NATIONAL CONTEXT FOR LEARNING AND TEACHING

HIGHER EDUCATION PERFORMANCE FUNDING

Interim Agreement for Mission-Based Compact

In the 2009-2010 Budget, the Australian Government announced that performance funding will be made available to universities as part of the higher education reform package. The funding is intended to assist institutions in maintaining attention on the quality of teaching and learning and student outcomes as at the same time there will be rapid growth in the sector.

Universities will be allocated performance funding on the basis of institutional targets negotiated as part of compacts and set against a framework of indicators. The indicators will be related to the quality of teaching and learning, the student experience, participation and attainment.

The University of Sydney’s interim agreement for its mission-based compact with DEEWR can be found here. This interim agreement will provide a starting point for a dialogue between the University and the Government that will culminate in the first mission-based compact coming into effect from 2011.

Further information about performance funding can be found on the DEEWR website: Policy on mission-based compacts and on the interim agreements with universities.