Andrew Barr

Creating a connected ACT tertiary education environment

Australia’s tertiary and training landscape will be transformed in the years ahead.
 
The Bradley Review has foreshadowed a new era in tertiary education. In training, we must respond to skills shortages, engage with a national vocational education and training (VET) regulator and implement our ‘learn or earn’ commitment to students.
 
The Australian Capital Territory has a unique opportunity to create a truly connected and integrated education environment which gives students what they want and need.
 
The ACT has strong foundations – the Australian National University, University of Canberra, Canberra Institute of Technology and many other vocational and higher education providers.
 
We have a strong culture of training in our schools.
 
The challenge is social and economic. It is both supply and demand driven.
 
We must focus on students. We need to deliver the courses and qualifications they want. We need an education environment which is easier for students to navigate. If a student wants to create a new combination of courses, across institutions, funding and administrative arrangements should not stand in their way.
 
At the same time, we must give industry the skilled workforce that it needs. The ACT must improve supply side levers to meet current and future demand. We need to enhance productivity and economic growth.
 
Most of all, we should reward innovation. We need incentives to improve the quality of education. We must get the balance right between competition and collaboration.
 
Change is challenging. But change is constant.
 
I want to create a vision which sets the ACT apart as Australia’s lifelong learning capital. This discussion paper is the first step in that conversation.
 
There is much to do, and much at stake, so we will take our time to get it right.
 
But now is the time for bold ideas. Now is the time for reform.
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