Higher Education in Australia

Study Abroad Australia.  The main purposes of Australian higher education are to enable individuals to develop their capabilities for effective participation in the workforce, for constructive contributions to society and for personal growth and fulfilment; to advance knowledge and understanding; aid the application of knowledge and understanding to the benefit of the economy and the society; enable individuals to adapt and learn, consistent with the needs of an adaptable knowledge-based economy at local, regional and national levels; and contribute to a democratic, civilised society. Australian universities are autonomous self-accredited institutions established by Federal, State or Territory legislation. The first universities were established in four of the original colonies - the University of Sydney in 1850; the University of Melbourne in 1853; the University of Adelaide in 1874 and the University of Tasmania in 1890. The University of Queensland and the University of Western Australia were established soon after Federation in 1901, while other universities and colleges were founded between the World Wars and in the 1960s. Australia's first private university was established in 1987.In 1988, the Federal Government introduced sweeping changes that restructured and reformed publicly-funded higher education, harnessing it more closely to the needs of the economy. The previous structure of the higher education system (with a division into two groups, universities and colleges of advanced education was replaced by a single "Unified National System" (UNS). There are currently 39 universities (including two private universities) and 7 other higher education institutions funded by the Commonwealth Government. There is also a wide range of private higher education institutions, including theological colleges and providers with specialist interests in particular artistic and vocational fields. The Federal Government introduced the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) in 1989 in order to recover from students some of the cost of higher education studies.  HECS is administered by the Department of Education, Science and Training and the actual amount that a student contributes through HECS represents about 24% of average course costs. The HECS contribution applies to Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens enrolled in a higher education course that has been funded by the Federal Government. (Overseas students other than New Zealanders are charged fees set at a full cost recovery level). Higher education is administered at the Federal level through the Department of Education, Science and Training which has responsibility for higher education policy development and programme administration. Study Abroad Australia

Languages of instruction: English

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