• Description
• The Commonwealth's Role
• Resources
• Planning for resource usage
• Achievements against the Strategic Priorities
  • Departmental Outputs
  • Strategic Priority 1: Strengthening the ability of universities to generate and transfer new knowledge
  • Strategic Priority 2: Development of the national research priorities
  • Strategic Priority 3: International promotion of the capability of Australian education, science and training

Strategic Priority 2: Development of the national research priorities

Output Group 3.2: Science and collaboration

A national approach

The Commonwealth, in Backing Australia’s Ability, recognised that a coordinated approach to research would galvanise the research and broader community around a national vision of Australia’s research strengths and competitive potential or opportunity, and identify areas of need. It recognised that a shared national agenda would also facilitate increased collaboration across institutional boundaries.

A priority for the Australian Government is that world-class research be encouraged and supported whether it be an area of strength, emerging strength, or in specialised niche areas.

The Commonwealth has established a number of mechanisms to ensure a whole of government approach to these issues, and the department has the principal responsibility for supporting their activities, including the:

• PMSEIC, the Commonwealth’s principal source of independent advice on issues in science, engineering and innovation and relevant aspects of education and training;

• Coordination Committee on Science and Technology, which facilitates exchange of information and coordination of activities involving Commonwealth departments and agencies with an interest in science and technology;

• Science and Innovation Committee, which oversees implementation of Backing Australia’s Ability; and

• Chief Scientist.

The department published Backing Australia’s Ability - Real Results Real Jobs, the Commonwealth’s Innovation Report for 2002–03, as well as the annual science and innovation budget information which details the Commonwealth’s spending on science and innovation on a whole of government basis.

National research priorities

The Prime Minister announced Australia’s first set of national research priorities on 5 December 2002. The establishment of national research priorities is intended to integrate Australia’s research effort more closely with the community’s economic, social and environmental aspirations, and to focus research capacity into areas of strength, opportunity, or need. The priorities were selected following extensive consultation and consideration of international experience. Over 160 submissions were received and considered by an Expert Advisory Committee. The national research priorities are:

• an environmentally sustainable Australia;

• promoting and maintaining good health;

• frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries; and

• safeguarding Australia.

These priorities are broad and thematic and each is supported by a number of priority goals.

The priorities will be applied to Commonwealth research and research funding bodies, as well as competitive programmes for public sector research. The department facilitated the development of implementation plans for Commonwealth research agencies and research funding bodies, convening a major forum in April 2003, to promote the priorities and to provide an opportunity for the members of the research community to discuss their implementation. An Expert Advisory Assessment Committee, chaired by the Chief Scientist, considered more than 20 implementation plans and reported to the Australian Government on whether the plans would achieve the goals of the national research priorities initiative.

The department will coordinate ongoing monitoring of the progress of the implementing agencies against the agreed performance measures, and will provide assessments to the Australian Government on how effectively priorities are being progressed.

The department also worked with the social science and humanities research communities, through their learned academies, to explore ways the priorities could be enhanced to better reflect the research perspectives and strengths of the social sciences and humanities to ensure full engagement with the national research priorities. In March 2003, the department facilitated a conference for key researchers and policy makers, and a report on the proposed enhancements to the priorities was prepared for the Australian Government.

During 2002–03, portfolio science agencies were consulted on the development of new Triennium Funding Agreements. Existing Agreements have been extended for a further year, with an additional $20 million to fund the CSIRO National Research Flagships Programme. The new Agreements will incorporate aspects negotiated with the Department of Finance and Administration, and will include performance measures, approaches to commercialisation of research and the application of the national research priorities.

Science and innovation mapping

In November 2002, the Prime Minister announced a major exercise to map Australia’s science, technology and innovation activities and performance. The department established a taskforce to undertake the task, the outcome of which will be vital in underpinning a strategic direction for science and innovation. Six discussion papers were produced and informed a Science and Innovation Mapping Experts Forum, held on 31 March 2003. An interim report is due mid-2003.

Awareness raising

The National Innovation Awareness Strategy (NIAS) raises community awareness and appreciation of the role of science and technology in enhancing our quality of life. NIAS is managed jointly by the Industry portfolio and the Education, Science and Training portfolio, and includes Questacon’s Smart Moves programme. Key achievements during 2002–03 included:

• the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science which included for the first time awards for excellence in science teaching in primary and secondary schools;

• National Science Week 2002, held from 17 to 25 August. NIAS grants totalling $300 000 were made to 25 National Science Week projects across Australia. Survey data for National Science Week 2002 indicates:

• ‘Science Meets Parliament’, an annual event arranged by the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies, and financed in part through NIAS, which brought more than 130 parliamentarians and 160 scientists together over two days in forum discussions and meetings.

The department contracts the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to host a website to foster science awareness. The ABC’s The Lab continues to be one of the world’s most visited science websites. In February 2003, visitor hits for the first time reached 1 500 000 per week, and have continued above this figure. The ABC has continued to meet its contractual obligations for this project.

Radioactive waste management

Australia generates a small amount of radioactive waste through the beneficial use of radioactive materials in medicine, research and industry. National facilities are the safest and most cost-effective option for Australia to manage its radioactive waste, and the Australian Government is progressing two projects to establish purpose-built radioactive waste management facilities; the national repository for disposal of low-level waste and the national store for storage of intermediate-level waste.

The Minister for Science announced on 9 May 2003, that the repository facility would be established on Site 40a, located in the Stony Desert approximately 20 km east of Woomera. The announcement followed environmental approval of two sites. Consultation with the general public was part of the environmental assessment process and 667 public submissions were received on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). A supplementary report responding to public comment was published. In addition, negotiations in relation to land tenure were undertaken with native title claimant groups with claims over the repository site.

Assessment of Australian Government land for the national store is progressing. Following advice from the National Store Advisory Committee, an expert advisory committee advising on the site selection process, the Minister for Science ruled out siting the national store in South Australia, as no sites in that state had been identified as being highly suitable for the facility. A short-list of sites for the facility will be announced in 2003–04.

During 2002–03, negotiations progressed with the South Australian Government and Maralinga Tjarujta on a possible handback of the Maralinga site to the traditional owners. The final report of the Maralinga Rehabilitation Technical Advisory Committee on the clean-up of the former Maralinga nuclear test site was tabled in Parliament in March 2003. The report concluded that the rehabilitation had successfully met its objectives.

top

Strategic Priority 3: International promotion of the capability of Australian education, science and training

The international promotion of Australian science, technology and education and training is essential to enhancing research collaboration and to ensuring a sustainable education export industry.

Output Group 3.2: Science collaboration and innovation

During 2002–03, the Minister for Science approved guidelines for the operation of the Innovation Access Programme – International Science and Technology. The programme facilitates the accessing and take-up of global science and technology by:

• funding international cooperation activities and showcasing Australia’s science and technology;

• using bilateral agreements with other countries to promote international science and technology cooperation; and

• supporting participation in multilateral forums, and the activities undertaken under their auspices, such as the OECD Global Science Forum and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Industrial Science and Technology Working Group.

An estimated 1000 Australians were employed or involved in projects supported under the Innovation Access Programme – International Science and Technology in 2002–03. The programme component providing access to major research facilities is expected to produce over 70 publications involving collaboration with 88 international scientists.

The activities undertaken through fellowships and awards enabled Australian scientists to work in North America, Europe and Asia. Australian researchers were also supported through the:

• Australia-China Special Fund for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, which supported five research projects with funds totalling $250 000 over three years; and

• Australia-Korea Pilot Industrial Technology Fund, which supported one research project with funding of $250 000 over three years.

Workshops were held involving Australian and international researchers in the following areas:

• synchrotron spectroscopy, railway technologies, and ecotoxicological tools for environmental management (Italy);

• medical devices and diagnostics, nuclear medicine and bio-nanotechnology (France);

• quantum computing and artificial photosynthesis (USA); and

• nanotechnology and biomedical sciences (Japan).

Achievements against planned outcomes are detailed in Table 31. A stakeholder satisfaction survey undertaken during 2002–03 set a benchmark of 98 per cent, indicating very high levels of satisfaction.

Table 31: Performance information for Output Group 3.2

Source: Department of Education, Science and Training

The department conducted a series of public presentations to increase Australian researchers’ involvement in the European Union’s 6th Framework Programme for Research. It also supported the participation of 35 Australians in the launch of the programme in Brussels in late 2002. Following an evaluation of this participation, the department commenced negotiations with the French government on a programme to support joint science and technology activities, as a successor to the French-Australian Industrial Research Programme.

The department is continuing its negotiations with Indonesia, South Africa and the United States of America on new science and technology agreements.

During 2002–03, the department participated in OECD and APEC forums on science and technology, including the March 2003 meeting of the OECD Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy. The department’s work on this committee will significantly contribute to the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial Meeting in January 2004.

A key outcome of the department’s APEC activities will be the 4th APEC Industrial Science and Technology Ministerial meeting in March 2004. This meeting will be a significant opportunity to identify, and progress at ministerial level, policy issues and strategic goals of relevance across the region.

Output Group 3.3: Australian education and training export industry

The 2002–03 year was one of immense change for Australian Education International (AEI) flowing from the results of the AEI Review released in April 2002. The recommendations covered three broad, interrelated areas:

• restructuring AEI business activity;

• ensuring a sustainable future for the international education and training industry; and

• government-to-government education and training activity.

A programme of research that has informed whole of government policy included:

• modelling the economic benefits of international education;

• consultation with education and training providers on international higher education demand scenarios in 2025; and

• quantification of offshore delivery in the vocational education and training sector.

International Education Package

The importance to Australia of international education and training was emphasised in the May 2003 Budget announcement of a comprehensive package of initiatives, worth more than $113 million over four years, to support and expand Australia’s involvement in international education and training.

Key elements of the package include:

• the establishment of four International Centres of Excellence at Australian universities or consortia, covering Asian and Pacific Studies and Diplomacy, Mathematics Education, Water Resources Management, and Sports Science and Administration;

• funding to increase promotion and government-to-government work in new overseas countries to further develop export opportunities; and

• the establishment of a new National Language Centre to boost the language and business cultural skill level of Australian exporters, business, professionals and the tourism industry.

On 6 June 2003, the Minister announced that the International Centre of Excellence in Asia - Pacific Studies and Diplomacy will be located at the Australian National University. The remaining Centres will be selected through a competitive process, submissions for which close in August 2003.

Restructuring AEI business activity

During 2002–03, AEI business activity was restructured to achieve more effective integration of export facilitation services and government-to-government activity; to build more effective partnerships with industry, stakeholders and across governments; and to provide better information to the export market. Funding for AEI moved from subscription revenue to fee-for-service revenue, in order to signal that its services value-add to the industry.

The department initiated a new high-level cross-sectoral interdepartmental committee which developed a Memorandum of Understanding between relevant Commonwealth departments and agencies, specifying respective roles and responsibilities in overseas markets to ensure consistent and complementary arrangements in service provision to the industry.

The department also enhanced formal dialogue with the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) and the Affiliation of International Education Peak Bodies forum. A key achievement in November 2002 was the opening of a dialogue with the states and territories through the new International Education Network.

AEI Consultancy Services, available through the department’s counsellor network services, was established during 2002–03 to enable Australian institutions and organisations to access critical assistance with marketing and other activities on a fee-for-service basis.

In January 2003 nine languages other than English were added to AEI’s virtual Australian Education Centre: traditional and simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Spanish and Portuguese.

The AEI Industry website, http://aei.dest.gov.au, has been transformed into an international education and training portal. The portal, launched on 1 July 2002, provides a one-stop shop for information on international education and training. An eNewsletter is sent twice weekly to 730 industry representatives. There are approximately 28 000 individual visits to the site each month.

AEI is more active in its support of vocational education and training and international education in the schools sector. A promotional video, showcasing Australian vocational education and training, was produced in consultation with the key vocational education and training stakeholders. In March 2003, AEI updated its publication Getting Started Internationally – Tips for Schools Entering the International Market. An AEI strategy for the international promotion of the Australian school sector also commenced.

Sustainable growth

As enunciated in the International Education Package, the platform to achieve a sustainable education export industry includes demonstrating quality, increasing diversification and supporting exports through stronger international relationships.

AEI undertook research to identify the most effective brand position for Australian education and training in overseas markets. The new AEI brand, launched by the Minister in December 2002, applies to all offshore promotions of Australian education and training undertaken by the Australian Government. The official Australian Government website for advice on studying in Australia, http://studyinaustralia.gov.au, was updated to reflect the new brand.

In 2002–03, the department, in partnership with others, enhanced both the quality and future of international education and training products and services by:

• improving compliance. The department worked closely with DIMIA and the industry to develop a set of enhancements to the student visa system;

• ensuring only genuine providers are in the market. The department implemented a monitoring and enforcement strategy aimed at increasing compliance with the ESOS Act and the National Code. The department:

undertook 33 monitoring visits to providers of education and training services to overseas students;

issued 46 monitoring and enforcement notices to providers. Three providers were removed from CRICOS and three providers had conditions imposed on their registration;

conducted a series of cross-sector information workshops to improve providers’ understanding of the ESOS Act and National Code;

enhanced the Provider Registration and International Students Management System (PRISMS) by the electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE). There was improved accessibility to PRISMS by providers, greater acceptance of the system and better monitoring of providers’ compliance with the ESOS Act and National Code.

The eCoE project, conducted jointly by DEST and DIMIA, was acknowledged by a special commendation in the 2002 Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management.

The department, through the AEI-National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR), helps sustain and build quality through its work on educational and professional standards. During 2002–03, it assessed 2706 applications for recognition of overseas qualifications and completed Country Education Profile Updates for the People’s Republic of China, USA and Thailand, to be published in 2003–04.

The department also commenced a review of the Assessment Fee Subsidy for Overseas Trained Professionals in February 2003. New arrangements were introduced from 1 July 2002 for overseas professionals unable to meet Australian qualification recognition standards. Overseas-trained professionals wishing to undertake fee-paying bridging courses now have access to income-contingent loan arrangements, with repayment arrangements similar to the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS), through the Bridging for Overseas Trained Professionals Loan Scheme (BOTPLS). During 2002–03, 204 overseas-trained professionals received a BOTPLS loan.

AEI is responsible for a range of industry and professional development seminars (see Table 32). The 2003 data reflects the changes being implemented by the department to improve professional development content and delivery. The AEI-NOOSR Professional Development programme was under review during 2002–03 and will change from 2003–04. As a result of the review, no university seminars were held during 2002–03, which resulted in fewer participants undertaking the programme. AEI Industry Seminars are also conducted to convey the latest developments and trends in offshore student markets to the international education and training industry. The satisfaction scale for AEI Industry seminars was revised during 2002–03, to allow for greater differentiation in perceptions of registrants.

Table 32: Administered output performance for Output Group 3.3

Source: Department of Education, Science and Training

Diversification is essential in order to realise Australia’s potential to service the growing demand for international education and to maintain the industry’s sustainability over the long term. Diversification is occurring in:

• the range of countries with which Australia engages;

• the fields and levels of study in which international students participate; and

• the modes of delivery on offer from Australian providers.

The department will continue to encourage industry diversity. Offshore delivery increased by 45 per cent from 1999 to 2001 (see Table 33), and all major sectors of education experienced increases in overseas student numbers during the same period. The traditional Asian markets remain strong. New markets are being fostered, particularly in Europe and South America (see Table 34).

Table 33: Overseas student enrolments by sector 1999 to 2001

Source: DEST Overseas Student Statistics Collection 2001

Table 34: Overseas student enrolments from top 10 source countries 1999 to 2001

Source: DEST Overseas Student Statistics Collection 2001

International government-to-government activity

The imperative for, and benefits from, diversification, partnerships and a quality industry extend to strengthening our international relationships. Cooperative bilateral and multilateral relationships will:

• create an environment that supports export of education and training services;

• support the internationalisation of Australia’s education and training system; and

• support government diplomacy, providing a platform for national security and trade relationships.

The Australian Government’s negotiation of agreements with other countries will result in stronger trade flows, income from lecturers and consultants travelling overseas, increased commercialisation of research, and boosting skills formation in regional economies. Memoranda of understanding that cover programmes of cooperation in education and training, based on reciprocity and mutual benefit, were signed between the Australian Government and the governments of:

• Columbia in August 2002;

• the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in February 2003; and

• United Mexican States in March 2003.

A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed with the government of the People’s Republic of China on 7 December 2002. This gives emphasis to developing the bilateral relationship in the schools and vocational education and training sectors. The Indian Government is also considering a draft Memorandum of Understanding.

The bilateral relationship with Indonesia was strained after the Bali bombing and subsequent Australian Government activities to address potential terrorist activity within Australia. However, the Australia-Indonesia Ministerial Forum in March 2003 indicated that, at a whole of government level, the relationship is returning to previous positive levels. In terms of the education relationship, the department achieved agreement on directions for cooperation over the next 18 months to two years.

The department enhanced international relationships with its International Awards and Exchanges Programme. During the year 524 awards were made, slightly more than the 492 awards in the previous year, and exceeding the target of 450.

The elimination of offshore barriers that inhibit the cross-border delivery of education services by Australian education exporters, is pursued through a variety of multilateral forums, bilateral agreements and other international education initiatives. Significant achievements were:

• the tabling of an initial offer for the World Trade Organisation General Agreement on Trade in Services round, aimed at reducing the barriers to trade in education and training services. Negotiations of the agreement are expected to conclude in 2005;

• ratification of the Lisbon Recognition Convention on 22 November 2002. This convention facilitates arrangements for the international recognition of qualifications, particularly in the European region. This in turn supports the international mobility of students within more comparable higher education systems in the Lisbon Convention signatory countries. The department is now proceeding to fulfil Australia’s obligations under the convention, including conveying the text of the convention to higher education institutions;

• the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which includes an Education Chapter. Singapore will make commitments to full national treatment and market access for university, adult and vocational and technical education, with only limited exceptions. Singapore Government overseas scholarships will be tenable at Australian universities. The number of Australian universities whose law degrees are recognised in Singapore will increase from four to eight;

• the 2002 round of the Australian University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific Programme (UMAP). The Commonwealth provided $1.4 million to AEI to fund 348 student mobility subsidies and 62 staff visits. Support was provided to 79 projects from 26 Australian higher education institutions;

• support for an electronic academic recognition network for the Asia-Pacific region from the UNESCO Regional Recognition Convention (Asia/Pacific); and

• mutual recognition arrangements for the professions under the Professional Services Development Programme (PSDP), including the APEC Architect project.

Effectiveness of Output Group 3.3 in achieving the Outcome

International education generates long-term benefits for Australia in the areas of economic competitiveness, social development, trade, foreign relations, national security and geographical stability. Financial benefits generated by overseas students studying at Australian institutions come directly from fees to institutions and indirectly from the purchase of goods and services. With an estimated contribution to the Australian economy of $5.14 billion for 2002 (see Table 35), education exports are now Australia’s third largest services export.

Table 35: Export contribution to the national economy 2000–02

a Department of Education, Science and Training estimates

Sources:
DEST Overseas Student Statistics 2001
ABS Table 5302.0 Balance of Payments and International Investment Position

The export of education and training services is an area of the education sector that continues to experience considerable growth (see Table 36).

Table 36: Overseas student enrolments 1994 to 2001

Source: DEST Overseas Student Statistics 2001

Although consolidated statistics on overseas student enrolments in Australian institutions are not yet available for 2002, information from each of the major sectors indicates that there was an overall increase in the number of enrolments. Overseas student enrolments in higher education courses increased significantly in 2002. Both the school and vocational education and training sectors also appear to have had increases, although it is probable that the English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) sector experienced a small decline in student enrolments.

In 2002, at least 42 650 people were employed in support of education exports, an increase of 3710 over 2001. Additionally, visits to Australia by families of overseas students generated a further $1.84 billion of spending for the economy from tourism and additional household consumption spending.

previous | contents | next

top

Any comments or queries should be sent to: wwweditor@dest.gov.au

This page was last updated on Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Department of Education, Science and Training
Copyright © Commonwealth of Australia
DEST Web Site Privacy Statement
Disclaimer