June 14, 2019

Review of the Melbourne Declaration: IRU response

The Education Council is reviewing the national schools statement known as the Melbourne Declaration.

Read the Education Council’s Review of the Melbourne Declaration discussion paper

The Melbourne declaration of educational goals for young Australians is the third statement from the
Commonwealth, State and Territory ministers to guide schools’ policy over the following decade.

In responding to the development of a fourth statement the Innovative Research Universities focus
at the intersection of the schooling system and the tertiary post school systems. We address:

1. whether the schools statement should be broadened to include education following school, to
   conclude that the schools statement should remain schools focused but that there is scope for a
   distinct whole of education framework statement.
2. how the schools statement should require school systems to be more explicit about the learning
   outcomes and capabilities of students at the end of schooling to provide a stronger basis for the
   transition to subsequent tertiary study and training.

Read the IRU response (PDF)