The Mitchell Institute monitors the performance of Australia's education system, with a specific focus on developing and advocating for policies that reduce inequality.

Our work identifies who is experiencing reduced opportunities in education, the factors driving inequality and the policy solutions that will provide greater opportunities for all young people to succeed in education and their life beyond.

Key contacts

Peter Hurley
Director, Mitchell Institute
News

Report calls for student tertiary entitlement rethink

25 February 2015

Australia needs to move towards a single tertiary education funding system that treats all school leavers fairly, according to a Mitchell Institute for Health and Education Issues Paper.

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News

UK education and philanthropy leader shares ‘what works’

4 February 2015

The ‘What Works Network’ in the UK uses evidence to influence policy decisions at all levels of government. Mark Burford writes that an equivalent network could be used in Australia.

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Opinion

A new era in education: Transforming China’s university entrance exam

28 January 2015

Shanghai has one of the highest performing education systems in international rankings, so why is China moving away from a test-based approach to university entry?

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Four university students of diverse background with paper project plans
Report

Building a sustainable funding model for higher education

27 January 2015

In this discussion paper, Professorial Fellow Peter Noonan seeks to contribute to the development of a long term, sustainable and predictable funding model for higher education.

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Opinion

Federal government to take a back seat in education?

9 January 2015

Released two days before Christmas, you could be forgiven for missing the issues paper on government roles and responsibilities in education.

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Opinion

Where are curiosity, persistence & resilience in our school curriculum debate?

18 December 2014

Developing non-cognitive skills like curiosity and persistence are essential to a good education and need to be part of the school curriculum debate, writes Sara Glover.

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News

The personal touch: Lessons from Sean McComb, US teacher of the year

10 December 2014

US Teacher of the Year Sean McComb is in Australia to share the AVID strategies for improving the opportunities of disadvantaged students, who too often miss out on higher education.

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Opinion

Why the higher education reforms need to be independently overseen

21 November 2014

In the inaugural Mitchell Institute lecture, Victoria University Vice Chancellor Peter Dawkins spoke about reconceptualising tertiary education, with reference to the Abbott Government's higher education reforms.

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Opinion

Pyne V Carr: Will higher education reform become a 2017 election issue?

18 November 2014

Peter Noonan asks whether the higher education reform process will stretch out into the next election cycle.

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