Disappointed in changes at Mitchell Institute, Victoria University
Beacon Foundation is saddened to learn of the changes at Mitchell Institute in Victoria University, which will see it cease to exist in its current form next year. For the past five years, the Mitchell Institute has been at the forefront of educational research in Australia. They have led inquiries and campaigns around:
- Value of early childhood education
- Opportunity cost of educational attainment
- Transitions into education and vocational training
- Teaching capabilities – like 21st century learning and enterprise skills
- Preparing young people for the future of work
- Collaboration between the worlds of work and learning
Chief Executive, Scott Harris said the changes would be a great loss to Beacon Foundation and many other organisations that work with young people, business and industry.
“For the past 30 years, Beacon Foundation has been an advocate for building better links between school and industry. However, we are often advocating on these issues based on our own firsthand experience working in school and community. Our organisation has benefited greatly from Mitchell Institute’s research, and have been able to draw on findings into sector wide trends and international developments in education.
It’s disappointing that the Institute as it stands is not continuing, particularly given the enormous interest and pressure on the education sector to build the skills and capabilities that young people need in a changing workforce.
We have had significant inquiries into education from David Gonski and Professor John Halsey, who have both stressed the value of school and industry collaboration to our education system. And government is slowly beginning to respond to these challenges and looking at how our curriculum to meet these needs.
Research bodies like Mitchell Institute have been valuable for us and our stakeholders, because they have given us credible, evidence based recommendations for how we can start to build opportunities for young people. This has been done in a way that consults with organisations like Beacon Foundation, but also with educators, specialists and business and industry. We have found that they have been able to be a real broker in bringing government, policy makers, educators and young people together to suggest change and to showcase real life examples of good practice”
Staff at Beacon Foundation wish exiting staff from the Mitchell Institute the best of success in their future endeavours.
