance arrangements
from state to state, TDA’s position is to support
the governance arrangements of each member and
hence to support each State’s approach.
The views expressed in this presentation should be
seen in this light.
Current Policy Imperatives
Improved
Tertiary
Pathways
Better
TAFE
Infrastructure
Social
Inclusion
Improved
Quality
Sustainability/
Green Skills
International
Education
Current Policy Imperatives Examples
Improved
Social
Tertiary
Inclusion –
Pathways
COAG Targets
AQF Review/TEQSA
Improved
Quality
Better
Sustainability/
National
VET
TAFE
Green Skills
Regulator
Infrastructure
National Green
EIF
Skills Agreement
International
Education
Market Failure
Case Study
Improved
Quality
National VET
Regulator
Layers of Governance in VET
Nous Consultation on the National VET Regulator
TDA’s Position on the National VET
Regulator (NVR)
TDA supported the concept of a NVR subject
to:
Agreement on the model being reached
with all states and territories – WA and
Vic have not agreed
The NVR being given robust powers i.e.
‘teeth’ – awaiting draft legislation
The NVR being sufficiently resourced to
exercise its powers – awaiting draft
legislation.
Case Study
International
Education
Market Failure
Some Government Responses
2009
Ministerial Missions – Federal and State
 Senate Inquiry into the Welfare of International
Students
 Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS)
Amendment Bill
 Senate Inquiry into the ESOS Act
 Review of International Education (Bruce Baird)
 International Student Roundtable
 Review of the Migration Occupations in Demand
List (MODL)
 Review of the National VET Regulator
 Additional state/territory initiatives

TDA’s Position on Market Failure in
International Education
TDA’s response has been one of frustration:
Need to respond to each government
initiative – resource intensive
Need to differentiate TAFE from
unscrupulous or low quality providers
TAFE - ‘tarred with the same brush’ - has
lost business and will suffer until the
whole of VET is reformed
A National Training System?
Congested governance arrangements *
 Authorising and oversight layer – Ministers and their
highest level joint jurisdictional committees
 Legal, advisory and policy layer – VET Departments,
advisory bodies and legislation
 Product and provider registration layer – registering and
accrediting bodies, guidelines, frameworks, products
and contracts for programs
 Market layer – providers, students, business and
industry
* Courtesy Nous
A National Training System?
In each state:
 Different governance arrangements
 Different levels of autonomy  commercial capability
 Different policy positions on the public and private
sector
 Different approaches to market design
 Different funding levels  staffing practices
 Different fee structures
 Different public perceptions of VET
Conclusion
Current governance arrangements
 are complex, cumbersome and confusing
 impede timely and effective development
and implementation of government policy
 are a disservice to students
 are preventing TAFE from developing to
its full potential
Yes, reform is urgent …
Thank you