Map of key players

DEST (Formerly DETYA)

Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) supports the Federal Government’s efforts to meet the lifelong learning needs of all Australians. They

• provide policy advice to Government
• administer Commonwealth programmes and financial assistance to support schooling and higher education, vocational education and training, and youth services
• promote the quality, integrity and export growth of Australia’s education and training services, in partnership with State and Territory education authorities

See <http://www.detya.gov.au/>

HED

The Higher Education Division of DEST administers Commonwealth programs in cooperation with other bodies e.g. AVCC, Australian Research Council (ARC). Among others, it is responsible for the HELP loan programmes, Australian Postgraduate Award (APA), National Officer of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOORSR), EIP and HEIP.

Scholarships, fellowships, awards and other sources of funding for study and/or research available through this division include Research Fellowships, Australian Postgraduate Awards, International Postgraduate Research Scholarships and Indigenous Researchers Development Scheme.

The Higher Education Division of DETYA, with the cooperation of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, is also responsible for the collection and dissemination of statistics relating to the provision of higher education in all Australian universities.

See <http://www.detya.gov.au/highered/>

EIP

The Evaluations and Investigations Program of DETYA funds studies and research projects which evaluate performance and investigate issues of national importance to Australian higher education policy. It has a number of publications e.g. The Good Universities Guide to Access & Equity Programs 1997-98.

See <http://www.detya.gov.au/highered/programmes/eip.htm>

HEIP

The Higher Education Innovation Program of DETYA aims to enable the higher education system to improve the quality of higher education provision through innovative projects. Funds from the HEIP also include support for the Science Lectureship Programme and the Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT)

See <http://www.detya.gov.au/highered/programmes/heip.htm>

AUTC

The Australian Universities Teaching Committee was established in 2000 as part of the Federal Government’s commitment to promoting quality and excellence in university teaching and learning in Australia. It replaced the Committee for University Teaching and Staff Development

The AUTC has a brief to identify emerging issues in teaching and learning in Australian universities. It administers a grants programme designed to identify and support effective methods of teaching and learning and seeks to promote the dissemination and adoption of such methods across the higher education sector.

The Committee is also responsible for the selection process for the prestigious Australian Awards for University Teaching. The AUTC aims to foster national and international collaborations on university teaching and learning issues.

See <http://www.autc.gov.au/>

Australian Research Council (ARC)

The ARC, an independent statutory body with the power to initiate and publish its own inquiries, is the primary source of funding for Australia’s leading researchers.

See <http://www.arc.gov.au/>

Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs

Ministerial Responsibilities for The Hon Dr David Kemp MP include:

• higher education
• cross sectoral (including literacy and numeracy and indigenous education and training);
• vocational education and training (including New Apprenticeships); schools;
• student financial assistance; and
• youth issues and affairs.

See <http://www.detya.gov.au/ministers/kemp/kemppr.htm>

AVCC

The Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee is the peak organisation representing Australian higher education and currently has 37 member universities. It seeks to advance higher education by acting as a consultative and advisory body for all university affairs and by promoting the needs, interests and purposes of Australian universities nationally and internationally. The AVCC’s standing committees include Education and Students, Information Technology and Copyright, Research, International Relations and Indigenous Issues.

See <http://avcc.edu.au/>

Go8

The Group of Eight is a coalition of the Vice-Chancellors of: Adelaide University, The Australian National University, The University of Melbourne, Monash University, The University of New South Wales, The University of Queensland, The University of Sydney and The University of Western Australia. The Group of Eight universities undertake 70% of all research conducted in Australian universities and over half of all basic research conducted throughout Australia. They also produce between 60% and 80% of internationally recognised Australian research publications in every field of research and over 80% of internationally cited university research from Australia.

See <http://www.go8.edu.au/>

AUQA

The Australian Universities Quality Agency, endorsed by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA), is being established to conduct independent quality assurance audits of publicly funded Australian universities and higher education accreditation authorities. The agency is co-located with MCEETYA in Melbourne.

See <http://www.auqa.edu.au>

HERDSA

The Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia seeks to advance higher education by bringing together and supporting those engaged in teaching, in the study of learning, teaching and policy and in the continuous improvement of higher education. Its membership includes vice-chancellors, deans, teaching staff, learning skills specialists, staff developers, other research and administrative staff, and concerned members of the community.

See <http://www.herdsa.org.au/>

NTEU

The National Tertiary Education Industry Union’s 'primary objective is to defend and improve the living standards of NTEU members, as well as their working environment and professional interests ... through industrial and political activity...'.

See <http://www.nteu.org.au/>

CAPA

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) represents the interests and concerns of postgraduate students to the Federal government, Federal Opposition and minor parties, and higher education peak bodies such as the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and the Australian Research Council. Where there are common interests, CAPA works in collaboration with the National Tertiary Education Union and the National Union of Students.

See <http://www.capa.edu.au/>

NUS

The National Union of Students is ‘the national student representative body for tertiary students in Australia. It was formed to give a coherent national voice for the needs of Australian university students and to represent students, their needs and rights on a national level ... NUS is primarily focused on representing and advocating for students...’.

See <http://www.unistudent.com.au/>

ASCILITE

The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE) is a society for those involved in tertiary computer-based education and training, including educational interactive multimedia. It provides a forum to stimulate discussion of relevant issues in the educational use of technology, as well as promoting research and evaluation.

See <http://www.ascilite.org.au/>

NCODE

Flexible Learning Australasia (NCODE-FLA) is the peak Australasian organisation for institutions engaged in or interested in open, distance and flexible education. The aim of NCODE is to achieve an education system which is more open, flexible and responsive to students.

See <http://ncode.mq.edu.au/>

ODLAA

The Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia Inc. (ODLAA) is a professional association that aims to encourage and support quality open, flexible and distance learning , education and training through scholarship, debate, research and practice.

See <http://www.odlaa.org/odlaa/>

Curriculum Council of Western Australia

The Curriculum Council’s aim is to design curriculum, assessment and certification structures that are outcomes-focussed, flexible and adaptive to change, able to include new fields of study and accommodate future expectations in post-compulsory schooling. The Council considers that it would best address these needs and the diverse interests and aspirations of all students by replacing the current fragmented system of Tertiary Entrance Examination subjects (TEE), Wholly-School Assessed subjects (WSA) and VET Units of Competency with a single curriculum structure containing approximately 50 courses of study.

See <http://www.curriculum.wa.edu.au/>