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HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS
In 2005, there were 74 public and private higher education institutions that received Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) funding on behalf of students in the form of student HELP loans from the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). Higher education student tables in this section include enrolments from these institutions. In contrast, in 2004 there were 41 higher education institutions which received operating grants from DEST.
Apart from the Australian National University and the Australian Maritime College, which are established under Commonwealth legislation, Australian universities operate under state or territory legislation. However, they are autonomous bodies responsible for their own governance and make their own decisions on allocation of funding, staffing and academic courses.
Most higher education institutions provide both full-time and part-time courses, and external or distance education courses. In addition, some institutions offer courses which associate full-time study with periods of employment.
STUDENTS AND COURSES
Table 10.18 shows the number of higher education students and their mode of participation at higher education institutions. The number of such students enrolled during the twelve-month period 1 January to 31 December 2005 was 957,176, an increase of 12,200 (or 1%) on that for the period 1 September 2003 to 31 August 2004. The greatest increase in numbers of students occurred among those choosing multi-modal (a mixture of face-to-face and external) tuition (up by 8,826 or 17%). Students choosing internal mode (face-to-face) increased by 7,141 (1%). Some 63% of multi-modal higher education students in 2005 were female, compared with 55% of all higher education students.
10.18 HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS(a), By mode(b) and type of enrolment
|
 | | 2004 | 2005 |
| |
|
|
| | Males | Females | Persons | Males | Females | Persons |
|
| Internal | | | | | | |
| Full time | 260,404 | 296,535 | 556,939 | 265,219 | 300,916 | 566,135 |
| Part time | 92,408 | 105,481 | 197,889 | 91,185 | 104,649 | 195,834 |
| Total | 352,812 | 402,016 | 754,828 | 356,404 | 405,565 | 761,969 |
| External | | | | | | |
| Full time | 11,237 | 13,702 | 24,939 | 10,708 | 14,195 | 24,903 |
| Part time | 48,896 | 63,630 | 112,526 | 46,060 | 62,734 | 108,794 |
| Total | 60,133 | 77,332 | 137,465 | 56,768 | 76,929 | 133,697 |
| Multi-modal | | | | | | |
| Full time | 13,316 | 24,502 | 37,818 | 17,173 | 28,661 | 45,834 |
| Part time | 5,296 | 9,570 | 14,866 | 5,503 | 10,173 | 15,676 |
| Total | 18,612 | 34,072 | 52,684 | 22,676 | 38,834 | 61,510 |
| Total | | | | | | |
| Full time | 284,957 | 334,739 | 619,696 | 293,100 | 343,772 | 636,872 |
| Part time | 146,600 | 178,681 | 325,281 | 142,748 | 177,556 | 320,304 |
| Total | 431,557 | 513,420 | 944,977 | 435,848 | 521,328 | 957,176 |
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(a) The scope of the data in this table is students enrolled at any time within the twelve-month period 1 September 2003 to 31 August 2004, and 1 January to 31 December 2005.
(b) This relates to the delivery of education to the student. 'Internal' is where the delivery of education is done entirely within the institution, 'external' refers to delivery of course material to students off-campus, and 'multi-modal' is where at least one, but not all units, are provided at the institution. |
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| Source: Department of Education, Science and Training, 'Students: Selected Higher Education Statistics'. |
The basic undergraduate course at most institutions is a bachelor degree of three or four years duration. At some institutions, courses may also be offered at the diploma or advanced diploma level. Most institutions also offer postgraduate level study. One to two years of full-time postgraduate study are required for a master's degree and three to five years for a doctoral degree. Postgraduate diplomas and certificates are offered in some disciplines. In 2005, 68% of higher education students were enrolled in bachelor degree courses, with a further 28% enrolled in higher degree and other postgraduate courses.
Higher education institutions offer a wide variety of courses. The most commonly chosen fields of education for award course students in 2005 were: Management and commerce; Society and culture; Health; and Education (table 10.19).
10.19 HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS, By level and field of education - 2005
|
Field of education | Level of education of study | |
| |
Post-graduate
degree | Graduate diploma/
Graduate
certificate | Bachelor
degree | Advanced
diploma/
Diploma | Other
education | Total
courses |
'000 | '000 | '000 | '000 | '000 | '000 |
|
| Natural and physical sciences | 11.4 | 1.9 | 62.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 76.0 |
| Information technology | 17.9 | 2.5 | 43.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 64.4 |
| Engineering and related technologies | 12.6 | 2.4 | 48.9 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 65.4 |
| Architecture and building | 2.4 | 1.2 | 16.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 19.9 |
| Agriculture, environment and related studies | 3.9 | 1.0 | 11.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 17.2 |
| Health | 16.2 | 9.5 | 81.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 107.8 |
| Education | 17.1 | 13.9 | 63.7 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 95.3 |
| Management and commerce | 75.2 | 17.5 | 178.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 274.0 |
| Society and culture | 33.8 | 14.2 | 152.8 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 208.3 |
| Creative arts | 6.6 | 2.5 | 50.6 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 61.2 |
| Food, hospitality and personal services | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | 0.1 |
| Mixed field programmes | - | - | - | - | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| Non-award | - | - | - | - | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| All students(a) | 196.8 | 66.7 | 652.7 | 10.4 | 30.5 | 957.2 |
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| (a) Students undertaking combined courses are counted in each field they are studying. Because of this, the field of education component will not necessarily add to All students. |
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| Source: Department of Education, Science and Training, 'Students 2005: Selected Higher Education Statistics'. |
Table 10.20 shows the number of higher education students by age group. Between 2004 and 2005 the growth in higher education student numbers (1%) has been strongest among 20-24 year olds (4%).
10.20 HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS(a), By age group |
|
 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Age group (years) | '000 | '000 | '000 |
|
MALES |
|
| 19 and under | 88.3 | 88.2 | 89.6 |
| 20-24 | 152.9 | 163.1 | 170.6 |
| 25-29 | 65.4 | 65.6 | 65.5 |
| 30 and over | 117.5 | 114.7 | 110.1 |
| Total | 424.1 | 431.6 | 435.8 |
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FEMALES |
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| 19 and under | 122.2 | 120.6 | 121.8 |
| 20-24 | 176.9 | 186.4 | 194.3 |
| 25-29 | 70.0 | 69.7 | 68.7 |
| 30 and over | 136.8 | 136.7 | 136.4 |
| Total | 505.9 | 513.4 | 521.3 |
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PERSONS |
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| 19 and under | 210.5 | 208.8 | 211.4 |
| 20-24 | 329.8 | 349.5 | 364.9 |
| 25-29 | 135.4 | 135.3 | 134.3 |
| 30 and over | 254.3 | 251.4 | 246.6 |
| Total | 930.0 | 945.0 | 957.2 |
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| (a) The scope of the data in this table is students enrolled at any time within the twelve-month period 1 September to 31 August (2003 and 2004 data), and 1 January to 31 December 2005. Includes students in enabling and non-award courses. |
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| Source: Department of Education, Science and Training, 'Students 2005: Selected Higher Education Student Statistics'. |
STAFF
Higher education staff may be classified as academic or non-academic. In 2005, as in previous years, there were more non-academic than academic staff. The largest number of academic staff were at the lecturer and senior lecturer levels.
Table 10.21 shows the ratio of male to female staff has turned around over the past decade. Males were 54% of all staff in 1994, but only 49% in 2000. By 2005, 53% of higher education staff were female.
Growth in female representation occurred at all levels of academic staff, but was most notable at senior lecturer (from 22% in 1994 to 35% in 2005) and above senior lecturer (from 12% to 21%) levels. Despite this, men still outnumbered women at all levels of academic staff except at below lecturer level. In 2005, 60% of all academic staff were male, compared with 64% in 2000 and 68% in 1994.
10.21 HIGHER EDUCATION STAFF
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| Staff classification | 2000 | 2005 |
|
MALES (%) |
|
| Academic staff | |  |
 | Above senior lecturer | 83.9 | 78.5 |
 | Senior lecturer | 70.6 | 64.6 |
 | Lecturer | 55.9 | 52.0 |
 | Below lecturer | 47.0 | 46.4 |
 | Total | 63.7 | 59.9 |
| Non-academic staff | 38.8 | 37.3 |
| All staff | 49.5 | 47.0 |
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FEMALES (%) |
|
| Academic staff | | |
 | Above senior lecturer | 16.1 | 21.5 |
 | Senior lecturer | 29.4 | 35.4 |
 | Lecturer | 44.1 | 48.0 |
 | Below lecturer | 53.0 | 53.6 |
 | Total | 36.3 | 40.1 |
| Non-academic staff | 61.2 | 62.7 |
| All staff | 50.5 | 53.0 |
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PERSONS (no.) |
|
| Academic staff | | |
 | Above senior lecturer | 6,972 | 8,759 |
 | Senior lecturer | 8,217 | 9,379 |
 | Lecturer | 11,467 | 13,193 |
 | Below lecturer | 6,458 | 7,621 |
 | Total | 33,114 | 38,952 |
| Non-academic staff | 43,764 | 51,455 |
| All staff | 76,878 | 90,407 |
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| Source: Department of Education, Science and Training, 'Staff: Selected Higher Education Statistics'. |
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