Education Minister Simon Birmingham has appointed a panel to review the Australian Qualifications Framework, in particular whether it “continues to meet the needs of students, education providers and employers.”

Veteran education policy expert Peter Noonan (Bradley Review, now at Victoria U) chairs the panel of Sally Kift, adjunct professor, at James Cook University, Megan Lilly, Ai Group and Elizabeth More dean of the Australian Institute of Management business school.  They will be joined by a nominee from the COAG education council and another from the COAG skills council.

The “review will ensure the Framework works as a tool used by employers and supports quality and transparency in our education system,” Senator Birmingham says.

A bunch of background is ready for them with a PhillipsKPA briefing paper for the panel (CMM June 15) suggesting the AQF is seen as a hierarchical training model which has not kept up with industry interest in flexible training pathways.