For institutions intent on improving their research student outcomes, it is important to identify the variables most strongly associated with timely or tardy completions, which the university has the potential to influence or amend. For this to occur the analyses of doctoral completion times need to be conducted at an institution or discipline…

The 2016 "Review of Australia's Research Training System" (the Review), conducted by the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA), included a discussion of the representation of equity groups in higher degree by research (HDR) training. The discussion had a particular focus on the low representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait…

The "Statistics report on TEQSA-registered higher education providers 2019" (the Statistics Report) is the sixth release of selected higher education sector data held by the Australian Government Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) for its quality assurance activities. It provides a snapshot and time series of…

In this paper, absorbing markov chains are used to analyse the flows of higher degree by research candidates (doctoral and master) within an Australian faculty of business. The candidates are analysed according to whether they are full time or part time. The need for such analysis stemmed from what appeared to be a rather poor completion rate (as…

Over one-quarter of all undergraduates attending Australian universities enrol on a part-time basis. This paper addresses the social, educational and financial characteristics of these students. In a survey in 2000, questionnaires were sent to a sample of 84,591 domestic (i.e. excluding overseas fee-paying) undergraduate students at 19 Australian…

Data presented on recent changes in student characteristics include matriculation and retention rates, full- and part-time participation, student residence and employment, course changes and perceptions, and attitudes toward personal development, vocational relevance of the curriculum, importance of higher education, and career choice. (MSE)

A study examined the difficulties encountered by first-year, part-time Technical and Further Education (TAFE) students that cause them to consider withdrawing from, and in many cases, dropping out of their TAFE programs. Questionnaires were administered to 4,150 early withdrawers (persons who dropped out between January 1 and May 16, 1986), 2,940…

A 1986 survey of first-year law students in four Australian universities provides a profile of student characteristics, including sex, age, course type (law only or combined), full- or part-time enrollment status, educational background, income, parental education and income, marital status, residence, and personal contact with others in the legal…

The key to improving the position of women in academe is improvement at undergraduate honors and graduate levels. Analysis of Australian enrollment trends in these areas since 1980, particularly in comparison with the United Kingdom, indicates gains have been minimal and the potential for further improvement is limited. (MSE)

Trends in participation of socioeconomic groups in Australian higher education since 1852 are chronicled, with attention given to the policies promoting expansion and democratization, social attitudes associated with part- and full-time participation, the role of world events and related social change, religion and gender differences, and…

Information is presented on part-time male students entering the departments of commerce, engineering, and science of the University of New South Wales in 1969. The major puroose of the survey was to obtain infomration relevant to the general studies program. In addition to asking the student his views on general studies, information was obtained…

A study of the transition of students to higher education in Victoria, Australia, is reported based on data supplied by the Victorian Universities Admissions Committee (VUAC), a mail survey of 1,300 applicants in 1980, and a series of extended interviews with a small number of applicants. A basic causal model for enrollment decisions (college…

In 2001, 1.76 million students undertook training in Australia's public vocational education and training (VET) system. Nearly one-third of all Australians between the ages of 15 and 19 years participated in VET. Over the four years from 1998 to 2001, the number of students reported as participating in the public VET system increased by 221,500…

A study was undertaken, in 1976 and for the three following years, of adult students in Australian higher education. The study examined: (1) the phenomenon of adult students and the extent of their involvement in higher education; (2) the politics and practices of institutions towards these students; (3) staff attitudes in the courses; (4) adult…

In the year 2000, approximately 1.75 million Australians (13.2% of the country's population) undertook some form of vocational education and training (VET). Of all VET students, 75.5% undertook training with Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and other government providers versus 13.0% with community providers and 11.5% with other registered…