Home > Contents > Chapter 2 - Department's Overview

Chapter 2 - Department's Overview

• The Education, Science and Training Portfolio

• The Department’s Role

• The Department's Executive and Structure

  • Dr Jeff Harmer—Department Secretary

  • Mr Grahame Cook—Deputy Secretary

  • Dr Wendy Jarvie—Deputy Secretary

  • Ms Lisa Paul—Deputy Secretary

  • Changes to DEST’s structure

• The Department’s outcome and output structure

The Education, Science and Training Portfolio

The portfolio takes a national leadership role in education, science and training.

The Education, Science and Training portfolio is made up of (see Figure 2.1):

• the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), including Questacon (the National Science and Technology Centre);

• the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board (AATB);

• the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS);

• the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA);

• the Australian National University (ANU);

• the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO);

• the Australian Research Council (ARC); and

• the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

The department and agencies provide high quality policy, advice and services for the benefit of Australia. They work with a range of stakeholders to deliver these outcomes, including Australian, state and territory governments, the education, science and training sectors, industry, communities and a range of contracted service providers.

Figure 2.1: Our Ministers and the portfolio (as at 30 June 2004)

(please click image)

top

The Department’s Role

DEST’s vision is a better future for all Australians through learning, science and innovation.

To support this vision, we work towards achieving three outcomes:

• Individuals achieve high quality foundation skills and learning outcomes from schools and other providers.

• Individuals achieve relevant skills and learning outcomes from post school education and training.

• Australia has a strong science, research and innovation capacity and is engaged internationally on science, education and training to advance our social development and economic growth.

We work professionally to achieve these outcomes by:

• advising on and implementing policies to ensure the continuing relevance of education, science and training to current and future needs and to meet the growing requirement for lifelong learning;

• carrying out timely policy-relevant research, analysis and evaluation which address the information needs of our clients;

• working in collaboration with the states and territories, industry, other agencies and the community in support of the government’s objectives;

• working with each other and our stakeholders to identify and address Australia’s current and future skill needs;

• encouraging international cooperation and the exchange of ideas, students and expertise with other countries;

• implementing people and business initiatives to enhance individual, team and organisational performance; and

• ensuring high quality, strong accountability and value for money in delivering government-funded programmes.

Department of Education, Science and Training staff at the Annual Corporate Event in 2004.

top

The Department's Executive and Structure

The department has Groups responsible for the business deliverables outlined in the Portfolio Budget Statements. Some Groups enable the business of others, and other Groups’ work demands a cross-department perspective. Each Deputy Secretary has responsibility for areas as set out below and in Figure 2.2. For further information about the department’s senior management committees, see Chapter 7.

Dr Jeff Harmer—Department Secretary

As Secretary for the Department of Education, Science and Training, Dr Harmer is ultimately responsible for the department’s administration and for the corporate and strategic directions of the department and portfolio. He provides senior policy counsel on major and sensitive policy issues to Portfolio Ministers. As an Australian Government Department Secretary, Dr Harmer is responsible for the Murdi Paaki Council of Australian Governments’ trial site in north western New South Wales. Dr Harmer represents the department in a variety of Australian Government, industry and business sector forums. Through these he develops and maintains high level relationships with the department’s key stakeholders. He also sits on the Boards of the CSIRO and the Australian Research Council.

top

Mr Grahame Cook—Deputy Secretary

Mr Cook has responsibility for issues relating to science, innovation and research. Science Group and Questacon report directly to him. The Innovation and Research Systems Group, with its need to work across the portfolio, works to him. Mr Cook also oversees two enabling Groups: Procurement, Assurance and Legal; and Information Services. Mr Cook chairs the Corporate IT Committee.

top

Dr Wendy Jarvie—Deputy Secretary

Dr Jarvie has responsibility for Higher Education Group, and the cross-portfolio Group Australian Education International. In addition Dr Jarvie has main carriage of Indigenous policy and programme matters. The Chief Audit Officer reports directly to Dr Jarvie as does the Chief Finance Officer. Dr Jarvie chairs the Audit and Business Assurance Committee.

top

Ms Lisa Paul—Deputy Secretary

Ms Paul is responsible for the Australian Government’s interests in schools, vocational education and training and youth transitions. In addition, the Department’s Strategic Analysis and Evaluation Group and Corporate Strategy Group, whose functions include ministerial support and communications, work to her. The department has offices in each state and territory and they fall within her area of responsibility. Ms Paul chairs the People and Leadership Committee and the Research and Evaluation Board.

top

Changes to DEST’s structure

The department’s structure is reviewed regularly so it delivers its outcomes in the most efficient and effective way. In 2003-04, the following changes have taken place:

• Questacon, the National Science and Technology Centre, joined the department on 1 July 2003.

• The Indigenous and Transitions Group was created to focus on the challenge of the Indigenous policy agenda and young people making the transition through school and from school to further education, training or work.

• The functions of the former Enterprise and Career Education Foundation (ECEF) were integrated into the Indigenous and Transitions Group from 1 September 2003. This was challenging administratively, particularly because it directly affected all ECEF staff, but it was a smooth change.

• The position of Indigenous Education Leader was established. The Indigenous Education Leader reports directly to the Secretary on matters to do with Indigenous leadership, policy and communication.

• The Innovation and Research Systems Group was established in January 2004. The Group has responsibility for:

  • a range of policy initiatives and programmes under Backing Australia’s Ability and Backing Australia’s Ability—Building our Future through Science and Innovation;

  • review research policy;

  • Science and Innovation Mapping;

  • the National Research Priorities and Major National Research Facilities; and

  • coordination of new ways of delivering education, science and training—in particular, the use of information and communications technology in education, research, science and innovation.

• The Parliamentary section was moved from the previous Parliamentary, Assurance and Legal Group to form a new Parliamentary and Communications Branch to enhance services to the Ministers.

• The Chief Finance Officer now reports directly to a Deputy Secretary.

The department is structured as follows (see Figure 2.2)

Figure 2.2: The department's structure (as at 30 June 2004)

(please click image)

top

The Department’s outcome and output structure

The department’s outcome and output structure, and the departmental groups that contribute to achieving them, are set out in Figure 2.3. The outcomes are those published in the Portfolio Budget Statements. A fourth output group was created under Outcome 3 during the Portfolio Additional Estimates process in 2003-04 to accommodate the transfer of Questacon to the department.

Figure 2.3: Outcomes and outputs framework 2003-04

(please click image)

top

For more information please email:

annualreport@dest.gov.au

Previous | Home | Contents  | Next