4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 2001  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 06/06/2001   
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Contents >> Education >> Definitions and references

Definitions and references

Associate diploma

    course lasting from one to two years full-time (or equivalent) providing skills and knowledge for those wanting to work in advanced trade, technical or associate professional occupations.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Basic vocational qualification
    award for completion of a course lasting one semester to one year full-time (or equivalent) providing practical skills and knowledge for those wanting to work at the operative level in various fields. Prior to 1993, basic vocational qualifications were included with undergraduate or associate diplomas.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Bachelor degree or higher
    a bachelor degree (including honours), a graduate or post-graduate diploma, master's degree or a doctorate.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Did not complete highest level of secondary school
    a person without post-school qualifications who did not complete the highest level of secondary schooling available at the time they left school.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).


Educational attainment
    measures the highest post-school educational qualification attained by the person, with qualifications classified according to the ABS Standard Classification of Qualifications (ABSCQ).
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Educational participation
    all persons enrolled and attending any institution with a primary role of education. Included are schools, higher education establishments, colleges of technical and further education, public and private colleges.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Full-time equivalent (FTE)
    a measure of the total level of staff resources used. The FTE of a full-time staff member is equal to 1.0. The calculation of FTE for part-time staff is based on the proportion of time worked compared to that worked by full-time staff performing similar duties. Casual staff are excluded.
    Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

GDP (gross domestic product)
    the current price measure which is the sum of all final expenditure, changes in stocks and imports less exports.
    Reference: Expenditure on Education, Australia (ABS cat. no. 5510.0).

Government outlays on education
    total government final expenditure on education services and facilities; government transfer payments paid for the purpose of facilitating education but not intended to be spent directly on educational services (such as personal benefit payments to students and advances to persons for the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS); and other miscellaneous expenditure on education by government.
    Reference: Expenditure on Education, Australia (ABS cat. no. 5510.0).

Government school
    one administered by the Department of Education in each State/Territory.
    Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

Higher education institutions
    includes all institutions providing higher education courses e.g. universities and university colleges, institutes of tertiary education, agricultural colleges, and some institutes of technology.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Higher education student
    a person for whom there is a full-time, part-time or external enrolment in a course at a higher education institution at the reference date. Data for proportion of 15-24 year olds attending higher education are from Transition from Education to Work (ABS cat. no. 6227.0). State totals are based on the student's usual State of residence. Data for higher education students and overseas higher education students are obtained from Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs administrative data. State totals are the number of students enrolled at all higher education institutions within a particular State or Territory. Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Selected Higher Education Statistics.

Non-government school
    any school not administered by a Department of Education, but including special schools administered by government authorities other than the State and Territory education departments.
    Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

Overseas higher education students
    full-fee paying students at higher education institutions whose residence is usually overseas.
    Reference: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Selected Higher Education Statistics.

Post-school educational qualification
    an award for attainment as a result of formal learning from an accredited post-school institution. Educational qualifications are classified according to the ABS Classification of Qualifications (ABSCQ) (ABS cat. no. 1262.0). The level of attainment includes higher degrees, postgraduate diplomas, bachelor degrees, undergraduate and associate diplomas, and skilled and basic vocational qualifications.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Primary education
    full-time education which typically commences around age five and lasts for seven to eight years. It does not include sessional education such as pre-school education. Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat no. 4221.0).

School
    an educational institution which provides primary or secondary education on a full-time daily basis, or by radio or correspondence.
    Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

School student
    a person who is enrolled in a school and active in a course of study, other than pre-school or Technical and Further Education (TAFE) courses.
    Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

School student/teaching staff ratio
    number of full-time school students divided by full-time equivalent teaching staff.
    Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

Secondary education
    education which typically commences after completion of primary education, at around age 12 years, and lasts for five or six years.
    Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat no. 4221.0).

Skilled vocational qualification
    an award for completion of a course lasting two to four years, and typically involving some on-the-job training, for those wanting to work in a specific vocation, recognised trade or craft that requires a high degree of skill in a range of related activities. Prior to 1993, skilled vocational qualifications referred to trade qualifications only.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Tertiary education
    education provided by any institution offering post-school courses. Includes TAFE, higher education and other post-school systems.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Total outlays on education
    total government outlays on education plus total private outlays on education less private outlays on education financed by government transfers.
    Reference: Expenditure on Education, Australia (ABS cat. no. 5510.0).

Trainees and apprentices
    persons undertaking vocational training through contract of training arrangements. Contracts of training are legal agreements entered into by employers and trainees who are engaged in employment-based training.
    Reference: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Australian apprentice and trainee statistics 1997/98.

Undergraduate diploma
    course lasting three years full-time (or equivalent) for those wanting to work as professionals or associate professionals.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Unemployment rate
    the number of unemployed persons in any group expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the same group.
    Reference: Transition from Education to Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Vocational Education and Training (VET) client
    a person aged 15-64 years for whom there is a full-time or part-time vocational stream enrolment in a TAFE college or a course provided by some private or adult and community education providers in the reference year. Does not necessarily equate to individuals, as some people may have more than one enrolment.
    Reference: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics: in detail.

Year 12 apparent retention rate
    the percentage of full-time students of a given cohort group who continue from the first year of secondary schooling to Year 12.
    Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).


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