University lobbies focused on the Accord may not have expected they would need to make-nice with VET in a hurry. And then last month ATEC released a paper on “tertiary harmonisation.”
The 2050 Alliance gets what is going on and responds to the issue while highlighting the risk of reducing education standards to the lowest common denominator.
The Innovation Research Universities as-was has a new paper awash with examples of existing cross-sector credit recognition and tertiary pathways, paired with an explanation of how ATEC’s university compacts will be ideal to fund, “innovation in tertiary partnerships, and build sector accountability.”
But 2050A also identifies issues to address; not least maintaining the importance of HE’s independence.
“Nine out of ten new jobs into the future will require a tertiary qualification, but the majority of these new tertiary qualified jobs will require higher education. Therefore, a tertiary target without a higher education target will fail to meet Australia’s future workforce needs,” the 2050A paper states.
“VET diplomas will not be sufficient and should not be used as a faster or cheaper path towards higher education.”
And the lobby warns against the temptation of trying to standardise. “Nationally consistent credit and recognition frameworks are not the same as standardisation. Standardisation improves predictability and eases mobility for students, but it involves trade-offs. Standardisation reduces institutional autonomy and discretion.”
2050A specific concerns include:
- VET “credential stacking for university access, “without the depth of knowledge and skills students typically receive in their first year of university education”
- “Parity of esteem” between VET and HE qualifications will not end occupation shortages caused by “pay, conditions and social value of certain professions”
- “Occupations held in the highest esteem typically require many years of training and development of human capital, and this is associated with higher levels of educational attainment”
- “Informational and cultural barriers” preventing prospective students identifying “education best aligned with interests and needs”
- Making it easier for VET and higher education providers “to offer qualifications across each sector, and develop pathways and mobility across both systems.”
- “Fundamentally different” employment conditions “are a challenge for integration of teaching.”
And then there is suspicion. 2050A warns government might pursue its 80% tertiary attainment target, “through the lowest direct cost.”