MR MARTIN RIORDAN

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2009 Fulbright Professional Scholarship in Vocational Education and Training (VET)
sponsored by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Media Profile

“Improving higher education is one of the most critical issues facing Australia today. Bringing the universities, the TAFE colleges and industry closer together is crucial to addressing this issue.”

Martin Riordan, Chief Executive Officer, TAFE Directors Australia has won the 2009 Fulbright Professional Scholarship in Vocational Education and Training (VET) sponsored by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. This Scholarship was established in 1995 to support the exchange of research and ideas in VET between Australia and the United States. TAFE Directors Australia is the not-for profit peak body representing Australia's 58 TAFE Institutes.

Through his Fulbright, Martin will be hosted by the Association of American Community Colleges to visit selected community colleges across at least three states, including California. He will explore how industry operates in this college system, and look for examples of how companies might co-invest or collaborate best with colleges. He will visit the U.S. for three months at the end of 2009.

“Australia’s higher and vocational education sector is Australia’s third largest export earner, with an income of $14.2b per annum. TAFE Institutes need continuous improvement and to be capable of adapting to best practice in North America, and beyond to remain internationally competitive,” Martin said.

“TAFE Institutes in Australia are undergoing transition towards better integration between TAFE and universities. For TAFE and our applied learning, a key issue in this is what the best way is for industry and the community to operate together successfully.

“As Australia’s education system responds to the 2008 Bradley Review of Higher Education, and with the global financial crisis, the role of TAFE Institutes and their interface with industry will become more pressing. The community college system in the U.S. holds special interest for us, especially as more than half of all Americans rely on community colleges rather than immediately going to universities.

Martin has a MBA from the University of Technology Sydney and BA (Hons) in Political Science from Macquarie University Sydney. He has completed vocational education short courses at TAFE Institutes in Sydney and Canberra. In 2005, Martin received The Secretary's Award for Excellence as a member of the Parliamentary & Communications Project Team in the then Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).