Publish Date: 26/02/2024
Australian Education Minister Reveals Bold Universities Accord to Transform Tertiary Education
The Universities Accord, developed over a year, outlines a comprehensive plan for the role of
higher education in meeting the demand for skills over the coming decades.
The plan aims to have at least 80% of the workforce equipped with a Vocational Education and
Training (VET) or university qualification by 2050, an increase from the current 60%.
To achieve this, there is a focus on enrolling students from under-represented backgrounds,
including those from outer suburbs, regions, and lower socio-economic and Indigenous
communities.
It highlights the importance of targeting national skills shortages, improving access to HELP
payments, offering more free bridging courses for students who don’t qualify initially for the
university, and introducing payments for previously unpaid work placement training in teaching,
nursing, and care.
Future Implementation: The recommendations are currently
with the government, and
any changes are
expected to be implemented through the federal budget in May.