Education Minister Alan Tudge will commission advice on uni-industry collaboration in teaching and learning to “further ensure future graduates are work-ready”

Former Victoria U vice chancellor Peter Dawkins and imminently-ex RMIT head Martin Bean will have charge of the project, expected to be announced by Mr Tudge at the Universities Australia conference today.

Their brief will include ways undergraduates who acquire industry-experience can earn course credits.

The review will “build on” the NSW VET review by Peter Shergold and David Gonski which included a proposal for employers to have “a more influential role” in planning and designing courses. (They also proposed an income contingent loan for Certificates III and IV study “in priority skills areas” but this may not be the bit Mr Tudge has in mind, CMM March 9).

But isn’t this part of what the National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund is supposed to do? One of its three tasks is to, “increase the number of internships, practicums, and other innovative approaches to work-integrated learning.”