MUSSE

Commonwealth Education Minister Julia Gillard delivers the 2008 Sir Robert Menzies Oration on Higher Education on Thursday 6 November.

By Christina Buckridge

The Australian higher education system needs big, system-wide improvements, Commonwealth Education Minister Julia Gillard told a packed audience at the University of Melbourne.

Delivering the 2008 Sir Robert Menzies Oration on Higher Education on Thursday 6 November, Minister Gillard said that piecemeal change won’t be enough in a world where higher education is such an important determinant of prosperity and social equity.

“The Bradley Review is examining the long-term issues and opportunities facing our universities – in funding, system design, equity and access, excellence and regulation,” Minister Gillard said.

Minister Gillard said that the Government will be receiving and releasing the Bradley report in December and intends to release the Government’s response to its directions in February 2009.

“The Bradley Review presents us with a unique opportunity to refashion universities and the broader tertiary education system to meet the needs of the future,” she said.

“For too long this nation has lacked a strategic vision of what we want our universities and tertiary education system to look like and achieve in 10 and 20 years time.

“Building a new era won’t be quick or easy. But clearly I want  to create a system where there are the right incentives to encourage universities to provide the best possible education to all our young people, and a system which properly supports individuals to study so they are able to invest in their human capital over the course of their life.

“And we must deliver equity.  Economically, our nation will be the poorer if we do not make the most of the talents and potentials of all our people.  Morally, our nation will be the weaker if we leave unanswered for another 60 years Robert Menzies’ challenge to provide educational equity.

“By addressing issues such as these, the Bradley Review will promote substantial change, and a system that meets the needs of the times.

“It’s my intention that the improvements it ushers in will make this a worthy successor to the Dawkins era.”

The text of the 2008 Sir Robert Menzies Oration on Higher Education is at:
www.unimelb.edu.au/speeches/menziesoration.html