Home > Contents > Chapter 2 - The Department

The Department

Section 1 - Introduction
Section 2 - The Structure of the Department
Section 3 - The department's Outcomes
Section 4 - Senior executives and their responsibilities
Section 5 - Financial Categories

Section 1 - Introduction

The Education, Science and Training Portfolio

The Education, Science and Training Portfolio contains the Department of Education, Science and Training, the Australian National Training Authority, the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, the Australian National University, the Australian Research Council, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The portfolio structure is shown in Chart No 1.

Chart 1: Education, Science and Training Portfolio structure.

The portfolio deals with: school education; vocational education and training including New Apprenticeships and training services; higher education; international education; science policy; promotion of collaborative research in science and technology; coordination of research policy; research grants and fellowships.

Legislation administered by the portfolio includes Acts covering grants for schools, vocational education and training, higher education institutions, international education services, science and research. In all, the portfolio administers 26 items of legislation.

This report summarises the performance of the Department of Education, Science and Training during 2001-02. The performance of other portfolio agencies is reported in their respective Annual Reports.

The portfolio was created under the Administrative Arrangements Order of 26 November 2001. Under this Order, the portfolio assumed responsibilities for the education and training functions of the former Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs. It also assumed responsibility for the science functions of the former Department of Industry, Science and Resources as well as related education, science and training agencies mentioned above. The youth functions of the former Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs were transferred to the Department of Family and Community Services.

The Department of Family and Community Services will report on Outcomes for the youth function for the whole of 2001-02 in its Annual Report. Outcomes for the science function for the whole year are reported in this department’s Annual Report.

In contrast, financial matters to do with the youth and science functions will be reported by the Departments of Family and Community Services; Education, Science and Training; and Industry, Tourism and Resources for the part of the year during which they were responsible for the functions.

The department’s role

The department provides national leadership and collaborates with the States and Territories, industry, other government and non-government agencies and the community to support the Government’s objectives in education, training and science.

This support is provided through: funding to universities, State and Territory Governments and other agencies; advice to the portfolio Ministers on policy and programme management issues; research or the commissioning of research which will help develop education and science policy options; and administering programmes which assist clients.

The department is accountable for its performance to the Government and the Ministers and through them, to Parliament and the Australian community.

The department’s key issues

The department focuses each year on a number of key issues. For 2001-02, they were to:

• improve learning outcomes for all students through nationally comparable standards and reporting;
• improve learning outcomes for Indigenous students;
• enhance the quality of Australian school education;
• facilitate and strengthen young people’s transitions through school and from school to work and/or further education and training;
• strengthen the responsiveness of the post-school education and training system to the varying needs of individuals and industry;
• promote quality at all levels of post-school education and training;
• help all students contribute actively to their communities and to make well-informed choices about their careers;
• strengthen the ability of universities to generate and transfer new knowledge and develop the research skills of the workforce;
• further the internationalisation of Australian education, science and training;
• implement measures announced in the Government’s Innovation Statement Backing Australia’s Ability;
• support the Government’s efforts in the development of national research priorities for public sector research; and
• support the Prime Minister’s Science Engineering and Innovation Council and the Chief Scientist.

At the beginning of 2001-02 our Vision was: Excellence in helping all Australians achieve in a learning society. Our Purpose was: We will be the Minister's first choice for impartial, innovative and comprehensive solutions for policy, services and achievements of outcomes.

Following the Administrative Arrangement Order of 26 November 2001 and organisational changes, we revised our Corporate Plan in early 2002 to ensure its continued relevance to the department and its functions. It will be published early in the financial year 2002-03. Our new Vision is: A better future for all Australians through learning, science and innovation.

Our purpose has been replaced by three goals. They are:

• to deliver the Government’s outcomes for Australia through learning, science and innovation;
• to support everyone’s creativity, contribution and achievement in the department; and
• to maximise our effectiveness through strong, continuing stakeholder relationships.

Our functions

Our functions include to:

• provide policy advice across the range of our Ministers’ responsibilities;
• analyse trends in education, science and training and their implications for Government policies and programmes, and evaluate programme effectiveness and policy coherence across the portfolio;
• promote interaction between the education and training sectors to provide pathways from education to employment for all Australians and to contribute to the development of a learning society;
• manage policy and programmes to support the Government's agenda in respect of education and training for Indigenous Australians;
• ensure policy solutions are equitable and responsive so that Australians facing disadvantage have both the access and the opportunities to learn and gain skills;
• manage policy and programmes to support the Government’s agenda for young people’s transition through and from school so they achieve relevant skills and learning outcomes for work and life;
• promote Australia’s capabilities overseas and develop the policy and legislative framework to support the internationalisation and export of Australian education and training services;
• take a leadership role to develop and implement national training reform, including responsibility for training services at entry level;
• develop and implement Commonwealth policies for government and non-government schools and administer programmes of financial assistance;
• administer programmes to support the teaching and research activities of higher education institutions;
• support strategic science and innovation leadership;
• develop and implement science and innovation policy; and
• develop and implement science and innovation programmes.

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Section 2 – The structure of the department

Following the portfolio restructure referred to above, the department was organised as a modified matrix structure of nine Groups. Four of these; Schools, Science, Vocational Education and Training, and Higher Education reflect the major policy and programme areas of the department. Indigenous Education; International; and Research, Analysis and Evaluation, are cross-portfolio Groups. Corporate Strategy Group and Communication, Information and Legal Group provide enabling services to the whole of the department. Audit and Investigations Group is independent and reports directly to the Executive. Each Group’s functions are described below. The department also has offices in each of the states and territories, plus 49 Indigenous Education Units.

Audit and Investigations Group provides high quality independent assurance to the Executive and managers to ensure that programmes, systems and practices conform to legal and financial requirements. It also helps manage risk by providing managers with services to help them improve performance and accountability in programmes, systems and practices.

Communication, Information and Legal Group provides a range of corporate support services, assistance and expert advice across the department. These include marketing, media and stakeholder relations services, advice on strategic information technology issues, the provision of information technology services, risk management, and legal advice and services.

Corporate Strategy Group is responsible for enhancing and measuring business and organisational performance and effectiveness, people and financial management and the coordination of security, property and office services.

Higher Education Group develops policy for the higher education sector and supports the teaching and research activities of Australian higher education institutions.

Indigenous Education Group develops policy and administers programmes to improve education and training outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

International Group develops policy, helps promote and market Australian education internationally, and manages Australia’s international education relations. The Group also works with international organisations for the mutual recognition of international qualifications and skills.

Research, Analysis and Evaluation Group undertakes and manages research and analysis on education, science and training issues including equity. The Group also develops policy advice on a range of cross-portfolio issues and evaluates the effectiveness of the department’s programmes.

Schools Group provides policy advice and implements Commonwealth policies for government and non-government schools. It promotes flexible pathways for young people’s transition through and from school so they achieve relevant skills and learning outcomes for work and life. The Group also provides financial assistance for educationally disadvantaged students.

Science Group provides policy advice on science and technology in general, and on the portfolio’s science agencies. It implements a number of science programmes and the department’s component of the National Innovation Awareness Strategy. It has responsibility for national radioactive waste management facilities and rehabilitation. In addition, the Group manages Australia’s international science and technology relations and provides policy and administrative support to the Chief Scientist. It also provides secretariat support for the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council.

Vocational Education and Training Group develops and implements policy and programmes aimed at creating a more skilled workforce. It fosters opportunities for New Apprenticeships and vocational preparation.

State and Territory Offices liaise extensively with government and other agencies at the local level. State and Territory Managers are responsible for the delivery of services that contribute to national policy solutions.

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Section 3 - The department’s Outcomes

The department works to achieve the three Outcomes identified in the Portfolio Budget Statements:

Outcome 1. School systems provide their students with high quality foundation skills and learning outcomes.

Outcome 2. Post-school education and training providers assist individuals achieve relevant skills and learning outcomes for work and life.

Outcome 3. Australian institutions advance the knowledge base, contribute to the national innovation system and participate effectively in the global development of knowledge and skills.

Groups may contribute to more than one Outcome. This is shown in Chart 2.

Chart 2: Groups contributing to Outcomes.

Chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7 provide detailed reporting and analysis of the department’s performance in achieving these Outcomes. Appendixes 9 and 9a provide detailed reporting at the Output level.

The Outcomes remain unchanged since the Administrative Arrangements Order of 26 November 2001. However, there have been some changes to the Output Groups that contribute to each Outcome. They are set out in Chart 3.

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Section 4 - Senior executives and their responsibilities

Chart 4 shows the department’s senior executives and their responsibilities. Within each Group, the name of the Group and Group Manager is listed first, followed by the Branches and their respective Branch Managers. State and Territory Managers are named under their respective State or Territory Offices

Chart No 3: Outcomes/Outputs framework following the Administrative Arrangements Order of 26 November 2001.

Note: Shaded boxes at the Output Group level show changes since last year. Output Group 2.4 and shaded elements of Output Group 2.3 have transferred to the Department of Family and Community Services. Output Group 3.3 was formerly Output Group 3.2 but otherwise remains unchanged. The new Output Group 3.2 includes all the science functions transferred from the former Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

Chart 4: Department of Education, Science and Training – senior executives and their responsibilities as at 30 June 2002.

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Section 5 – Financial categories

The difference between Departmental Outputs and Administered Items

It will help readers to understand this Annual Report, and particularly Appendixes 9 and 9a, if they are aware of the difference between Departmental Outputs and Administered Items. The portfolio’s financial resources are split into two separate categories, Departmental and Administered. Each has a different level of accountability and reporting requirements. This results from the varying degrees of control the department has over transactions in each category.

Departmental Outputs covers those assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses controlled by the department and used to produce the goods and services it provides to government.

Administered Items are those resources administered by the department on behalf of the Government and may include transfer payments to the States and Territories, grants and other benefits that contribute to achieving the Government’s specified outcome.

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