The history of universities in Australia begins in 1850 with the establishment of the University of Sydney. In the same century, three other universities emerged in Australia. All other Australian universities were founded in the 20th century. There were larger waves of start-ups in the 1960s and 1970s and from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. During the period around 1990 in Australia, many educational institutions were given university status that were previously colleges.
University types in Australia
There are currently 43 universities in Australia. This number is made up of:
40 Australian universities including two private universities
a private university with the status of a specialist university
two overseas universities with branches in Australia
The majority of universities in Australia are state, there are only three private Australian universities. The universities in Australia are autonomous institutions, even if, for example, quality assurance is monitored by the state.
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University status in Australia
In Australia, the term “university” is protected. An educational institution cannot simply call itself a university. Rather, it must meet certain statutory requirements in Australia in order to obtain university status.
A university in Australia can be considered a full-fledged university if it conducts research in at least three of the major subject areas. This includes areas such as natural sciences, engineering or education. Because research is a core task of universities alongside teaching, universities in Australia differ from other educational institutions in the higher education sector. The so-called Non-University-Higher-Education-Providers (NUHEPs) are not obliged to conduct research. A university that only conducts research in one or two areas can qualify as a specialist university obtain recognition.
Research has a particularly high priority at some universities in Australia. These have come together to form the most important university network in Australia: the Group of Eight. Other research-intensive universities in Australia form the university network Innovative Research Universities. In contrast to these particularly research-oriented universities, there are also universities whose strengths lie in teaching. There are also several technical universities in Australia. Most of them are on the Australian Technology Network organized. All members of this university network were technical colleges before they were granted university status. In addition, the Regional Universities Network is a network of regional Australian universities.
Not only research, but also the range of subjects for students at full-fledged universities in Australia must include at least three subject areas. As a rule, however, the range of courses on offer at Australian universities is much larger: the majority of universities in Australia offer courses from at least nine subject areas, a quarter of all universities even from ten subject areas. If you want to study at one of the universities in Australia, for example as part of a semester abroad in Australia, you can choose from a wide range of subjects.
TAFE (Technical And Further Education) in Australia
When thinking of colleges in Australia, the first thing that comes to mind are the excellent universities in Australia. However, there is another large and important part of the Australian higher education landscape: the so-called facilities for Technical and Further Education, TAFE for short.
There are many such TAFEs in Australia and all of them are state educational institutions. In addition to independent TAFEs, there are also TAFE facilities in Australia that are affiliated with universities. Such universities are also known as dual sector universities. This includes, for example, the RMIT University. There are also partnerships between TAFEs and universities in Australia.
TAFE in Australia: degree programs
The facilities for Technical and Further Education in Australia offer traditional programs in the field of Vocational Education and Training at (VET). These are vocational programs with a high level of practical relevance. Depending on the duration of the program, these end with the qualifications Certificate (Levels I-IV), Diploma or Advanced Diploma. VET qualifications are not part of the academic qualifications and are not recognized in Germany.
Meanwhile, there are also TAFEs in Australia, the degrees in undergraduate – and Postgraduate range offer. Such courses at TAFEs are more practice-oriented than courses at universities.
TAFE: Studying in Australia without a high school diploma
For international applicants, studying at a TAFE in Australia is not only an interesting option because of the practice-oriented courses. The TAFEs also open up the possibility of studying in Australia without a high school diploma. The entry requirements for the TAFEs are usually lower than for studying at a university – depending on which degree you are aiming for. Depending on the desired qualification, admission to a VET program is also possible without a high school diploma. The higher VET degrees can then be a stepping stone into studies. There is even the possibility that the degree that has already been acquired can be applied to a Bachelor’s degree in Australia is taken into account. As a result, the students can enter a higher semester of a bachelor’s degree.
A visit to a TAFE in Australia can also be interesting for students who already have a degree under their belt. More and more graduates are choosing to attend TAFE courses to gain additional practical and job-oriented skills. Even if the VET qualifications of the TAFEs cannot be recognized in Germany, these programs can be used by international students as an opportunity for further training.
