News & Events
Rejuvenating the equity agenda in VET
8 July 2010
With a renewed effort to increase the numbers of people from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds continuing their education beyond school, there is fresh interest in how equity is achieved in vocational education and training (VET).
Equity will be the subject of a keynote address at the 19th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference, No Frills.
Professor Trevor Gale, Director of the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, hosted at the University of South Australia, will explore the history of access and equity in Australian education, with a view to inform a rejuvenated equity agenda in VET.
“If we look at the history of Australia’s education system, access to university was meant to be equitable, with all social groups proportionally represented among the student population,” Professor Gale said.
“Today, Australia is still grappling with inequities in its schooling and higher education systems, which has been highlighted by recent government targets to increase participation in higher education among low SES students and double the proportion of diploma level completions.”
The No Frills conference, now in its 19th year, aims to bring together those interested in education and training research from TAFE institutes, universities, private registered training organisations as well as consultants. It provides an excellent opportunity for those new to and established in the VET sector to showcase their research in an informal environment.
Professor Gale is the founding director of the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. For the past two decades, his research has focused on policy and social justice in education. He is a member of the National Quality Council and a foundation member of the National VET Equity Advisory Council.
Professor Trevor Gale will deliver his keynote presentation, ‘Has equity’s time come for VET? How can we embed it into the system?’ at 9.30am (AWST) today at the Central Institute of Technology, East Perth campus.
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