External Students

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 House of Representatives Industry, Science and Innovation Committee has announced an inquiry into the contribution that Australian universities make to Australian research training, and the challenges those universities face in recruiting, training and retaining quality research staff.

In 1990 DEET designated six equity groups, including students from rural and isolated areas, for targeted action to increase these students' access to tertiary education. The strategies, set out in the policy paper A Fair Chance for All, were focused heavily on improving distance education as a means of raising higher education participation for rural and isolated students.

Distance education increases access to postgraduate study for students who would not otherwise be able to attend a university campus. This briefing paper discusses the educational experience of external postgraduate students, describing the difficulties they may encounter due to their distance from the university and suggesting strategies for their support. The scope of this paper has been directed by CAPA Action Policy for 2003:

CAPA welcomes the sixteenth recommendation of the Senate Committee report, Universities in Crisis, that public funding for universities be increased to support on-line education.

"Adequately funded, high quality on-line education will enable people who are not able to attend a university campus to access the benefits of higher education," said CAPA President, Mr John Byron.

The 100,000 place Australian on-line university proposed today by Kim Beazley as part of the Opposition's election platform is a very significant initiative which needs to be fully extended to postgraduate students.

Speaking from the Press Club in Canberra, CAPA President John Byron said, 'the Opposition's proposal will provide research and job opportunities in the on-line education field for Australian postgraduate students.