Australia in context : an international perspective on our higher education system

This Joining the Dots Research Briefing analyses Australia’s higher education system in relation to global patterns, examining important international statistics, particularly those relevant to current targets and trends. Although higher education systems vary widely, attempts have been made to cast them into league tables (see, for example Universitas21, 2012). While the Jiao Tong and the Times Higher Education rankings are the most widely referred to, they take only limited institutional characteristics into account. Clearly, the way in which institutions and systems are ranked depends on which measure of ‘success’ is given more weight. This briefing aims to give a richer picture of the input and output factors that influence the functioning of higher education systems internationally, with a focus on better understanding the challenges that lie ahead for Australia. It does not attempt to make qualitative judgments, but simply to enrich the debate by presenting the available data in an accessible format. This briefing focuses on the roles of higher educational systems at all levels, starting with the output of higher education to society, as indicated by student attainment and participation trends. The briefing also compares characteristics of the student body in terms of demographics and international mobility. We further look at the impact of higher education on work, both from the national and the student perspective. The final focus of this briefing is the financing of education.