Brendan Nelson Minister for Education, Science and Training Brendan Nelson was elected as an MP, representing the electorate of Bradfield, in 1996 and appointed Minister for Education, Science and Training on 23 November 2001. Dr Nelson was previously appointed in 1998 as Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Workplace Relations and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence in December 2000. Dr Nelson has been a key contributor on a range of Government policy committees including Health, Communications, Treasury and was Secretary of the Government’s Workplace Relations Policy Committee. He is well known for his commitment to the areas of health, medical and social issues including smoking, drugs, aboriginal health, aged care, youth suicide, human rights and the health effects of unemployment. Dr Nelson is a graduate of Flinders University in South Australia and a general practitioner by training.

Meeting the Educational Needs of Young People for Globalisation with a Human Face

It cannot be repeated too often that the most valuable resource of a nation is its people. Education is of the utmost importance to the development and future prosperity of all nations. Education systems and the policies underpinning them cannot remain static – they require ongoing review and reform to adapt to the changing demands of the global environment and ensure they continue to provide young people with the skills to cope with the pressures of globalisation.

Australia, like other member states, is facing the challenge of reforming its education system to ensure its relevance to the needs of our students and the wider community. The emphasis has been on improving the quality and effectiveness of education, and in particular improving the educational outcomes of students at all levels of schooling, to equip our youth for the rapidly changing global economy.

Education reforms in Australia in the areas of higher education, vocational education and technical training, school education and teacher education and training have had different emphases. In higher education, for example, the focus has been on improving access irrespective of personal circumstance or locality. Reform in the vocational education and training sector has been directed to producing a system which is flexible, responsive and allows individuals greater choice and opportunities for career transition. The policy approach to reforms in school education has been on delivering improved outcomes, particularly in regard to literacy and numeracy, and the measurement and reporting of these achievements. We have also reviewed our approach to teaching and teacher education to improve the skills and quality of our teachers to build a culture of continuous innovation and provide inspiration for our youth.

I would congratulate UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education for providing a forum for decision-makers to discuss challenges we all face in improving the quality and delivery of education in the 21st century and to share our learnings about education reform.