Degrees in TAFE

08-09-2009

A monograph, published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research
(NCVER) examines the growth and implications of higher education offered by TAFE
institutes.
Dr Leesa Wheelahan, Principal Researcher, Higher Education in TAFE, said the status
of TAFE degrees was of concern to all the people interviewed for this research.
“Interviewees thought that TAFE degrees, with their applied focus and emphasis on
what people need in the workplace could bring something to the sector that university
could not,” Dr Wheelahan said.
Dr Tom Karmel, Managing Director, NCVER said while numbers of higher education
students in TAFE are small, these may well increase as governments strive to meet
their equity objectives and to boost the proportion of the Australian population with a
degree.
In undertaking this research, Dr Wheelahan and her colleagues found that many
teachers are concerned that their work isn’t recognised as equivalent to those teaching
in universities.
“It is important that students undertaking higher education in TAFE receive the same
quality of education and experience as their university counterparts,” she said.
“TAFE needs to be given support to provide higher education programs and to build an
academic culture.
“Quality provision of higher education in TAFE is premised on staff having the time to
engage in scholarship and not just the capacity to do so.
“There is a need for institutional discussion and debate about what it means to
construct a higher education culture, how higher education provision is and whether it
should be distinguished from other VET. Without this discussion, TAFE teachers will
feel their institutional culture is not conducive to higher education.”
Higher education in TAFE is the first report to come out of NCVER’s monograph series.
Researchers undertaking new work commissioned through the National Vocational
Education and Training Research and Evaluation (NVETRE) program can have their
research considered for inclusion in the monograph series.
For a copy of this monograph visit the

NCVER website

News Archive

Newsletter Subscription

News

In The Headlines

TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute- Campbelltown College is Awarded Three Gold Stars for Carpentry and Joinery | Gold Coast TAFE Receives Three Gold Stars in Cookery | Australian Construction Training Services is Awarded Two Gold Stars in Bricklaying and Carpentry | Australian Drilling Industry Training Committee receives Two Gold Stars in Drilling | Congratulations Barrier Reef TAFE on Receiving Two Gold Stars for Metals & Engineering | Box Hill Institute of TAFE is Awarded One Gold Star in Extractive Industries | Two Gold Stars for Electrotechnology at Canberra Institute of Technology | Caterpillar Institute was Recognised with Three Gold Stars for Metaliferous Mining. Well Done! | Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE Receives Two Gold Stars in Automotive | Congratulations Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE on Receiving Two Gold Stars for General Construction in Certificate lll | Central TAFE is Awarded One Gold Star in Drilling Division | One Gold Star for Cookery at Challenger TAFE | College of Electrical Training was recognised with Three Gold Stars for Electrotechnology. Well Done! | Construction Skills Training Centre receives Three Gold Stars in Civil Construction | Congratulations Construction Skills Training Centre on receiving Three Gold Stars for General Construction | East Gippsland Institute of TAFE is Awarded Two Gold Stars in Automotive | Three Gold Stars for Metals & Engineering at Education Living | Electro Group Training Skills Centre was recognised with Two Gold Stars for Electrotechnology. Well Done! | Electrotechnology Division, Peer Veet receives Three Gold Stars in Electrotechnology | Congratulations Flexible Construction Training and Assessment on receiving Two Gold Stars for Building and Construction | Apprenticeship Group Australia is awarded Three Gold Stars in General Construction | Three Gold Stars for Plumbing at Apprenticeship Group Australia | Apprenticeship Group Australia was recognised with Two Gold Stars for Engineering. Well Done! | Apprenticeship Group Australia receives One Gold Star in Automotive | Congratulations Apprenticeship Group Australia on receiving One Gold Star for Automotive | Apprenticeship Group Australia is awarded One Gold Star in Automotive | Three Gold Stars for Building & Construction at Gordon Institute of TAFE | Gordon Institute of TAFE was recognised with Three Gold Stars for Plumbing. Well Done! | Gordon Institute of TAFE receives Two Gold Stars in Hairdressing | Congratulations Goulburn Ovens TAFE on receiving Two Gold Stars for Agriculture | Great Southern TAFE is awarded Two Gold Stars in Building and Construction | Two Gold Stars for Hairdressing at Headmasters Advanced Academy Training | Industries Services Training was recognised with Three Gold Stars for Civil Construction. Well Done! | Industries Services Training receives Three Gold Stars in General Construction | Congratulations Industries Services Training on receiving Three Gold Stars for Transport and Distribution | Kangan Batman TAFE- ACE is awarded Three Gold Stars in Automotive | Three Gold Stars for Primary Production at Longerenong College | MBA Group Training was recognised with Two Gold Stars for Building and Construction. Well Done! | Milcom Communications receives Two Gold Stars in Electrotechnology | Congratulations MTA Training on receiving Three Gold Stars for Automotive | Pivot Point International Academy is awarded Three Gold Stars in Hairdressing | Two Gold Stars for Mining Industry at Richards Mining Services | Silver Trowel Trade Training was recognised with Three Gold Stars for Building and Construction. Well Done | Swan TAFE receives Two Gold Stars in Electrotechnology | Congratulations Swan TAFE on receiving Three Gold Stars for Building and Construction | Swan TAFE is awarded One Gold Star in Commercial Cookery | Two Gold Stars for Engineering Trades at Swinburne TAFE | TAFE NSW – Hunter Institute was recognised with Three Gold Stars for Electrotechnology. Well Done! |