Archived News for Education Sector Professionals

Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth Peter Garrett visited the Mount Rogers Early Links to Learning Playgroup in Canberra to launch the second data collection for the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI).

More than 7500 government and non-government schools across Australia are expected to participate in the second national study into young children. This national approach, which is a world first initiative, will provide insights into the development of children as they start school.

Director of the Centre for Community Child Health Professor Frank Oberklaid said the 2012-14 index was the second delivery of the AEDI following the first collection in 2009 and an opportunity to build a more detailed picture of children’s development in communities.

SA school amalgamations to proceed

The South Australian Government has announced that the planned school amalgamations, outlined in the 2010-11 State Budget, are to proceed.

Tasmania releases final VET review

The Tasmanian Government has received the final report on the review of the role and function of the Tasmania’s public VET providers from the commissioned consultant Virginia Simmons.

QUT and SAP to run training courses

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has signed an agreement with the world's number one business software company, SAP, to deliver certified training courses for its products.

Victoria announces school capital works

The Victorian Government has announced a $200 million school capital projects spending package as part of the state’s 2012-13 budget.

Government boasts university boom

The Federal Government has released its report of the demand driven university placement reform, with Minister for Tertiary Education, Senator Chris Evans, saying the Government’s work will allow for an unprecedented skills boom to meet increased demand for a variety of labour.

Government expands apprenticeship program

The Federal Government has added 23 new organisations to the Australian Apprenticeships Support Service providers fro the 2012-14 period.

Regional universities booming

Recent figures released by the Regional Universities Network show that between 2009 and 2012, offered places rose 19.2 per cent, 3.1 per cent above the national average.

Teachers to set performance goals under new assessments

Teachers in every Australian school will have a yearly performance assessment which will include classroom observation and evidence of student outcomes, under proposals released for consultation today.

ACOSS urges Government to trim $8 billion in subsidies

A new report published by the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) has identifies around $8 billion in budgetary savings if the Government clamps down on tax loopholes.

Federal Government announces school independence scheme

The Federal Government has announced the first phase of the Empowering Local Schools initiative that will allow public schools to join together to form ‘confederations’ to allow greater integrated decision-making and community engagement.

Government announces Gonski funding working group

The Federal Government has convened the first meeting of a new working group tasked with considering the findings and recommendations of the Gonski Review in relation to capital funding for the country’s schools.

Education gets a technological boost

Maths and science will collide with computer games and virtual reality at the new $4 million Quantum Victoria physical sciences centre in Macleod West.

University of Queensland appoints new Vice-Chancellor

The University of Queensland has appointed Professor Peter Høj as its new Vice-Chancellor and President.

Professor Høj is the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of South Australia and his previous roles include Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Research Council and Managing Director of the Australian Wine Research Institute.

He was selected from a highly-competitive field of candidates.

Professor Høj said he was honoured to be granted the opportunity to lead a research-intensive institution of UQ's stature.

“I look forward to working with UQ staff, students and alumni to further enhance the University's already excellent global reputation for learning, research and outreach activities across a full spectrum of academic disciplines,” he said.

Professor Høj has a Master of Science, PhD and Honorary Doctorate from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

He has served on the Prime Minister's Science and Engineering Innovation Council, and his many awards include the Boehringer-Mannheim Medal from the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

In addition to his Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, he was recently appointed as a Foreign Member (Natural Sciences Class) of The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters.

Victoria announces new physical sciences centre

The Victorian Government has opened the state’s new Quantum Victoria physical sciences centre in Melbourne’s north.

Asian languages and culture to be part of Australian curriculum

Minister for School Education Peter Garrett hosted a discussion on Asian literacy with business leaders, focusing on how Government and business can work together to increase awareness of Asian culture and the study of Asian languages in Australian schools.