educationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectedness aspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparation connectednessaspirational educationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearning preparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnerships lifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityquality partnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathways equityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstraining pathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccessGippsland Tertiary trainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationEducation Plan accesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirational educationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectedness aspirationaleducationaccessequitytrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnected- nessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationDecember 2011 connectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearning preparationconnectednessaspirational educationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipsReport of the Expert Panel lifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualityProfessor Kwong Lee Dow (Chair) partnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysDr Michele Allan educationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessMr John Mitchell aspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparation connectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearning preparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnerships lifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityquality partnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathways equityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccesstraining pathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducationaccess trainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirationaleducation accesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectednessaspirational educationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnectedness aspirationaleducationaccessequitytrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationconnected- nessaspirationaleducationaccesstrainingpathwaysequityqualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparationA Tertiary Education Plan for Gippsland, Victoria 1 Published by Skills Victoria Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Melbourne December 2011 © State of Victoria (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development) 2011 The copyright in this document is owned by the State of Victoria (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development), or in the case of some materials, by third parties (third party materials). No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, the National Education Access Licence for Schools (NEALS) or with permission. An educational institution situated in Australia which is not conducted for profit, or a body responsible for administering such an institution, may copy and communicate the materials, other than third party materials, for the educational purposes of the institution. Authorised by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2 Treasury Place, East Melbourne, Victoria, 3002. ISBN 978-0-7594-0685-8 Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, such as audio, please telephone 1800 809 834. This document is also available on the internet at educationaccesstrainingpathwaysequity www.education.vic.gov.au 2 qualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparation tra iningpathwaysequityqualitypartnerships lifelonglearningpreparationconnectedness Contents Letter of introduction 4 Executive Summary 6 Recommendations 8 1 Gippsland overview 10 1.1 Current tertiary education provision 12 1.2 Gippsland: demographic profile 16 2 Gippsland educational profile 31 2.1 School retention and transition to tertiary education 31 2.2 Tertiary education participation rates 33 2.4 Student destinations 36 2.5 Gippsland tertiary student profile 38 3 Economic development and industry 42 3.1 The Gippsland economy 44 3.2 Tertiary education and industry linkages 46 3.3 Primary industries 47 3.4 Service industries 51 4 Submissions and consultations 55 4.1 Collaboration between tertiary education providers and industry 56 4.2 Aspirations and attitudes 57 4.3 Cost of education 59 4.4 Transport 60 4.5 Broadband connectivity 62 4.6 Collaboration between existing providers 64 4.7 Pathways 65 5 Targeting tertiary education to industry and community: Recommendations 66 5.1 Gippsland Tertiary Education Council 66 5.2 Membership 67 5.3 Context and operation of the Gippsland Regional Tertiary Education Council 68 5.4 Tasks and targets for the Gippsland Tertiary Education Council 69 5.5 Towards a tertiary sector: pathways 76 6 Possible future directions 78 6.1 Campus differentiation 78 6.2 Connecting vocational education and training and higher education in Gippsland 80 6.3 Post implementation review 81 6.4 Towards a university college 81 6.5 Other models considered 82 Glossary and abbreviations 84 References 85 Appendices 87 educationaccesstrainingpathwaysequity qualitypartnershipslifelonglearningpreparation tra iningpathwaysequityqualitypartnerships lifelonglearningpreparationconnectedness Letter of introduction Dear Minister The Expert Panel you established on 21 March 2011 to develop a Gippsland Tertiary Education Plan is pleased to furnish this Report. The Expert Panel has worked with its executive officers through commissioning relevant research and seeking submissions from all interested parties. We sought and held discussions with leaders in all Local Government Areas, with leaders in the tertiary institutions in Gippsland and in the schools sectors, and with those working on tasks and ‘Roadmaps’ associated with Regional Development Australia and Regional Development Victoria. Wider community consultations were held at various centres through Gippsland and the views we formed have been tested with key stakeholders. As would be expected, the conclusions reached and the recommendations put to you are those of the Expert Panel, but care has been taken to fairly reflect views expressed by all parties and to document the studies and evidence from which we have drawn. Of those who finish school in Gippsland and enter university soon after, a substantial majority leave home and most come to institutions in Melbourne. An important minority however, study locally from free choice, or from choice constrained by the high costs of living away from home, or from choice constrained by the entry scores (ATAR) they have obtained. The outcomes for these students are important in the future for Gippsland, for regional Victoria and regional Australia. Their education deserves to be as effective and relevant as possible. To this youth cohort is added mature age university students who are in work locally and who are constrained by family and employment to advance their knowledge and skills from home. To these are added a further group who are extending vocational skills and training and for whom every encouragement should be offered, from all appropriate institutions and settings. The bottom line is that hand in hand with opportunities in the capital cities, now more than ever before, opportunities for educational advance in regional areas warrant high priority. This is especially so in Gippsland, as rural communities seize the benefits offered by technology, including the NBN, and central Gippsland and nearby areas look for positive opportunities and funding in consequence of moves to a low carbon and clean energy future. In this Report we propose two immediate innovations which should fit well with national and Victorian commitments to provide opportunities for more people at various stages of secondary and tertiary education and for people in jobs who seek to upgrade their skills. Particular help is needed for those from less advantaged backgrounds where aspirations have been lower than those among the community overall. 4 First, we see strength in a Gippsland based Council, focused on all tertiary education and training in the region, able both to bring the differing institutions and sectors into more effective connection, and to join education and training to the priority needs of industries and business. Now, in traditional and in emerging fields, innovation matters so much. Second, we look to the establishment of six or seven technology enabled learning centres, situated within existing institutions in towns and cities in Gippsland. In these settings, modern distance education methodologies will encourage many to learn while remaining at home and at work, without