Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be part of the consortium that will help ‘internationalise’ Australian higher education.

 

The Minister for Education, Science and Training, Julie Bishop announced the 14 Universities that will make up the consortium yesterday.

 

It is these institutions that will develop a single agreed template that will describe the nature, context, content and status of a graduate’s qualification. The Australian Diploma Supplement is a response to the discussion paper The Bologna Process and Australia: Next Steps. 

 

The Bologna Process is part of a process in Europe which aims to establish a single European Higher Education Area by 2010, focusing on consistency and quality assurance. It will mean European students can move freely between higher education institutions in the Area.

 

CSU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Goulter says the Australian Diploma Supplement is needed to ensure Australian students can be part of the growing trend towards international education.

 

“The Bologna Process is set to do to education what the EU has achieved economically, that is, bring consistency to higher education throughout Europe.

 

"However this process has the potential to reduce access to educational provision in Europe by other countries such as Australia.

 

“The Australian Diploma Supplement, a sort of ‘educational passport’, will mean Australian qualifications can be better recognised overseas, and CSU students will be able to access overseas universities and jobs more easily.”

 

Minister Bishop says the Supplement is already used by many European countries.

 

“The ultimate aim for the supplement is to assist students and employers, both at home and abroad, by providing a world-leading system for verifying student qualifications. This will involve an assessment of a range of international processes underway in Europe, the Asia-Pacific and the United States.”

 

The consortium will work with representatives from a broad range of interested groups including students and employer and professional associations.