The Case for a National Charter for TAFE Victorian TAFE Association 30 November 2011 Pam Caven Director Policy & Stakeholder Engagement, TAFE Directors Australia

Context The 5 components & 7 recommendations for a National Charter Next steps Questions Overview of this presentation

The time is right to present the case for a National Charter for TAFE: The Australian Government is negotiating a National Partnership for Vocational Education and Training with the States and Territories States and Territories are looking to implement new contestability arrangements to drive productivity and participation Context

The Victorian experience has been salutary... Drop in market share for TAFE providers from 75% in 2008 to 49% in the last quarter of 2011 – a dramatic representation of marketisation Happening when the National VET Regulator has only been in existence since July 2011 – and has been slow to deliver present the case for a National Charter for TAFE Why now?

TDA believes it is time to go beyond the rhetoric and for the Federal, State and Territory governments to: affirm the significance of TAFE in delivering on the Governments productivity and participation agenda define the role, scope and responsibilities of TAFE commit to administrative and funding arrangements that will enable TAFE providers to perform this role effectively Why now? (continued)

The Case for the National Charter... Documents some of the challenges facing TAFE institutes Identifies the special characteristics of TAFE providers Makes seven recommendations which are the steps needed to develop a National Charter Outlines five components that ought to be part of a Charter

1. Redefining the TAFE Sector's Role 2. Full Service Provision 3. Criteria for Accessing Government Funding 4. Criteria for Student Entitlements, Eligibility and Concessions 5. Governance The 5 Components of a National Charter for TAFE

That the Commonwealth, States and Territories Recommendation 1 Articulate and disseminate the key role played by TAFE as a public provider in the VET sector and its capacity to support the Australian economy and that this role is explicitly affirmed in the new National Partnership for Vocational Education and Training. Recommendation 2 Recognise the importance of the role of TAFE providers in the wider tertiary sector and ensure consistency in the associated funding arrangements. This includes equal and comparable access to Commonwealth Supported Places for equivalent AQF qualifications. Component 1: Redefining the TAFE Sectors Role

Confirm a common definition of full service provision, its constituent parts and how each part should be funded (including the provision of programs and services in regional and remote communities) Recommendation 3 Recognising the TAFE sectors role in ensuring maintenance of critical programs and services that would be at grave risk if left entirely to market forces, that the Commonwealth, States and Territories reach agreement on the concept of full service provision, its constituent parts and how each should be funded. This includes giving due consideration to programs and services in regional and remote communities. Component 2: Full Service Provision

Recommendation 4 With a view to protecting the overall recommendation of the VET sector and ensuring that training funds are invested where the skill needs are greatest, that the States and Territories work towards common and robust quality criteria which determine RTO eligibility for access to government funding. Component 3: Criteria for Accessing Government Funding

Recommendation 5 That States and Territories work toward developing consistent student entitlement/eligibility criteria for implementing fully contestable funding, including the availability of concessions. Recommendation 6 That the Commonwealth, States and Territories exchange data and share their experiences of implementing contestable/demand-driven funding in both VET and Higher Education, so that any unintended consequences can be addressed in a timely manner and with direct reference to the evidence base. Component 4: Criteria for Student Entitlements, Eligibility and Concessions

Recommendation 7 That the States and Territories ensure governance arrangements for TAFE providers are consistent with their roles and enable them to compete effectively. Component 5: Governance

TDA will: consult with key stakeholders including all levels of government, local members, industry and community groups, and student and staff representatives seek agreement on the inclusion of a statement of in-principle support for a National Charter for TAFE in the new National Partnership for Vocational Education and Training and the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development develop a draft National Charter for TAFE for consideration by the COAG Standing Council on Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment by June 2012 Next steps...

Thank you