Exploring education’s many pathways
by Linda Hein
A group of more than 50 UniSA academic and professional staff
gathered in City West’s Hawke Building for last month’s Contextual
Awareness Program workshop on TAFE/University Pathways.
Participants heard from Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology, Elaine Bensted on the current higher education environment and how pathway opportunities between sectors can be enhanced and extended.
Bensted highlighted the large contribution to higher education numbers by the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector and said that student movement between TAFE, University and VET is likely to increase.
Participants also heard Bensted discuss the need to develop a non-linear pathway model to maximise prospects for the future growth of higher education in the professional domain, with partnership arrangements between providers that offer an attractive, seamless and broad education product.
Among her recommendations were streamlined credit arrangements for previous learning, a VET fee help scheme, early engagement with parents, prospective students and school counsellors, and tailoring delivery methods and education packages to the specific needs of both local and international markets.
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Professor Peter Lee and Pro Vice Chancellor, Strategy and Planning, Professor Hilary Winchester also gave informative and entertaining presentations on some of the issues currently shaping the higher education sector, such as the geographic spread of qualifications and the complex knowledge base required for determining credit transfer.
The session concluded with best practice examples of TAFE and UniSA working together, from the joint delivery of the Bachelor of Computer and Information Science program, to the credit arrangements offered to remote and regional TAFE graduates and childcare professionals for admission to the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education program.
The Contextual Awareness Program series is a professional development opportunity for UniSA staff to increase awareness of the University’s wider context. Sessions will continue throughout the year with the next seminar scheduled for Monday August 25 on the Malaysian education environment. For more information contact Megan de Lacy on +61 (8) 8302 1636 or email.