Results
This section reports on our results against the key performance criteria relating to our purpose of maximising opportunity and prosperity through national leadership on education and training, as published in the department’s Corporate Plan 2018–19.
Outcome 1: Key performance results
This section shows our performance in achieving Outcome 1 against the criteria published in the department’s Corporate Plan 2018–19. The performance tables indicate the programs from the department’s Portfolio Budget Statements 2018–19 that relate to each criterion.
Criteria |
Child care support is targeted to vulnerable and disadvantaged families and communities |
Target |
100% of the Child Care Safety Net supports vulnerable and disadvantaged families and communities. |
Result |
ACHIEVED Community Child Care Fund All allocated Community Child Care Fund (CCCF) funding was provided to support services assessed as meeting eligibility criteria relating to delivering services to vulnerable and disadvantaged families and communities. Other elements of the Child Care Safety Net In the three quarters to March 2019, 40,760 children (27,200 families) had accessed the Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS). |
Analysis |
Community Child Care Fund Funding in 2018–19 was available to eligible services under the Open Competitive Round 1, CCCF Restricted non-competitive round, and Special Circumstances. Established Connected Beginnings sites were also funded during this time. A total of $104 million was allocated to support:
Other elements of the Child Care Safety Net The ACCS provides additional fee assistance to support vulnerable or disadvantaged families and children. The ACCS is part of the child care package that was implemented on 2 July 2018, and data indicates that the ACCS is achieving its goal of supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged families. |
Source |
Department of Human Services and Department of Social Services administrative data; Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and other data sources relevant to determining disadvantage. |
Limitations |
Figures and payments are not directly comparable with the old payments (Special Child Care Benefit, Grandparent Child Care Benefit, and Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance) due to differing policy settings between the ACCS and the old payments. |
Methodology |
Community Child Care Fund Recipients receiving funds under the Open Competitive Round 1, Restricted non-competitive round, Connected Beginnings, and Special Circumstances met eligibility criteria relating to delivering child care services to vulnerable and disadvantaged families and communities. Prior to CCCF Round 2, ABS and Australian Early Development Census data was used to determine the level of disadvantage or vulnerability in order to inform priority areas. Other elements of the Child Care Safety Net Child care providers have a role in identifying children who require extra support through the ACCS (child wellbeing). Families apply directly to the Department of Human Services to access ACCS (grandparent), ACCS (temporary financial hardship) and ACCS (transition to work) payments. |
Contributing programs |
1.1 – Support for the Child Care System |
Criteria |
Existing families transition to the new child care arrangements |
Target |
At least 90% of families transition to the new Child Care Subsidy. |
Result |
ACHIEVED Over 1.02 million families completed and updated their income and activity assessment details by 2 July 2018 in order to transition to the new Child Care Subsidy. This compares well to the number of families using child care during the June quarter 2018—882,540 families. Of 6,053 existing child care providers, 6,040 (12,732 of 12,745 child care services) transitioned to the new arrangements. This represents over 99% of child care providers. |
Analysis |
1,024,259 families completed transition activities by 2 July 2018. |
Source |
Department of Human Services administrative data. |
Methodology |
Numbers of families, child care providers and services are sourced from operational systems maintained by the Department of Human Services. Transition numbers are measured against the number of families who had at least one child in approved child care in the June quarter 2018 (882,540 families). |
Contributing programs |
1.4 – Child Care Subsidy |
Criteria |
Ensuring accurate child care payments |
Target |
At least 90% of child care payments to all services are accurate. |
Result |
ACHIEVED As a result of the department’s compliance and fraud activities, the payment accuracy of child care fee assistance reported by child care providers on behalf of families is 96% in 2018–19. |
Analysis |
This result can be attributed to the department’s implementation of the child care package and its compliance and fraud monitoring activities. |
Source |
Independent actuarial assessment of random sample parent checks against DHS payment data. |
Methodology |
Child care payments made to providers on behalf of parents are sourced from operational systems maintained by the Department of Human Services. This information is compared with information provided by parents of children using child care services. |
Contributing programs |
1.4 – Child Care Subsidy |
Criteria |
Universal access to quality early childhood education |
Target |
95% of Indigenous children enrolled in early childhood education in the year before full-time school are enrolled for 600 hours per year. |
Result |
ACHIEVED Nationally in 2018, 95.6% of Indigenous children enrolled in early childhood education in the year before full-time school for 600 hours per year (see Figure 2.1). |
Analysis |
The target is tied to funding offered to states and territories under the National Partnership on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education to incentivise state and territory action. State and territory governments are responsible for preschool delivery, with the Commonwealth’s funding a contribution to increase participation rates. States and territories’ implementation plans under the National Partnership are the means to work towards meeting the target, and are used as the basis for assessing performance according to the agreed methodology. |
Source |
2018 National Early Childhood Education and Care Collection, drawing on ABS, Preschool Education, Australia, 2018, cat. no. 4240.0. |
Methodology |
The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 4 and 5 years as at 1 July of the collection year, who are enrolled for 600 hours in the year before full-time schooling in a quality early childhood education program, as a proportion of the total number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 4 and 5 years who are enrolled. |
Contributing programs |
1.7 – Early Learning and Schools Support |
Criteria |
Universal access to quality early childhood education |
Target |
95% of vulnerable and disadvantaged children enrolled in early childhood education in the year before full-time school are enrolled for 600 hours per year. |
Result |
NOT ACHIEVED Nationally in 2018, 94.2% of vulnerable and disadvantaged children enrolled in early childhood education in the year before full-time school for 600 hours per year. |
Analysis |
The target is tied to funding offered to states and territories under the National Partnership on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education to incentivise state and territory action. State and territory governments are responsible for preschool delivery, with the Commonwealth’s funding a contribution to increase participation rates. States and territories’ implementation plans under the National Partnership are the means to work towards meeting the target, and are used as the basis for assessing performance according to the agreed methodology. The Commonwealth continues to undertake analysis to determine what further Commonwealth and state and territory actions could improve performance against the target. |
Source |
2018 National Early Childhood Education and Care Collection, drawing on ABS, Preschool Education, Australia, 2018, cat. no. 4240.0. |
Methodology |
The proportion of children aged 4 and 5 years as at 1 July of the collection year, who reside in disadvantaged areas and are enrolled for 600 hours in the year before full-time schooling in a quality early childhood education program, as a proportion of the estimated number of children aged 4 and 5 years who reside in disadvantaged areas and who are enrolled. |
Contributing programs |
1.7 – Early Learning and Schools Support |
Criteria |
Lifting outcomes in Australian schools—student attainment |
Target |
Lift the Year 12 (or equivalent) or Certificate III attainment rate to 90% by 2020 (measured as trend towards target). |
Result |
ON TRACK The percentage of 20- to 24-year-olds with Year 12 (or equivalent) or Certificate III was 88.8% in May 2018 (see Figure 2.2). |
Analysis |
This is an improvement from the 2017 figure of 86.4% and is slightly ahead of the trend line to the 2020 target. Although there have been fluctuations in recent years, the longer-term trend is upwards and approaching 90%. |
Source |
ABS, Education and Work, Australia, May 2018, cat. no. 6227.0. |
Methodology |
Survey of Education and Work conducted throughout Australia. Data is drawn from the 20 to 24 years age grouping with Year 12 (or equivalent) or Certificate III attainment. |
Contributing programs |
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Criteria |
Closing the Gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in schools |
Target |
Halve the gap for Indigenous children in reading, writing and numeracy within a decade (2008–2018). |
Result |
NOT ACHIEVED Where the average gap across all year levels in reading and numeracy was 23% in 2008, by 2018 the average gap had narrowed to 16.3%. |
Analysis |
Gains have been made in reading and numeracy achievements for Indigenous children, narrowing the gap in outcomes with non-Indigenous children over the past 10 years across all year groups. Schooling achievements for a disproportionate share of Indigenous children remain below the national minimum standards in all target domains. |
Source |
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). |
Methodology |
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet methodology: ACARA reports on the proportion of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students achieving at or above the national minimum standard in National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). The base year for NAPLAN data is 2008. |
Limitations |
The target as originally agreed also included writing results. However, due to a change in the test from narrative writing to persuasive writing, the writing results from 2011 onwards are not comparable with results from previous years, and so have been excluded. |
Contributing programs |
|
Criteria |
Closing the Gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in schools |
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Target |
Reduce the gap in school attendance for Indigenous students. |
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Result |
NOT ACHIEVED The gap between attendance of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students increased between 2014 and 2018:
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Analysis |
In 2018, the overall attendance rate for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students declined (see Figure 2.3). The gap in school attendance for Indigenous students increased in 2018 by a margin of 0.5 percentage points as compared to 2014. While there is an increase in the gap for 2018, there was a reduction in the gap in 2015 and it remained relatively stable in 2016 and 2017. |
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Source |
Productivity Commission, Report on Government Services 2019, Table 4A.20, Table 4A.21; ACARA, National Report on Schooling in Australia. |
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Methodology |
Attendance rates are the number of actual full-time-equivalent student days attended by full-time students in Years 1 to 10 as a percentage of the total number of possible student days attended over the period. |
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Contributing programs |
1.5 – Government Schools National Support 1.6 – Non-Government Schools National Support 1.7 – Early Learning and Schools Support |
Criteria |
Closing the Gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in schools |
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Target |
Halve the gap in attainment rates in Year 12 or equivalent, for Indigenous people aged 20 to 24, by 2020 (measured as trend towards target). |
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Result |
ON TRACK The percentage of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous 20- 24-year-olds with Year 12 (or equivalent) or Certificate III, as reported by the ABS, increased between 2006 and 2016:
The target of 18.8 percentage points is on track to be accomplished by 2020. |
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Analysis |
Although there have been fluctuations in recent years, the longer-term trend is towards the target. The gap in attainment rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous 20- to 24-year-olds with Year 12 (or equivalent) or Certificate III decreased between 2006 and 2016. |
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Source |
ABS, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, cat. no. 4714.0; ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2016. |
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Methodology |
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet methodology using ABS data. |
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Limitations |
The target year is 2020 but ABS Census data on Year 12 attainment will not be available for 2020. Instead, data from the 2021 Census will be used to assess whether or not the target has been achieved. |
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Contributing programs |
1.5 – Government Schools National Support 1.6 – Non-Government Schools National Support 1.7 – Early Learning and Schools Support |
Outcome 2: Key performance results
This section shows our performance in achieving Outcome 2 against the criteria published in the department’s Corporate Plan 2018–19. The performance tables indicate the programs from the department’s Portfolio Budget Statements 2018–19 that relate to each criterion.
Criteria |
Creating a highly skilled workforce and educated community |
Target |
The proportion of the 20- to 34-year-old population with a tertiary qualification is stable or increases from the previous year. |
Result |
ACHIEVED The proportion of the 20- to 34-year-old population with a tertiary qualification remained stable from the previous year:
|
Analysis |
The proportion has remained stable over the past two years. The decline between 2017 and 2018 is 0.1 percentage points and within the bounds of survey error. |
Source |
ABS, Education and Work, Australia, May 2018, cat. no. 6227.0, Table 9. |
Methodology |
Annual results are benchmarked against previous results to identify trends. |
Contributing programs |
2.1 – Commonwealth Grant Scheme |
Criteria |
Creating a highly skilled workforce and educated community |
Target |
At least 85% of undergraduates are employed within four months of completing degree. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 87% of undergraduates are employed within four months of completing degree (see Figure 2.4). |
Analysis |
Employment outcomes improved steadily for graduates between 2017 and 2018, consistent with improvements in the overall labour market. |
Source |
Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT), Graduate Outcomes Survey. |
Methodology |
Annual results are benchmarked against previous results as a quality assurance measure and to identify trends. |
Contributing programs |
2.1 – Commonwealth Grant Scheme |
Criteria |
Creating a highly skilled workforce and educated community |
Target |
The rate of attrition for domestic bachelor students is less than 15%. |
Result |
ACHIEVED The rate of attrition for domestic bachelor students is 14.93%. |
Analysis |
The 2017 new adjusted attrition rate for domestic commencing bachelor students was below 15.0%. Some institutions experienced increasing attrition in 2017, while attrition declined in others. |
Source |
Department of Education, Higher Education Statistics Collection. |
Methodology |
Annual results are benchmarked against previous results as a quality assurance measure and to identify trends. |
Contributing programs |
2.1 – Commonwealth Grant Scheme |
Criteria |
Eligible current and former university employees receive support for certain superannuation expenses |
Target |
All 27 eligible universities are able to meet specified superannuation expenses. |
Result |
ACHIEVED The department has provided funding based on information provided by the universities and their superannuation funds. This has allowed all 27 eligible universities to meet the payments required to fund specified superannuation expenses. |
Analysis |
The department made an initial payment determination in November 2018 to provide for funding for the initial part of the 2019 calendar year. The department made final determinations in May and July 2019 to finalise amounts based on actual figures. |
Source |
Department of Education, Higher Education Superannuation Program administrative data. |
Methodology |
Estimates are provided by universities and superannuation funds, then paid by the department, and acquitted and adjusted (if required) in the following calendar year. All claims are certified by an authorised university officer and are verified by the department against supporting documentation prior to processing in Unipay. |
Contributing programs |
2.2 – Higher Education Superannuation Program |
Criteria |
Maintaining the quality of higher education |
Target |
At least 85% of employers are satisfied with the skills of graduates (overall across all skills). |
Result |
ACHIEVED 85% of employers are satisfied with the skills of graduates overall, across all skills. |
Analysis |
Overall employer satisfaction with graduates increased slightly in 2018, although the increase is within survey error. Direct supervisors remain highly satisfied with graduates. |
Source |
QILT, Employer Satisfaction Survey. |
Methodology |
Annual results are benchmarked against previous results as a quality assurance measure and to identify trends. |
Contributing programs |
2.3 – Higher Education Support |
Criteria |
Maintaining the quality of higher education |
Target |
At least 80% of undergraduate students rate the teaching quality at their institution positively. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 81% of undergraduate students rate the teaching quality at their institution positively. |
Analysis |
The proportion of undergraduate students providing positive ratings of the teaching quality at their institution has fluctuated only very slightly since first recorded in 2012. The stability of this measure at around 80% is evidence of the ongoing high quality of teaching within the Australian higher education system as a whole. |
Source |
QILT, Student Experience Survey. |
Methodology |
Annual results are benchmarked against previous results as a quality assurance measure and to identify trends. |
Contributing programs |
2.3 – Higher Education Support |
Criteria |
Improving participation in higher education for students from previously disadvantaged groups |
Target |
At least 18% of domestic undergraduates are from a low socioeconomic status (SES) background (based on postcode). |
Result |
ACHIEVED 18.7% of domestic undergraduates are from a low SES background (based on postcode) (see Figure 2.5). |
Analysis |
Low SES students are more responsive to improvements in labour market conditions, and while the proportion of domestic undergraduate low SES students (postcode measure) has remained stable in rounded terms, it has fallen slightly in unrounded terms in 2018. |
Source |
Department of Education, Higher Education Statistics Collection. |
Methodology |
Student enrolment data as reported by Table A and Table B universities (as listed under the Higher Education Support Act 2003) through the department’s Higher Education Information Management System. SES measured at the postcode level, as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Percentage represents low SES enrolments as a proportion of total domestic undergraduate enrolments. |
Contributing programs |
2.3 – Higher Education Support |
Criteria |
Improving participation in higher education for students from previously disadvantaged groups |
Target |
At least 16% of domestic undergraduates are from a low socioeconomic status (SES) background (based on Statistical Area Level 1). |
Result |
ACHIEVED 17% of domestic undergraduates are from a low SES background (based on Statistical Area Level 1). |
Analysis |
Low SES students are more responsive to improvements in labour market conditions, hence the proportion of domestic undergraduate low SES students (Statistical Area Level 1 measure) has fallen in 2018. |
Source |
Department of Education, Higher Education Statistics Collection. |
Methodology |
Student enrolment data as reported by Table A and Table B universities (as listed under the Higher Education Support Act 2003) through the department’s Higher Education Information Management System. SES measured at the Statistical Area Level 1, as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Percentage represents low SES enrolments as a proportion of total domestic undergraduate enrolments. |
Contributing programs |
2.3 – Higher Education Support |
Criteria |
Improving participation in higher education for students from previously disadvantaged groups |
Target |
At least 2% of higher education students are Indigenous. |
Result |
NOT ACHIEVED 1.9% are Indigenous. |
Analysis |
The proportion of Indigenous students increased in 2018, continuing the steady improvement in Indigenous access to higher education in recent years. |
Source |
Department of Education, Higher Education Statistics Collection. |
Methodology |
Student enrolment data as reported by Table A and Table B universities (as listed under the Higher Education Support Act 2003) through the department’s Higher Education Information Management System. Percentage represents Indigenous enrolments as a proportion of total domestic undergraduate enrolments. |
Contributing programs |
2.3 – Higher Education Support |
Criteria |
Tertiary education is affordable for students and the community |
Target |
The proportion of Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt not expected to be repaid is stable or reduces from the previous year. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 15.76% (subject to finalisation of Australian Government Actuary valuation). |
Analysis |
Debt not expected to be repaid has decreased from the previous year. This is partly due to the introduction of a new schedule of HELP repayment thresholds, including a reduction in the minimum threshold, from 2019–20. This is the first annual report that has accounted for the impact of these new thresholds. The VET Student Loans program has different design elements to the previous VET FEE-HELP scheme and is therefore likely to have improved repayment outcomes. |
Source |
Department of Education, HELP forward estimates model. |
Methodology |
The amount of new debt not expected to be repaid is modelled by the Australian Government Actuary using historical repayment data in its longitudinal data of HELP debtors. |
Contributing programs |
2.4 – Higher Education Loan Program |
Criteria |
VET training choices are better aligned with industry needs |
Target |
The proportion of VET Student Loans (VSL) students surveyed who report studying for business- or job-related reasons remains stable or increases from the previous year. |
Result |
NOT AVAILABLE (see limitations) The proportion of surveyed students receiving VSL who reported studying for job-related or further study reasons for 2018–19 was 80%. |
Analysis |
This measure balances industry needs, employment outcomes and student choice. |
Source |
Department of Education, Higher Education Information Management System, survey on enrolment. |
Methodology |
The study reason captured from surveyed VSL students was examined for 2018–19 students’ responses. The performance indicator was calculated by totalling the count of allowable values towards employment and study divided by the total of all valid reasons, resulting in the performance indicator of greater than 80%. |
Limitations |
This result cannot be directly compared to the figure reported for the 2017 calendar year of 63%, as this result only related to students who reported studying for job- or business-related reasons and not for further study. |
Contributing programs |
2.4 – Higher Education Loan Program |
Criteria |
Research postgraduates continue to have high employability |
Target |
At least 90% of research postgraduates are employed within four months of completing their degree. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 91.8% of research postgraduates are employed within four months of completing their degree (see Figure 2.4 on page 28). |
Analysis |
Employment outcomes improved steadily for research postgraduates, from 91% in 2017 to 92% in 2018, consistent with improvements in the overall labour market. |
Source |
QILT, Graduate Outcomes Survey. |
Methodology |
Annual results are benchmarked against previous results as a quality assurance measure and to identify trends. |
Contributing programs |
2.5 – Investment in Higher Education Research |
Criteria |
Australian universities continue to rank highly in research excellence |
Target |
Australia’s share of the world’s top 10% most highly cited research publications remains above the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average. |
Result |
ACHIEVED Australia’s share of the world’s top 10% most highly cited research publications sits at 5.6%, which remains above the 3.1% average for OECD countries. |
Analysis |
Australia is above the average share and ranks fifth among OECD countries, behind the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. |
Source |
SciVal / Scopus abstract and citation database. |
Methodology |
Review of all publications (including journal articles, books etc.) against the OECD average. Data extracted at same reference point each year. Methodology can be validated by Excellence in Research for Australia results (triennially). |
Contributing programs |
2.5 – Investment in Higher Education Research |
Criteria |
More Indigenous Australians attain higher degrees by research |
Target |
Indigenous higher degree by research (HDR) completions, as a proportion of all domestic HDR completions, increases from the previous year. |
Result |
NOT ACHIEVED Indigenous HDR completions, as a proportion of all domestic HDR completions, is 0.9%. |
Analysis |
The proportion of 0.9% is consistent with the previous year. At a lower level of data, there is a minor decrease in Indigenous completions from 60 in 2017 to 55 in 2018. Overall, the trajectory of growth is improving since 2014, where the proportion was 0.55%. |
Source |
Department of Education, Higher Education Statistics Collection. |
Methodology |
Proportion of Indigenous HDR completions is compared to the previous year to see if it has increased. |
Contributing programs |
2.5 – Investment in Higher Education Research |
Criteria |
Investments are prioritised to ensure researchers have access to the resources needed to undertake world-class research |
Target |
At least 85% of research conducted by Australian universities and related to priority investment areas is rated as world standard or above. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 86% of research conducted by Australian universities and related to priority investment areas is rated as world standard or above. |
Analysis |
This demonstrates that through prioritised National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) investments, the majority of NCRIS-enabled publications are considered world-standard or above, because a large majority of those publications are within the top quartile of most cited journals. |
Source |
Department of Education, National Research Infrastructure Census. |
Methodology |
The department compiled publications data from NCRIS projects during the 2015–16 and 2016–17 National Research Infrastructure Census. This data was analysed using SciVal, which is a publication metrics tool. The tool was able to identify the proportion of NCRIS-enabled publications that are in the top 25 percentile of most cited journals. |
Contributing programs |
2.6 – Research Capacity |
Criteria |
Investments are prioritised to ensure researchers have access to the resources needed to undertake world-class research |
Target |
At least 90% of researchers report access to NCRIS facilities and projects improved research quality and outputs. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 92% of researchers report access to NCRIS facilities and projects improved research quality and outputs. |
Analysis |
Research block grant funding has enabled higher education providers to provide training to over 40,000 domestic and international students undertaking research doctorate and research masters courses in 2018. Analysis of universities’ 2017 financial statements shows that universities are expending their allocated research block grant funding on systemic costs of research and supporting research postgraduates’ tuition fees and living costs. |
Source |
Department of Education, NCRIS user survey. |
Methodology |
The department conducted an NCRIS user satisfaction survey between February and March 2019. A total of 1,342 NCRIS users responded. |
Contributing programs |
2.6 – Research Capacity |
Criteria |
Sustainably grow Australia’s international education sector by maintaining quality and increasing diversity |
Target |
At least 85% of international students are satisfied or very satisfied with studying and living in Australia. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 89% of international students are satisfied or very satisfied with studying and living in Australia (see Figure 2.6). |
Analysis |
International students surveyed reported that they chose to study in Australia due to the reputation of Australian teaching and qualifications, as well as feeling confidence in personal safety while in Australia. |
Source |
Department of Education, International Student Survey. |
Methodology |
Scores from several questions on student experience are aggregated to give an overall measure of satisfaction. |
Contributing programs |
2.7 – International Education Support |
Criteria |
Sustainably grow Australia’s international education sector by maintaining quality and increasing diversity |
Target |
At least 60% of international students employed or enrolled in further study after graduation. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 83% (were employed). |
Analysis |
The survey captured responses from graduates onshore and offshore who were former international students in Australia and had graduated in the previous decade. The very positive result reflects the quality and reputation of Australian higher education qualifications. |
Source |
Department of Education, graduate outcomes survey of international students. |
Methodology |
The survey establishes the proportion of respondents in work or further study. |
Contributing programs |
2.7 – International Education Support |
Criteria |
Sustainably grow Australia’s international education sector by maintaining quality and increasing diversity |
Target |
Average annual growth rate of 3% to 5% in international education export earnings. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 16% growth (from 2017 to 2018). |
Analysis |
International education export earnings rose by 16% to $35.2 billion in 2018 in accordance with an 11% growth in international student numbers (see Figure 2.7). The export income generated is the sum of tuition fees and student spending on costs of living in Australia. International students have indicated in national surveys that they choose to study in Australia because of our reputation for education quality. |
Source |
ABS, International Trade: Supplementary Information, Calendar Year, 2018, cat. no 5368.0.55.004. |
Methodology |
Education export earnings are a component of ABS national accounting of all Australia’s service exports. |
Contributing programs |
2.7 – International Education Support |
Criteria |
Sustainably grow Australia’s international education sector by maintaining quality and increasing diversity |
Target |
Maintain positive growth in the number of students enrolled in offshore and transnational education and training delivered by Australian providers. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 6% growth (from 2016 to 2017). |
Analysis |
Offshore enrolments in Australian higher education comprise a mix of courses delivered by distance education; from branch campuses established offshore by Australian higher education providers; and through partnerships with foreign providers. Most of the volume and growth in offshore enrolments was in the category of partnerships with foreign providers. |
Source |
Department of Education, Higher Education Statistics Collection. |
Methodology |
The numbers of students with a term residence overseas are compared year by year. |
Contributing programs |
2.7 – International Education Support |
Criteria |
Maintaining the quality of vocational education and training |
Target |
At least 53% of employers report use of the vocational education and training (VET) system. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 54.4% of employers reported use of the VET system (see Figure 2.8). |
Analysis |
Result exceeds target. Since only 37.2% of employers reported that they needed to use VET (i.e. had jobs requiring vocational qualifications), 54.4% usage shows that VET is a training system of choice for many employers. Employers using the VET system were highly satisfied—82.2% of employers were satisfied with nationally recognised training and 77.5% of employers with apprentices and trainees were satisfied with them. Overall, the survey results demonstrate that employers continue to find VET a quality option. |
Source |
National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Survey of Employer Use and Views of the VET System. |
Methodology |
Data is sourced directly from NCVER (2017), ‘Employers’ use and views of the VET system’. |
Contributing programs |
2.8 – Building Skills and Capability |
Criteria |
Maintaining the quality of vocational education and training |
Target |
At least 85% of graduates are satisfied with the overall quality of the training. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 86.8% of graduates are satisfied with the overall quality of the training. |
Analysis |
Result exceeds target overall and for graduates of both TAFE (87.5%) and private registered training organisations (86.3%). |
Source |
NCVER, National Student Outcomes Survey. |
Methodology |
Data is sourced directly from NCVER (2018), ‘VET student outcomes’. |
Contributing programs |
2.8 – Building Skills and Capability |
Criteria |
Responding to industry and employers through access to VET graduates with the required skills |
Target |
At least 80% of VET graduates are employed or enrolled in further study after training. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 85.4% of VET graduates are employed or enrolled in further study after training (see Figure 2.9). |
Analysis |
The result exceeds the target but is 0.7% lower than the 2017 survey result (of 2016 graduates). The proportion of graduates already employed before training was two percentage points higher in the 2017 survey (69.7%, compared to 67.7% in the 2018 survey). |
Source |
NCVER, National Student Outcomes Survey. |
Methodology |
Data is sourced directly from NCVER (2018), ‘VET student outcomes’. |
Contributing programs |
2.8 – Building Skills and Capability |
Criteria |
Responding to industry and employers through access to VET graduates with the required skills |
Target |
Positive growth in the apprenticeship completion rate from the previous year. |
Result |
NOT ACHIEVED Individual completion rate for apprentices and trainees who commenced in 2014 was 56.7%, a decrease from 59.9% for the 2013 commencing cohort. |
Analysis |
The Fair Work Commission published a report in 2017 which states, ‘While strong economic and labour conditions may encourage people to commence apprenticeships, some research suggests that it has the opposite effect on the retention of apprentices’, as apprentices take advantage of other opportunities. (Research Report 3/2017: Factors affecting apprenticeships and traineeships, pp. 28–9.) |
Source |
NCVER (2019), ‘Completion and attrition rates for apprentices and trainees 2018’. |
Methodology |
Data is sourced directly from NCVER statistics. |
Limitations |
Analysis is generally limited to commentary on whether target has been met. |
Contributing programs |
2.8 – Building Skills and Capability |
Criteria |
Improving language, literacy and numeracy for target groups |
Target |
At least 80% of participants in targeted programs increase one or more levels on the Australian Core Skills Framework. |
Result |
ACHIEVED 96% of participants increased one or more levels. |
Analysis |
Of the 78,767 participants in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program, 96% of those who undertook a progressive assessment showed an increase of one or more levels against the Australian Core Skills Framework of learning, reading, writing, oral communication or numeracy. |
Source |
Department of Education, SEE program and AMEP administrative data. |
Methodology |
The percentage is based on the number of clients who demonstrated progression over the number of clients who completed a progress assessment for 2018–19 for the SEE program and the AMEP. A weighted average was used to reflect the different numbers of clients in each program. SEE program—98% of clients for whom a progress assessment was undertaken had achieved an improvement in one or more Australian Core Skills Framework levels in the reporting period. Data is extracted from the SEE online database for clients who received training in 2018–19. AMEP—96% of clients for whom a progress assessment was undertaken had achieved an improvement in one or more Australian Core Skills Framework levels in the reporting period. Data is extracted from the AMEP reporting facility for assessments conducted in 2018–19. |
Contributing programs |
2.8 – Building Skills and Capability |
Visit
https://www.transparency.gov.au/annual-reports/department-education/reporting-year/2018-2019-9