Department of Education (Australia)
The Australian Department of Education is a department of the Government of Australia, formed on 29 May 2019 and charged with the responsibility for national policies and programs that help Australians access quality and affordable early childhood education, school education, higher education, vocational education and training, international education and academic research.
The head of the department is the Secretary of the Department of Education, currently Dr Michele Bruniges AM, who reports to the Minister for Education, currently the Hon. Dan Tehan MP.History
The department was formed by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 29 May 2019. It incorporated the functions of the previous Department of Education and Training, with the exception that:
The Department of Education's predecessor departments have been:
The functions of the department are broadly classified into the following matters:
- Schools education policy and programs, including vocational education and training in schools
- Schooling transitions policy and programs including career pathways
- Education and training transitions policy and programs
- Youth affairs and programs, including youth transitions
- Pre-school education policy and programs
- Higher education policy, regulation and programs
- Policy, coordination and support for international education and research engagement
- Coordination of research policy in relation to universities
- Creation and development of research infrastructure
- Research grants and fellowships
- Childcare policy and programmes
- Co-ordination of early childhood development policy and responsibilities
