Educational opportunity

All Australians should have the right to quality education; however, too many young people are disengaging from school and missing out on vital education opportunities.

We look across the education sector from early childhood to primary and secondary school, and the transition to higher education and vocational training. We are asking how well education systems are working and for whom, to determine what needs to change to ensure all Australians have access to quality education from early childhood to tertiary studies.

Key contacts

Hannah Matthews

Policy Fellow

Modifying student loan system could ensure access for all students

29 July 2015

When HECS (HELP) was introduced in 1989 it applied only to undergraduates in public sector universities.

First move to clean up mess in vocational education

28 July 2015

The COAG leaders communique issued after the heads of Australian government met in Sydney last week foreshadowed a potential shift in responsibility for VET to the Commonwealth government.

TAFE monopoly not good for long term

17 June 2015

Mitchell Professorial Fellow Peter Noonan comments on policy changes to TAFE funding in South Australia and the impact on students and the broader VET sector.

Lessons that matter: What should we learn from Asia’s school systems?

28 May 2015

In this report, Mitchell Professorial Fellow Yong Zhao investigates three decades of education changes in East Asian education systems and draws out the lessons that matter for Australia and other nations.

The shared work of learning: Lifting educational achievement through collaboration

14 May 2015

In this report, the authors argue that leaving the momentum of educational improvement to the status quo will result in widening inequality and stagnation in Australia.

Early intervention key to addressing disadvantage: CEDA report

24 April 2015

A Committee for Economic Development of Australia report released this week has found over one million people in Australia are entrenched in disadvantage, including an estimated 363,000 children.

We’re still talking about tertiary education reform

29 October 2014

When the Rudd and Gillard governments unleashed the demand-driven system in our universities, its designers knew that the higher education reform job was not over.

Forum report: New approaches to persistent problems

1 April 2014

This paper outlines the issues, discussion and next steps that came out of the Mitchell Institute policy forum: New approaches for persistent problems.

Background paper: New approaches to persistent problems in Australia's schools