CENTRE FOR VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL POLICY PUBLIC SEMINAR
TERTIARY EDUCATION SPENDING: HOW AUSTRALIA FARES IN OECD METRICS
DR GEOFF SHARROCK
ABSTRACT
In Australian commentary, public funding for Australian tertiary
education is widely seen as among the lowest in the OECD. In this
narrative, figures drawn from recent OECD statistics reinforce the
impression that Australian rates of investment lag those of nearly all
other OECD countries.
However, such claims fail to consider particular features of the
Australian situation, reflected in other OECD data. In consequence,
commentary often gives partial accounts of the available OECD evidence
on tertiary sector financing. In debates on funding policy, an effect
of this has been to exaggerate the extent of Australian under-funding,
relative to others in the OECD.
Drawing on the latest Education at a Glance statistics, the
presentation will examine how the Australian tertiary education sector
fares in a range of OECD metrics. It will show how these align with
domestic data, and how Australian rates of expenditure compare with
those of a selection of other OECD countries.
Along with technical analysis, the presenter will reflect on the
politics of international comparisons in domestic funding debates.
PRESENTER
DR GEOFF SHARROCK has worked in public administration with the
Victorian government (Public Service Board, Treasury and Finance); in
university administration (RMIT University); and in academic teaching
and research (University of Melbourne). He has a Ph.D. from RMIT
University’s Faculty of Business, on the topic of change in
universities. His published work focuses mainly on AUSTRALIAN HIGHER
EDUCATION LEADERSHIP, policy and strategy. He is the Senior Higher
EDUCATION ADVISER IN THE OFFICE OF THE VICE-Chancellor at Monash
University, and an honorary fellow at the University of Melbourne’s
Centre for Vocational EDUCATION POLICY.
business
politics
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23/05/2018 Last update