Disruptive times such as these require thoughtful, clear leadership. Today, Monash University announces the Monash Commission, charged with fuelling national discussion and policy reform to address the challenges and shape opportunities affecting all Australians, starting with post-compulsory education.
Monash University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner AO said the Monash Commission would offer a diversified, independent, and informed perspective on important issues confronting Australians.
"Instead of waiting for change to happen, Monash University is focusing on the changes Australians want to see, and harnessing the expertise of leaders from enterprise, education and the community to advance with and through innovation, rather than be led by it," Professor Gardner said.
The inaugural Monash Commission will focus on Australia’s post-compulsory education sector.
"In coming decades, as many have argued and acknowledged, Australia’s economic prosperity will increasingly depend on the education, skills and entrepreneurship of its workforce. As a nation, we know we need to have an urgent discussion about how that system of education and training should be shaped for the future," Professor Gardner said.
Each Commission will combine the expertise of Monash University scholars, eminent Australians, local and international enterprise leaders, leading thinkers on future societal challenges and other groups with insights to share on the issues the inquiry seeks to address.
"We are seeking to design policy options that make a substantive contribution to addressing key challenges for Australia and our region and to shape a vision for the future," Professor Gardner said.
"To succeed, the Commission must ensure independent expertise is given voice and that engaging ways to collaborate with interested communities, as well as to fuel community discussion are provided.
"Systemic change will come only by presenting compelling evidence, as well as ideas, to government and community."
Industry leader Elizabeth Proust AO, chair of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Nestle Australia and Bank of Melbourne, will chair the first Commission inquiry. She will be joined by:
- Professor Ian Chubb AC, former Chief Scientist of Australia and former Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University;
- Professor Rory Hume, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Education at the University of Utah, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of NSW and former Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Health Affairs for the University of California system;
- Marie Persson, Chair of the NSW Skills Board Industry Reference Group, senior public sector executive and former head of NSW TAFE and Community Education;
- Mette Schepers, Mercer Australia’s Client Growth Leader for the Pacific Market and senior financial and professional services executive;
- Sir Nigel Thrift, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick and inaugural executive director of the prestigious Schwarzman Scholars international leadership program at Tsinghua University.
Together they will gather and assess evidence to identify the best possible frameworks for a flexible, well-resourced and well-integrated system of post-compulsory education, both vocational and higher education.
Ms Proust said the Commission’s focus would be on system design and governance, along with finance and resourcing.
"Our future post-compulsory education sector is critical to the nation’s future success," she said.
"We must ensure it keeps pace with the growing demands of industry for new skills, sustains the research and development that allow us to adapt and innovate and continues to perform as a significant export industry and regional engagement hub.
"I look forward to drawing on a broad range of views that will help shape post-compulsory education into the dynamic, adaptive, well-resourced and well-regulated sector Australia needs."
Media
Monash University
T: +61 3 9903 4840 E: [email protected]
For more Monash media stories, visit our news and events site
Looking for a Monash expert? Search Expertline.
---
