Review of Higher Education Policy and Financing
by the
Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology
July 1997
The Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (AIAST) is pleased to submit views on a number of issues in agricultural education and training in relation to the following themes of the Review:
The AIAST is the professional association for agriculturists in Australia and represents 2600 members who work in all facets of agricultural science and technology and resource management including consulting, research, education and extension, agribusiness, primary production and natural resources and environmental management. The Institute represents its members by making submissions to inquiries such as this and by raising debates through its Journal and conferences.
It has a particular interest in ensuring the future of agri-industry’s human resources. The Institute has developed a professional recognition system in agri-industry through its Standards for Professionals in Agriculture and Agri-industry and Certified Practising Agriculturist program, it produces a national careers guide to encourage secondary students to pursue a career in agri-industry, and holds annual conferences on education and HR issues.
Importance of Agri-industry to Australia’s Society and Economy
Australia’s rural industries have long maintained a competitive advantage in world markets and contributed significantly to Australia’s economic wealth. Within Australia, the food processing sector, providing 20-25% of gross domestic product was, until quite recently, the country’s largest manufacturing activity. On the export front, unprocessed agricultural products typically represent 20-25% of Australia’s total export effort, with exports of processed foods and fibre increasing steadily in recent years. In international markets Australia is the third largest wheat exporter, the second largest beef exporter, the largest fine wool producer, the third largest sugar exporter, and the leading exporter of live sheep and cattle.
Our extensive agricultural industries are founded on a unique, nutrient poor resource base, use low inputs and maintain clean-green products. To be successful, our future agri-industry (which includes the production, processing and marketing of food and fibre products) must be:
This requires an energetic, innovative and effective research and training system that cannot adequately be provided elsewhere. We need to attract high calibre students to agri-industry and provide them with the training to encourage a culture of responding innovatively to the challenges of modern agriculture and societal needs.
As the principle of user-pays is increasingly applied to the higher education sector, the direct customers of higher education (students) will vote resoundingly with their dollars, and only invest in education that provides them with sound career prospects, ease of access to information, and high quality teachers. Choice of institution will be less bound by geographic considerations. Higher education providers will be forced to respond to market signals – from both potential students and industry, to secure their future.
Attributes of Agri-industry Professionals to 2020
Australia’s agri-industry professionals must be able to:
The portfolio of skills the graduate obtains through both their formal and continuing education must equip them to address these requirements and include:
Employers require ‘worldly’ graduates who have the capacity to apply their knowledge and adapt to industry needs.
Requirements for the Agri-industry Higher Education Sector
The higher education sector must produce high quality graduates who meet the competencies above by:
There is anecdotal evidence that some higher graduates, particularly PhDs are still being trained in highly specific technical areas for which there is little or no demand. The damage to the graduate’s morale, and the waste of intellectual talent and public resources is an unacceptable loss to agri-industry.
The Institute endorses the Co-operative Research Centre model for the delivery of postgraduate education and research. There is evidence that the CRC model is positively shifting the culture of some of the university groups to a more industry and impact oriented educational mode. This is reflected in better use of external expertise for research leadership, supervision and practice as well as contributing to better educational quality. It is bringing an industry and commercial culture and having a marked impact on improving management, social and economic aspects.
The Myers Review of the CRCs in late 1995 reported that:
‘CRCs have been highly effective in establishing strong and qualitatively different educational programs that are producing graduates highly valued by industry and other research users.’
The current reward system is not conducive to rewarding effectiveness in communication and/or teaching. Nor does it reward those who work closely with industry to achieve industry objectives, as often the results of these collaborations are commercial in confidence and not for wider publication.
Administrative Framework for Agriculturally Related Higher Education
Agriculture is not perceived as a good career prospect by many students. Consequently demand for agricultural places, while steady, is not large, and a number of those who accept agricultural places, do so as their scholastic results have given them limited tertiary options. Against this background, courses of increasing specialisation at the undergraduate level continue to be developed, even though the market does not demonstrate the same specificity. Courses also continue to develop outside the framework of practical application.
There is a case for revisiting the recommendations of the McColl Review of Agricultural and Related Education (1991) to reduce the number of providers of agriculturally related education. The Review found that:
‘current provision of agricultural and related education in the higher education sector is not well structured to meet emerging challenges. Small fragmented faculties make it difficult to provide education and training appropriate to the community’s needs, and particularly to respond to new developments’ and
‘fragmented provision is not conducive to cost effective operations, as economies associated with higher enrolments are forgone. The lowering of entry standards in attempts to bolster student numbers contributes to a reduction in course completion rates or a lowering of course standards.’
Better alignment of courses and provides with students and employers needs are required to address the imperatives of the industry and its human resources requirements. Greater flexibility is also being demanded in the type of course offerings in terms of length and mode of delivery. As increased demands are placed on short courses and adult education it may be desirable to create research/graduate schools in agriculture. This would recognise the essential difference between postgraduate training and undergraduate and vocational/professional education.
In summary, the AIAST believes that to make the best use of resources available for agricultural and related education:
References
Co-operative Research Centres’ Program Evaluation: Changing Research Culture in Australia (1995). Report of the CRC Program Evaluation Steering Committee, AGPS, Canberra. p 41.
Dept of Employment, Education and Training and the Department of Primary Industries and Energy (1991) Report of the Review of Agricultural and Related Education, AGPS, Canberra. Volume 1; p 111.