The Structure of Higher Education in Australia · Higher Education Policy Principles Opportunity: Participation in higher education should be open to all who are able to benefit and

The Structure of Higher

Education in Australia

- a debate we have yet to have

Higher Education Congress, Sydney

2 September 2013

Mike Gallagher

Higher Education policy models

Planning orientation

(central government determination)

Q1 Q2

Supply-driven Demand-driven

(primacy of provider interests) (primacy of student interests)

Q3 Q4

Market orientation

(competition among rival providers)

Higher Education Policy Principles

Opportunity: Participation in higher education should be open to all who are

able to benefit and are motivated to do so.

Fairness: Access to higher education should be fairly available, without

systemic barriers to participation

Choice: Students should be free to select the higher education opportunities

that best suit their needs and interests.

Quality: Higher education should meet acceptable threshold standards of

quality.

Financial sustainability: Higher education of acceptable quality should be

affordable for the nation on a long-term basis.

Structural diversity: The structure of the nation’s higher education system

should cost-effectively accommodate the diversity of student needs and

circumstances.

Institutional flexibility: Higher education institutions should have the

organisational and operational flexibility they need to respond

competitively and collaboratively to change.

Absolute change in offers to school leavers

with ATARs, by ATAR & SES, 2009-2012

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

50.00 or less 50.05-60.00 60.05-70.00 70.05-80.00 80.05-90.00 90.05 or more

High SES

Medium SES

Low SES

Commencing Domestic Sub-bachelor Students

by Broad Level of Course, Full Year 2012

Provider typeAssociate

Degree

Other

Undergraduate

Enabling

CoursesTotal

Table A/B

providers4,312 4,742 16,428 25,482

Non-table A/B

providers825 4,656 0 5,481

Total 5,137 9,398 16,428 30,963

Offer rates by university group, 2010-2013

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

Group of Eight ATN IRUA RUN TOTAL

2010

2011

2012

2013 (Feb)

Offer rates by university 2012

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

140.0%

160.0%

180.0%T

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Griffith U

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Ch

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Mu

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Edith C

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Change in offer rates by university, 2009-2012

-20.0%

-10.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%C

harles S

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Univ

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Un

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South

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niv

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Flin

ders

Univ

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f S

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Austr

alia

Jam

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niv

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ity

Un

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The

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Mu

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Ch

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ity

Un

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Cu

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Gri

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0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

All Students Domestic Students

Undergraduate Students, 1949 - 2012

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

180%

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Commencing Students All Students

Increase in Domestic Undergraduate

Students, 1979 - 2012

Higher education providers by scale of

enrolment, 1987 & 2012Institutional type & student enrolment 1987 2012

Universities

< 3000

3001 - 10,000

10,000 - 20,000

20,001 - 35,000

35,001 - 50,000

>50,000

19

2

12

5

0

0

0

39

0

2

6

16

11

4

Colleges of Advanced Education

<3000

>3,000

46

29

17

0

Non-Government Teachers Colleges

<1000

>2,000

3

2

1

0

Other Higher Education providers

< 1, 000

1,001 – 2000

2,001 – 3,000

>3,000

Unknown

0 131

61

11

2

8

49

0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000

Private/Other Providers

Monash University

RMIT University

The University of Sydney

The University of New South Wales

The University of Melbourne

Curtin University of Technology

The University of Queensland

Queensland University of Technology

Deakin University

Griffith University

University of Western Sydney

Macquarie University

Charles Sturt University

University of Technology, Sydney

The University of Newcastle

La Trobe University

University of South Australia

University of Wollongong

Swinburne University of Technology

University of Southern Queensland

Edith Cowan University

The University of Adelaide

Victoria University

University of Tasmania

The University of Western Australia

Australian Catholic University

Murdoch University

Flinders University

James Cook University

The University of New England

The Australian National University

Central Queensland University

University of Canberra

Southern Cross University

University of Ballarat

University of Notre Dame Australia

Charles Darwin University

University of the Sunshine Coast

Bond University

Avondale College of Higher Education

MCD University of Divinity

Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education

Number of students, 2002 & 2012

2002

2012

Source: Higher Education Statistics Data Cube (uCube, DIISRTE) Nu

mbe

r o

f s

tude

nts

, 2

00

2 &

20

12

Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2013, student size, graduateness and asset strength

University

Total

Students

PG/U

G

Net Assets

(A$m) University

Total

Students

PG/U

G

Net Assets

(A$m)

Harvard 21,000 2.16 $33,657 The University of Melbourne 49,341 0.70 $3,493

Stanford 15,870 1.27 $20,500

The Australian National

University 20,060 0.62 $1,731

U Cal Berkeley 36,142 0.40 $3,305 The University of Queensland 46,646 0.28 $2,738

MIT 11,189 1.48 $11,259

The University of Western

Australia 25,098 0.22 $1,467

Cambridge 18,899 0.58 $3,861 The University of Sydney 52,487 0.40 $3,361

Cal Inst Tech 2,231 1.28 $3,229 Monash University 63,027 0.26 $1,746

Princeton 8,081 0.51 $15,681

The University of New South

Wales 50,695 0.36 $1,719

Columbia 28,825 2.48 $9,691 The University of Adelaide 25,721 0.29 $1,118

Chicago 15,219 1.83 $6,480 Macquarie University 38,837 0.27 $1,413

Oxford 22,000 0.83 $3,164 Flinders University 21,366 0.33 $554

Yale 11,880 1.21 $19,086 Griffith University 41,996 0.20 $1,876

U Cal LA 41,341 0.48 $3,604 James Cook University 20,847 0.23 $737

Cornell 22,400 0.58 $6,827

Swinburne University of

Technology 27,379 0.19 $668

U Cal San Diego 29,052 0.28 $2,292 The University of Newcastle 35,046 0.22 $931

Pennsylvania 24,725 1.07 $8,934 University of Tasmania 25,445 0.23 $757

Washington 42,907 0.39 $5,206 University of Wollongong 29,021 0.29 $701

Johns Hopkins 6,958 1.04 $4,056 Curtin University of Technology 46,868 0.19 $915

U Cal San Francisco 10,017 0.58 $3,165 La Trobe University 33,626 0.22 $1,065

Wisconsin Madison 42,820 0.32 $2,699 University of Technology, Sydney 36,118 0.35 $1,196

Swiss Fed Inst Tech

Zurich 17,781 0.99 N/A University of South Australia 33,351 0.21 $855

Projected growth for 16-18 year olds, 2010-2040

Source: ABS, Population Projections, Australia, 2006 to 2101. Series A.

0.80

0.90

1.00

1.10

1.20

1.30

1.40

1.50

1.60

1.70

1.80

NSW Vic Qld SA WA Tas NT ACT Aust

University revenue by source, 1939-2011

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1939 1951 1961 1971 1981 1987 1991 2001 2011

Commonwealth Government

State Government

Student contributions including HECS

International student fees

Investments, endowments, donations

Other Income

Total Research Income, by university,1995 & 2011

0 100 200 300 400 500 600






Monash University






Griffith University




Flinders University

RMIT University


La Trobe University



Deakin University


Murdoch University






Victoria University







Bond University




Batchelor Institute

$ million

1995 Research Income Increase in Research Income from 1995 to 2011

Source: Finance 2011 - Financial Reports of Higher Education Providers (DIISRTE); 2011 Research Income and Publications Data by Sub Category (DIISRTE); 2011

Research Block Grant Allocations (DIISRTE); Research Block Funding Timeseries (2002 - 2010) (DEEWR); Higher Education Research Data Collection (1992-2006)

(Universities Australia )

ERA 2012: Field of Research (2 digit) rank of 4 or 5 by university

Source: ARC, Excellence for Research in Australia 2012

Earth Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Agricultural & Veterinary Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Environmental Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Biological Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Engineering 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Medical & Health Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Law & Legal Studies 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Language, Communication & Culture 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

History & Archaeology 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Mathematical Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Studies In Creative Arts & Writing 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Physical Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Chemical Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Economics 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Technology 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Philosophy & Religious Studies 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Information & Computing Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Commerce,Mangmt,Tourism&Services1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Psychology & Cognitive Sciences 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Studies In Human Society 1 1 1 1 1 1

Education 1 1 1 1 1

Built Environment & Design 1 1 1

Melb

ourn

e

Sydney

Queensla

nd

UN

SW

AN

U

Monash

Adela

ide

UW

A

Macquarie

Tasm

ania

Wollo

ngong

QU

T

Griffith

New

castle

UT

S

Deakin

Jam

es C

ook

RM

IT

Uni S

A

UW

S

La T

robe

Murd

och

South

ern

Cro

ss

Sw

inburn

e

Charles D

arw

in

CQ

U

Bond

Charles S

turt

Curt

in

Flin

ders

Sunshin

e C

oast

UN

E

AC

U

Batc

helo

r

Balla

rat

Canberr

a

Edith

Cow

an

Melb

ourn

e C

olle

ge o

f D

ivin

ity

Notr

e D

am

e

US

Q

Vic

toria U

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000



Monash University









RMIT University

Griffith University

La Trobe University



Deakin University




Flinders University




Murdoch University


Victoria University











Bond University


Private/Other Providers



Batchelor Institute

Postgraduate research students, 2002 & 2012

2002

2012

Source: Higher Education Statistics Data Cube (uCube, DIISRTE)

Po

stg

rad

ua

te R

ese

arc

h s

tud

en

ts,

200

2 &

20

12

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500




Monash University





Griffith University




La Trobe University

Flinders University

Deakin University


RMIT University






Murdoch University

Victoria University













Bond University




Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education


FTE for Research-Only staff with academic and non-academic classifications (including casuals), 2001 & 2011

2001 2011

Source: Higher Education Statistics Data Cube (uCube, DIISRTE)

A possible future configuration

A top echelon of mainly stand-alone highly prestigious highly

resourced comprehensive universities

International combines of the next group sharing resources and

offering joint and mutually accredited programs

A range of niche institutions with specialisations in a few fields of

research and education

corporate and public-private-partnerships, some linking with

professional occupational practice

A great diversity of primarily local teaching institutions, both

public and private and public-private-partnerships

A set of high-tech, primarily virtual, global teaching providers

A set of global assessment agencies and enterprises.

Alberta’s postsecondary system

Comprehensive Academic and Research Institutions

Baccalaureate and Applied Studies Institutions

Polytechnic Institutions

Comprehensive Community Institutions

Independent Academic Institutions

Specialised Arts and Culture Institutions

Korea’s higher education structure, 2010

Universities (179)

Universities of technology (11)

Vocational Colleges (145)

Graduate schools (40)

Universities of education (10)

Cyber –universities (20)

miscellaneous schools (6)

Higher Education in Israel

Universities (7)

The Open University (1)

Arts Academies (2)

Comprehensive Academic Colleges (10)

Academic Colleges of Engineering (27)

Non-Budgeted Academic Colleges (8)

Singapore’s postsecondary education structure

University (4 public + 10 private campuses of foreign

universities)

Polytechnic (5 public institutions + Singapore

Institute of Technology with 10 foreign participating

providers)

Institute of Technical Education

Junior Colleges

Germany’s higher education structure

University

Technical University

University of Applied Sciences

Teacher Training College

College of Art/College of Music

Structural changes in higher education

Denmark; Dominican Republic; Finland; France; Germany;

Greece; Ireland; Kenya; Netherlands; Russia; Singapore;

Slovenia; South Africa; South Korea; Sweden; Wales:

Creating a binary divide, or

Reaffirming an established binary divide, or

Augmenting the binary divide, or

Closing the binary divide, or

Closing the sub-sectoral divide and developing more

integrated tertiary education, and

Reconfiguring institutional scale and scope (e.g. via closures,

mergers, regional collaborations, and

Concentrating investment in research (e.g. Centres of

Excellence, clusters)

Experimentation & Evaluation

“A restrictive understanding of the type classification is now

out of date and prevents the further development of

individual higher education institutions, entire types of higher

education institutions and the higher education system as a

whole. For a period of transition, the risk of greater

complexity can be accepted in the process. The Council

advocates therefore an expansion of the opportunities for

universities of applied sciences to develop, and the

development of new types of higher education institutions

which do not fall in the binary typology. Organised

cooperation and linking of established types of higher

education institutions can be an appropriate step to

encourage the new formation of distinct types of higher

education institutions” (Wissenschaftsrat, 2010).

Australia’s higher education structure

1. Australian University (40)

2. Australian University College (0)

3. Australian University of Specialisation (1)

4. Overseas University (2)

5. Overseas University of Specialisation (0).

6. Higher Education Provider (131)

Documents

The Structure of Higher Education in Australia · Higher Education Policy Principles Opportunity: Participation in higher education should be open to all who are able to benefit and