Department of Education, Employement and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) (Formerly DEST)

The stage is set for a series of important reforms in higher education, with a range of reports due between now and the end of the year.

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) has published a summary of important developments for postgraduate students in an Issues Paper released today.

The stage is set for a series of important reforms in higher education, with a range of reports due between now and the end of the year.

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) has published a summary of important developments for postgraduate students in an Issues Paper released today.

The issues paper is available via the link below:

On 13 March 2008, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, announced a major review of Australia’s higher education system which will examine and report on the future direction of the higher education sector, its fitness for purpose in meeting the needs of the Australian community and economy and the options for ongoing reform. [From the DEEWR website]

The Department of Education, Science, and Training provides national leadership and works in collaboration with the States and Territories, industry, other agencies and the community in support of the Government's objectives. We develop and implement policies to ensure the continuing relevance of education, science and training to contemporary needs and the growing requirement for lifelong learning. We also ensure high quality and value for money in delivering Government funded programmes.

On the 15th of November 2006, the Minister for Education, Science and Training announced that the RQF would go ahead. The Minister also endorsed the RQF model recommended by the Development Advisory Group (DAG). Below is a summary of key recommendations from the approved model. Included also are some conclusions on what this might mean for postgraduate students.

For further detailed discussion and background on issues pertaining to the RQF, please refer to the CAPA submissions and briefings.

The complete briefing paper is available in the PDF below:

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) is the national peak body representing Australia's 257,700 postgraduate students. These students are engaged in both coursework and research programs and include over 84,600 international students.

CAPA welcomes the invitation to respond to the recommendations in the Evaluation of the General Skilled Migration Categories report by Dr Bob Birrell, Professor Lesleyanne Hawthorne and Professor Sue Richardson.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide an initial response to the RQF Guiding Principles. The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) is the national peak body of postgraduate student organisations representing Australia's 257,700 postgraduate students, including 47,300 research students. These students study in all disciplines and are frequently engaged in academic employment.

General comments:

Many of our initial concerns arising from the Issues Paper have been taken into account. In particular we are very pleased to note that the CTS is now available for part-time students, and for those not in receipt of an APA. The
breadth of the training has also improved. We remain concerned about how distance education students may be catered for.

Comments on specific items in the draft guidelines:

8.90.1 and 8.95

Introduction

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) welcomes the opportunity to contribute its views on the DEST discussion paper. CAPA is the national peak body of postgraduate student organisations representing Australia's 257,700 postgraduate students, including 47,300 research students and 261,500 students undertaking coursework qualifications.

General Comments

Introduction

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) is the national peak body of postgraduate student organisations representing Australia's 257,800 postgraduate students, including 47,300 research students and 210,500 students undertaking coursework qualifications.

General comments