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Education news

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• Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement
  • An Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement will be introduced to make Australian qualifications recognised and renowned throughout the world. The Graduation Statement will describe a higher education qualification in an easily understandable way, relating it to the system within which it was issued and describing qualifications in a clear and consistent way to potential employers and other higher education institutions. DEEWR Media release, 4 September 2008
• Schools videoconference with Australia's top brains
  • Australia's Academic and Research Network (AARNet) linked Australia's top academics and researchers with high school students in classrooms across the country in an inaugural series of two-way video conferences held during National Science Week. Over 200 students from eight schools across Australia interacted with leading researchers in oceanography, climate change, astronomy, marine science, radio astronomy, weather, genetics, barrier reef monitoring, biology and experimental science. AARNet, 2 September 2008.
• HREOC will now be known as the Australian Human Rights Commission
  • The change in corporate identity to the Australian Human Rights Commission will be used on all communications and publications. The new corporate image for the Australian Human Rights Commission is the first step towards ensuring that all Australian audiences know that Australia has an independent national institution with the responsibility to protect and promote human rights in Australia. Media release, 4 September 2008
• Launch of education research lab in Victoria
  • New teaching techniques developed in Broadmeadows will have follow-on benefits for schools across Victoria and the nation. The Ideas Lab, which will be open from September 1st, will help solve one of the major issues facing educators today: how to align student experiences in the classroom with their experience and enthusiasm for technology outside of school. Microsoft Australia Government Affairs, 29 August 2008.
• Immersive learning no longer underground - education.au
  • Education.au, Australia's national ICT agency owned by all Australia's ministers of education and training, formally announced the establishment of its Immersive Learning Unit. The Immersive Learning Unit (ILU) will act as a channel and professional network for information and collaboration around immersive learning tools and technologies that are relevant to education and training, says Education.au CEO, Greg Black. Education.au Media release, 2 September 2008

Early Childhood Education news

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• Queensland to deliver 240 kindergartens
  • The Queensland government has committed to creating an extra 240 kindergartens in Queensland by 2014 under far reaching plans for a state-wide early childhood education revolution. The scheme - costed at up to $300 million - will be delivered in partnership with the Australian Government over the next six years. The scheme is part of a far reaching education project to provide all Queensland children with access to high quality early education before they start school. Queensland Government, 8 September 2008.
• Online exploration a must for kids' learning
  • The use of Information Communications and Technology (ICT) to support teaching in early childhood learning contexts could easily be wasted if not used in the right way, according to a QUT academic. Ms Bronwyn Ewing, a lecturer in the School of Early Childhood in the Faculty of Education, has had an ongoing interest in the area of ICTs for young children and said that the vast capabilities of ICTs posed as many challenges as they did opportunities. QUT News, 4 September 2008.
• Operator C&K plans to cut nursery ratios next year
  • Child care is set for a major shakeup with not-for-profit operator C&K saying it will cut ratios in its nurseries next year to one carer for every three babies. It comes after Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education Maxine McKew announced her support for the new ratio, but it has been spurned as too costly by the private sector. C&K is the first large childcare operator to lower its nursery ratio in Queensland. The Courier-Mail, 6 September 2008.

School Education news

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• Speak up for education in the 21st century
  • Parents, teachers and interested members of the community have an historic opportunity to contribute to the direction of schooling in Australia. The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, invites the public to outline their visions for the future through the third National Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Minster for Education, 7 September 2008.
• Teachers spell out the rules
  • The National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA) and the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG) have released a new guide for parents that will help them support the work of teachers educating their children. 'Education doesn't only happen in the classroom' is the message of the guide as it calls on parents to accept greater responsibility in association with teachers and education institutions for their children?s education success. Herald Sun, 4 September 2008.
• Remote students come together in Longreach
  • Students from one-teacher schools across remote Queensland have come together for the first ever 'multi-school' organised by Education Queensland. Coordinators say students at one-teacher schools often do not have the chance to interact with others their own age and that 'multi-schools' are valuable for education and personal development. ABC News, 5 September 2008.

Vocational Education and Training news

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• Ministers awards for excellent employers announced
  • Individuals and businesses that have made an outstanding contribution to training and promoting Australian apprenticeships have been recognised in three categories: the Commitment award; the Minister's award for support services excellence; and the Minister's award for excellence for employers of Australian apprentices.
• New opportunities for aboriginal employment
  • The Government will be asked to offer apprenticeships and jobs in building roads, rail, and port facilities around Australian to Aborigines under its $76 billion national infrastructure fund. This proposal is being driven by Warren Mundine, leading Aborginal figure and former ALP president, and Kevin Rudd's business adviser, and Infrastructure Australia head Sir Rod Eddington.
• New Queensland skills plan modernises TAFE
  • Over $280 million will be spent on modernising Queensland TAFEs in the next four years. The Queensland Skills Plan 2008 has recommended this investment in infrastructure, a new ICT system across TAFE systems, increased industry participation in the development of vocational training programs, and the release of TAFE staff to industry to increase skill levels. Programs for attracting and retaining staff in areas of emerging demand (civil infrastructure and sustainable technologies)is also an important aspect of the plan.

Adult and Community Education news

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• Making e-learning accessible
  • The Australian Flexible Learning Framework has released a resource kit which provides community organisations with helpful online guidance, ideas, and tools for developing and facilitating e-learning in communities and regions. The kit provides guidance on low cost tools and technologies, as well as ideas and case studies from other e-learning projects.
• Partnerships for social inclusion Conference 15 - 16 October 2008
  • The Partnerships for Social Inclusion conference focuses on increasing social inclusion via the development of multi-sectoral partnerships and flexible policy delivery. It is a collaboration between the Centre for Public Policy at the University of Melbourne, the Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development, the Australian Government and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Local Economic and Employment Development(LEED)Programme. The Call for Papers and Registration are now open. Academic papers and practitioner presentations are sought in the areas of current partnerships in practice and the skills dimension of social inclusion, including examples of partnerships that integrate the vulnerable groups (young, Aboriginals, immigrants, elderly) ...
• Government offers funding for volunteers
  • Funds of up to $3,000 dollars are available to organisations in South Australia who encourage volunteers to participate in their activities and programs and can show a benefit to their host community. Applications close on 3 October 2008.

Higher Education News

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• Volunteer work could count towards a degree
  • Under a new credits system to be introduced in England from September next year students will be able to build up credits ? or points ? for the number of hours of work put in to their study and the level of achievement attained. If they switch courses or university they will, in many instances, be able to take the credits with them and put them towards their new qualification. Times Online, 29 August 2008
• Report: Green efforts improving on campuses
  • More campuses in the United States have shifted their focus to environmental and sustainability programs, but funding and staffing issues have prevented them from implementing green initiatives on the scale campus administrators would like, according to a new report released recently by the National Wildlife Federation. Campus Technology, 26 August 2008
• JCU opens multi-million dollar Singapore campus
  • Australia's James Cook University (JCU) opened its new multi-million dollar Singapore campus. Hundreds of Singaporean, Australian and international dignitaries and education sector representatives have been invited to attend and the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will be personally represented by his Parliamentary Secretary, Anthony Byrne MHR. JCU Media release, 2 September 2008

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• Student visa assessment levels changed
  • Improved compliance by international students studying in Australia has prompted an easing of student visa assessment levels for 43 countries in one or more education sectors. Strong growth in the student visa program with 278 000 visas granted to international students in 2007-08 ? an increase of 22 per cent on 2006-07 ? combined with the improving visa compliance of many international students, are positive signs for Australia's international education industry. DIAC Media release, 3 September 2008
• UWA strengthens links with Chinese and Japanese universities
  • A trilateral agreement between The University of Western Australia, China's Zhejiang University and Japan's Kobe University will establish for the first time important education and scientific links between the three institutions. Speaking at the signing of the agreement, UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson said the trilateral collaboration was based on Western Australia's strength in medical research, Japan's strength in bio-engineering, particularly in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, and China's access to clinical trials. UWA Media release, 22 August 2008
• Additional scholarships for East Timorese students
  • The Prime Minister has announced that Australia would almost double the number of scholarships available for East Timorese students to undertake full-time undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Australia. The number of places under the Government's overseas aid program would increase from 12 to 20 in 2009, at a total cost of around $3 million per year. Prime Minister of Australia, 25 August 2008.