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Education—a proud record

Australia’s education institutions provide high-quality education to students from all backgrounds. Diversity and quality underpin Australia’s education services. Australian institutions have a strong commitment to quality, equity, high academic standards and programs of continuous improvement. Their focus is on excellence in teaching, research and student support.

Preschool and school education

Generally, preschool and school education in Australia lasts for 13 years, with some variations across states and territories. It is divided into a preparatory year, primary school and secondary school. The preparatory year is not compulsory but is almost universal. Currently, school education is compulsory until age 15, but a number of states are reviewing this age provision.

Approximately 3.3 million students attend 9500 schools in Australia. Of these, 72 per cent are government schools, and they are attended by more than two-thirds of full-time students.

There are approximately 260 000 school teachers in Australia. In secondary schools, the number of students per teacher averages 12.4.

Tertiary education

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Australia is at the forefront of new technologies

There are two types of tertiary education programs: those offered by institutions and industry in the vocational education and training (VET) sector, and those offered by universities and other higher education providers.

Australia’s vocational education and training system provides individuals with the skills required in a modern economy and delivers competency-based training that is practical and career-oriented. Australia’s VET system is highly advanced, following a decade of continuous reform. In the regulated VET system, industry-based qualifications are delivered by registered training organisations, which include public institutions, called TAFE institutes, and private colleges. Australian VET qualifications are designed to provide students with nationally recognised competencies that employers have identified as critical to their needs. Students graduate when they achieve the set competency standards.

Australian universities have an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research, with academic staff recruited from Australia and around the world. Universities and other higher education institutions offer programs leading to bachelor degrees and a range of postgraduate awards, including higher degrees by research. Universities also offer some shorter undergraduate and corporate development programs. In 2004, Australian Government expenditure on higher education was estimated at $6.6 billion, with over 900 000 students studying at universities.

The Australian higher education sector comprises 37 public universities; three private universities, which are autonomous and self-accrediting; four other self-accrediting higher education institutions; and over 100 other institutions, such as theological colleges and providers specialising in professional and artistic courses of study.

There are over 1.7 million students in the vocational education and training system—with more than 400 000 engaged through the Australian Government’s New Apprentices scheme. Training is delivered by both public providers (90 providers at over 1500 sites servicing over 78 per cent of students) and private providers (servicing the remainder).

State and territory governments largely have regulatory responsibility for education and training. They also have primary responsibility for funding the vocational and training sector, with the Australian Government assuming primary responsibility for the public funding of the higher education sector.

All Australian higher education institutions have mechanisms in place to ensure that the high quality of their courses and services is maintained at an international standard. Australian universities are established as autonomous bodies by legislation that vests responsibility for their governance in a council or senate. Non-university providers must be registered and have their courses accredited through a government agency.

International students

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There are more than 250 000 overseas students studying in Australia. The top 10 countries of origin of overseas students in Australia are China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Japan, India, Thailand, the United States of America and Singapore

Australia is the preferred choice for international students from many countries and is the third-largest English-speaking study destination. Australia offers international students some 25 000 courses delivered by more than 1100 universities, training colleges and schools. International students are attracted by the high standard of Australia’s education and training, its national qualifications framework, welcoming environment and diverse society.

National legislation exists to maintain high standards for those in Australia on student visas. The suite of laws requires registration of each and every course and institution open to international students on student visas. International students can also apply for permission to work part-time during their stay in Australia.

The Study in Australia website provides comprehensive information on options open to students, as well as a search facility covering all the courses and institutions available to international students seeking a student visa for Australian study. The website is available in numerous languages and a database lists scholarships by field and level of study.

English-language training

Australia’s English-language schools are able to provide a wide variety of training. These range from short courses to improve students’ English-language skills while visiting Australia as part of a holiday, to formal courses in preparation for accredited levels of English recognised by education and immigration authorities around the world. English-language training in Australia is provided by specialised institutions. A national accreditation body (the National ELICOS Accreditation Scheme) sets standards for class sizes, teacher qualifications, teaching methods and the curriculum. Students from more than 100 countries come to Australia to study English for study, work, travel or personal reasons.

Indigenous education

The Australian Government is committed to the improvement of educational outcomes for Indigenous people, and has increased funding and learning opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

The goals of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Education Policy are supported by all Australian governments.

School of the Air

Australia is a vast and often isolated country with remote communities, grazing stations and mining sites. Children living in these areas are sometimes hundreds or thousands of kilometres from the nearest school.

Australia’s belief in education for all demanded a solution to this problem and one was found back in 1950 with the help of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (another Australian innovation). In order to provide emergency medical assistance to people living in the remotest part of the country, the Flying Doctors established a comprehensive high-frequency radio network.

Seizing on this asset, teachers conceived a plan to use the radio network to reach the children living in these remote homes and communities. The first School of the Air opened for classes in 1951, broadcasting from the Flying Doctors’ base in Alice Springs, in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Today, the Alice Springs School of the Air has about 140 students located across an area of about 1.3 million square kilometres.

The two-way radio remains an integral part of the school; however, newer technologies such as satellite, the Internet, telephone and fax are also used where available, in addition to the postal service.

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Last update May 2005