The recently released Australian University Accord focuses on long-term reforms spanning the next decade and beyond.
A year-long inquiry into higher education has set an ambitious goal to double the size of the sector within the next 25 years while ensuring graduates’ skills are aligned to an evolving economy.
The final report of the Australian University Accord released last month has outlined what its proponents claim is a transformative agenda for Australia’s higher education sector. It has made almost 50 recommendations to underpin development of a more equitable, dynamic and resilient sector, providing a blueprint for innovation, inclusivity and sustainability, while driving greater alignment between higher education and the business community.
Education Minister Jason Clare said the 47 recommendations of the accord’s final report aimed to build a better and fairer higher education system.
Eight of the report’s recommendations are explicitly aimed at enhancing collaboration between the higher education and business communities.
Among these, recommendation four proposes a more flexible and responsive skills system by introducing a national skills passport.
This passport will be designed to streamline the verification process for workforce qualifications and competencies, providing businesses with a dependable tool for assessing the capabilities and potential of job candidates.
The accord also recommended Australia should develop new and more flexible and efficient ways for individuals to attain the skills they need across their working life.
This would require more modular, stackable, and transferable qualifications that address Australia’s emerging skills needs (recommendation five).
To further address labour market gaps, the accord also suggested micro-credentials should be funded, accredited, and recognised by the federal government and that new combinations of “earning and learning”, such as degree apprenticeships, be pursued (recommendation six).
Micro-credentials are short, focused qualifications designed to teach specific skills or knowledge in a particular area. Degree apprenticeships combine full-time work with studying for a university degree, allowing apprentices to gain practical work experience while earning an academic qualification.
In relation to work experience, the accord said the establishment of a jobs broker (recommendation seven) would help to bridge the gap between the theoretical knowledge obtained via studying a qualification and the practical skills required to perform on the job.
This approach, it is argued, would prepare students to be jobs-ready upon graduation, but also strengthen the collaboration between educational institutions and the business sector, ensuring academic programs are tightly aligned with real-world industry needs.
An emphasis on ramping up skills delivery through collaborative infrastructure, such as TAFE centres of excellence (recommendation eight) and working with professional accreditation bodies on placement requirements (recommendation nine) further highlights the accord’s commitment to addressing skill shortages.
By fostering direct pathways between vocational training and industry requirements, these recommendations aim to meet critical sector needs more effectively.
The accord’s focus on innovation is evident in at least two recommendations.
Recommendation 24 is to increase research and development, while recommendation 25 proposes the creation of a fund to solve strategic challenges.
This fund would reward universities that demonstrate effective use of their research expertise as well as capability and application of their research findings to address big national challenges by governments, business and industry.
The argument underpinning the fund recommendation is that both initiatives will encourage a culture of research and development that is deeply integrated with the business community’s challenges and opportunities.
Importantly, the establishment of the Australian tertiary education commission (recommendation 30) as a statutory body to oversee the education system underscores a more strategic approach to ensuring that tertiary education remains aligned with labour market demands and industry trends.
The commission is envisioned to play a crucial role in coordinating policies, planning and funding allocations to create a cohesive and responsive education system.
The accord’s recommendations represent a significant leap forward in aligning Australia’s higher education sector with the needs of the business community.
By advancing workforce development, driving innovation and solidifying collaborations between academia and the business sector, these strategies collectively aim to elevate Australia’s economic competitiveness and resilience to equip it to more effectively confront global challenges.
However, any change will happen slowly.
The accord proposes a staged implementation of its recommendations, focusing on long-term reforms spanning the next decade and beyond.
• Professor Gary Martin is chief executive officer of the Australian Institute of Management WA
