Media Release
(UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 7.00PM FRIDAY 21 JUNE 2002)
STRIVING FOR QUALITY
SECOND HIGHER EDUCATION DISCUSSION PAPER RELEASED
21 June, 2002 MIN 99/02
Effective teaching needs to be fostered, recognised and rewarded.
The quality of learning outcomes for graduates from higher
education institutions depends to a large degree upon the quality of
teaching.
The second in a series of discussion papers for the Review of
higher education, Striving for Quality: Learning, Teaching
and Scholarship addresses a range of issues that are relevant to
maintaining and improving the quality of teaching and learning in
Australian higher education institutions.
The paper follows the release in April of the overview paper, Higher
Education at the Crossroads, which outlined the challenges
facing the higher education sector and the policy choices before us.
This second paper explores issues relating to teaching and
learning.
Australian higher education institutions have been leaders in
many developments relating to the enhancement of teaching and
learning, but the sector faces significant challenges if it is to
maintain the quality of teaching and learning in Australia.
The context for teaching and learning in higher education has
shifted over the years. Patterns of student enrolment and engagement
in higher education have changed. The use of information and
communications technology has increased. There is a heightened focus
on the internationalisation of education.
This paper is intended to stimulate debate around a variety of
issues relating to quality in teaching, learning and scholarship,
including evaluating and monitoring academic standards, professional
development in teaching, employability and graduate skills, online
learning, and the valuing and rewarding of teaching.
The paper canvases a range of issues for consideration and
discussion, including:
-
How best can we
enhance the status and quality of teaching in higher
education?
-
Is there scope
for further enhancement of the existing quality assurance
framework in assessing the quality and standards of
educational outcomes?
-
Can we encourage
universities to specialise in that which they choose, being
responsive to the needs of students as the first priority?
-
Can we not reward
and celebrate excellence in teaching and scholarship with the
same enthusiasm as we do that of research?
-
Research informs
teaching, but is it essential that every academic should be a
researcher and a teacher for the whole of her or his career?
The quality of teaching, learning and scholarship is central to
the higher education experience. It is important that we have an
open discussion about how best our higher education institutions can
provide students with the knowledge and skills relevant to their
aspirations and the nation’s needs.
This paper, like the last, is intended to stimulate debate. It is
important we have the maturity as a nation to earnestly and
dispassionately consider all the options facing us. I welcome any
constructive contribution to the debate about how best to structure
our higher education sector to meet the needs of our nation over the
coming decades.
More discussion papers will be issued over the coming months
focussing on areas such as specialisation and regional engagement,
financing, governance, indigenous involvement in higher education,
and the interface between higher education and vocational education
and training.
A dedicated Secretariat within my Department has been working on
the review and a Reference Group has been established to guide me
through the issues raised during the consultation process.
The review will conclude towards the end of the year with a forum
to consider all the issues raised and the subsequent development of
a package of policy measures for consideration by Government.
Striving for Quality and the previous paper, Higher
Education at the Crossroads, can be accessed through the
Department of Education, Science and Training website at:
www.dest.gov.au/crossroads.
This will be active from 7.30pm tonight.
A summary of the issues raised in Striving for Quality is
attached together with some of the options for consideration.
For further information:
Dr Nelson’s office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
DEST Jane Smith 02 6240 9531
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