Swinburne welcomes Australian Universities Accord final report in promise for new era of education

Swinburne University of Technology acknowledges the release of the Australian Universities Accord final report and recognises the comprehensive work undertaken by Professor Mary O’Kane AC and the expert panel.

The report highlights the importance of equity and innovation as critical areas for transformation within the education sector.

Swinburne's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pascale Quester welcomes the opportunity presented by the Accord process to take a significant step towards creating an innovative, equitable, and modern tertiary sector.

"Our sector must become stronger, future-focused, resilient, and adaptive to global challenges. We must not waste this chance to make a generational change to enhance outcomes for students and prospects for our country," she said.

“The final report underscores the imperative for universities to innovate and evolve in terms of type, diversity, size and number over the coming decades. Swinburne University of Technology thrives on doing things differently, so we welcome this focus.”

"We particularly look forward to seeing responses to recommendations on equity and partnering with industry to achieve better outcomes for all.”

"Swinburne is an innovator in work-integrated learning (WIL), having already achieved our objective of offering WIL to all undergraduate students. We are heartened that the Accord has picked up on our suggestion that employers should contribute to supporting students through these internships and placements to avoid the debilitating placement poverty which so many of them have been facing."

Swinburne’s commitment to championing lifelong learning, equity and dual-sector collaboration

“We also endorse the report’s call for robust partnerships across government, tertiary providers, industry and unions, through TAFE Centres of Excellence. As a proud dual-sector university, Swinburne understands the need to combine vocational education’s practical skills with higher education’s expert discipline knowledge to tackle lifelong learning challenges and the skills crisis, to offer students the best of both approaches,” says Professor Quester.

“New industries spawn from innovation, be it in space, energy transition or MedTech, they will require both knowledge and skills and we stand ready to work in partnership to deliver the workforce that is needed.”

"We must support students, especially those from marginalised groups who face significant structural barriers to participation, negative employer perceptions and financial constraints. As Australia transitions from a resource to a knowledge economy, we cannot leave anyone behind and must ensure that the digital tech-rich future is open to all. The Accord offers a unique opportunity to enhance the university system's overall equity and fairness."

"We look forward to the government’s response, which must be backed by tangible investment, as we collaborate with both the government and the sector to champion change and advance towards a more equitable focus on quality, access, and impact."