DEAKIN University and South West TAFE have decided there is strength in unity and have created guaranteed pathways for students from TAFE to university.
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A Pathways Partnership agreement signed yesterday between the two tertiary education bodies guarantees that South West TAFE graduates in five diploma fields will be able to start as second-year students in five degree fields at Deakin.
The agreement applies to South West TAFE diplomas in children’s services, graphic design, accounting, nursing and community services work.
Both organisations said the number of guaranteed pathways between South West TAFE diplomas and Deakin degrees was likely to grow.
Deakin vice-chancellor Jane den Hollander said the Pathways Partnership aimed to give people quality local tertiary education options so they did not need to travel.
“It is our aim to provide seamless pathways from school through TAFE and on to university, and this partnership will help build the jobs of the future in the south-west region,” Professor den Hollander said.
“We know people tend to stay and work where they study, so it is imperative that we provide good pathways to a career here in the south-west region.
“We remain jointly passionate and committed to doing that and with three times as many regional Australians undertaking TAFE programs compared to their metropolitan counterparts, this Pathways Partnership is essential to the region’s future,” she said.
Professor den Hollander said the partnership would benefit not only school-leavers, who were not ready for university studies and needed a supportive transition from school to tertiary education via TAFE studies, but also those who wanted a mix of vocational and higher education.
“It is for mature-age students as well as school leavers,” she said.
Professor den Hollander said that while the federal government’s plan to deregulate university fees had raised concern about the future cost of a university education, people should “ignore those headlines”.
A university education would continue to provide good value both to individuals and their communities, she said.
South West TAFE chief executive officer Peter Heilbuth said graduates from South West TAFE’s diploma programs had already shown they did well when they progressed on to university.
The Pathways Partnership will give TAFE students credit for prior learning, shortening the length of their degree studies and reducing the cost of their degree.
