Australia's high-quality education system is flexible and challenging. Internationally, Australian education and training ranks highly. Schools develop students' skills and confidence; university graduates are in many of the world's leading research, innovation and problem solving teams; and the vocational and technical education sector is competency-based and industry led. In international education and English-language training, Australia has developed a reputation as a world leader.

Schooling meets the needs of all students

The State and Territory governments have primary responsibility for funding government schools. They also provide supplementary assistance to non-government schools. The Australian Government is the primary source of public funding for non-government schools, while also providing supplementary assistance to government schools.

Roles shared by the Australian, State and Territory, and non-government school authorities include identifying national priorities for schooling; supporting the quality, professionalism and status of teachers; promoting national consistency and coherence in the provision of schooling across Australia; and identifying strategies for achieving these aims.

The diverse range of schools – government and non-government, urban and rural – gives parents and students choice in selecting a school best suited to their needs. There are equal learning opportunities for all Australians, with the Government's equity priority areas including people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, from rural and isolated areas, with disabilities, from a non-English-speaking background and Indigenous Australians.

Schooling in Australia is for 13 years. The preschool year is not compulsory, but is generally undertaken, with children starting at about five years of age. Primary schooling is six or seven years and secondary schooling is five or six years. School education is compulsory until age 15 or 16.

Teaching develops skills and confidence

Teaching at Australian schools is highly interactive. Students are encouraged to participate and to develop skills and confidence. Teachers are highly professional and university trained. Course content provides a mix of theory, pedagogy, discipline/content learning and practical classroom training. Australian teachers regularly participate in ongoing professional development to further enhance their skills.

The wide range of subjects taught builds a sound foundation for further study. The eight key learning areas are: English; mathematics; studies of society and the environment; science; arts; languages other than English; technology; and personal development, health and physical education.

Australian school students have demonstrated the quality of the Australian system by consistently performing at the top of international benchmarking studies, such as OECD PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment 2000 and 2003) and TIMMS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study).

The Australian school education system provides students with foundation skills, values, knowledge and understanding necessary for life-long learning, employment and full participation in society.

Further education is flexible and challenging

Further education in Australia takes two forms: higher education programmes offered by universities and other higher education institutions, and those offered by industry and institutions within the vocational and technical education sector. There is an emphasis on flexibility for the learner, and training is delivered through a range of choices, including distance education, online learning and self-directed learning.

The workforce is highly educated: one in five Australians has a university degree or higher qualification, and more than one in four holds a trade, technical or paraprofessional qualification.

Flexibility and quality define Australian universities. The 40 universities and over 100 other higher education institutions educate at the undergraduate and postgraduate level, undertake research and scholarship, provide expert advice and comment, and enrich the intellectual life of the nation. Over 700,000 of Australia's 20 million people were studying at universities in 2004. In 2005, Australian Government expenditure on the higher education sector was AUD7.5 billion.

Each higher education institution has a defined mission and purpose, modes of teaching and research, constitution of the student body, and range and content of educational programmes. They are closely involved with their local and wider communities, and play a lead role in engaging with the world community. The Australian higher education sector is highly cosmopolitan, with over 285,000 international students studying in Australia.

Australian vocational and technical education is offered by registered training organisations, including public Technical and Further Education (TAFE) colleges, private providers and community providers. Vocational institutions are aligned with industry needs to ensure that learning is practical and skills-based.

Australia's vocational education prepares individuals of all ages for employment; improves the skills and knowledge of those already employed; and meets Australia's needs for advanced skills in technology, service and commerce. This is supported by the Australian Government through training packages which link industry-defined competencies with assessment guidelines and qualifications.

The Australian education system encourages life-long learning. Students of all ages can further their skills or learn new ones, and employers can assist employees to do so through flexible learning pathways. Distance education is well developed in Australia and can be completed online, at regional study centres or through correspondence.

Maintaining and improving high quality

Australia offers world's best practice in quality assurance of education and training. The education system is subject to continuous checks and controls by government, industry and professional bodies to maintain and improve its already high standards.

Quality assurance in Australian higher education is based on a strong partnership between the Australian Government, Australian State and Territory Governments and the higher education sector. This partnership includes nationally consistent standards and criteria in approval and accreditation, external monitoring and independent quality audit.

The Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) is an independent, not-for-profit national organisation that promotes, audits and reports on quality assurance in Australian higher education. AUQA audits also take into account offshore campuses of Australian universities and offshore partner organisations when appropriate. In the vocational education system, the Australian Quality Training Framework provides national standards for the registration and auditing of training providers and for the accreditation of courses.

The Australian Qualifications Framework is a single national system that provides national consistency and flexibility for all nationally recognised qualifications in post-compulsory education and training. The framework:

• supports the development of flexible learning pathways, assisting students to move easily from one level of study to the next and to receive credit for previous study;

• assists learners to plan their career progression, regardless of their life stage or location;

• links courses and qualifications;

• simplifies international comparison and recognition; and

• provides an essential role in defining and enabling nationally consistent standards and learning outcomes of qualifications.

The level of service and financial protection offered to international students studying in Australia and their parents is unrivalled. The Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (the Act) requires institutions that provide education to international students to meet nationally consistent standards in education delivery, facilities and services. To ensure national consistency, every education and training provider that seeks to recruit, enrol or teach international students on a student visa, or advertise their ability to do so, must be registered on a Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. The Act also provides for tuition and financial assurance for international students under a range of different mechanisms.

The Transnational Quality Strategy (TQS) framework protects and promotes the quality of Australian education and training delivered in other countries. The Australian Qualifications Framework simplifies international comparison and recognition of qualifications, ensuring that they are valued and widely recognised. Many institutions also offer programmes that assist international students in their learning, such as Foundation Studies, Study Abroad and English-language courses.

More than 400,000 students from around 200 countries

Australia is one of the world's leading providers of education and training to international students. More than 400,000 students from around 200 countries receive an Australian education each year. Courses are offered both in Australia and offshore.

Significant numbers of students come to Australia from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, India and Taiwan. Students are attracted to the valuable skills, experiences and qualifications offered by an Australian education. Australia is a safe and friendly destination, a sophisticated and technologically-advanced society, and has a reputation for quality, excellence and reliability in education services. Additionally, Australian institutions have established campuses offshore and created innovative partnerships in other countries to successfully deliver courses in students' home countries.

Australia is culturally and linguistically diverse: one in four, of its 20 million people, is born overseas. Australian teachers and instructors are experienced in communicating with students who are not native English speakers. Students from around the world are drawn to Australia for an opportunity to learn English in an English-speaking country for study, work or travel purposes. In English-language training, Australia's flexible language-teaching institutions cater for every level. English-language colleges provide a wide range of programs including English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS). The training is well developed, and institutions that offer courses to students on student visas are closely regulated to ensure the highest standards.

Greater cultural links through education

Education exchanges between Australian and international institutions create greater understanding across cultures and strengthen bilateral relationships. Australian universities have strong international links, particularly with neighbours in the Asia Pacific. Australian academic staff are recruited internationally and substantial numbers of international students choose an Australian education each year. Likewise, increasing numbers of Australian students and staff are on study and work exchanges overseas.

Australian Education International (AEI) is the international education arm of the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training. AEI has 22 international offices which promote awareness and understanding of Australian education. AEI collaborates with governments to develop education partnerships of mutual benefit; inform the international education community of Australia's strengths in education, training, research and innovation; and advance Australia's reputation as a provider of high-quality international education services.

Under the Endeavour Programme, the Australian Government's international scholarships allow high-achieving students and scholars around the world to study or research in Australia. The Endeavour Programme also has opportunities for Australian scholars to research overseas. Also under the Endeavour Programme, the Australian Government supports exchanges within the Asia-Pacific through the University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific programme and the Australian Cheung Kong Student Exchange programmes. The Overseas Study Higher Education Loan Programme helps eligible Australian undergraduates finance their studies in other countries.