Other Grants Guidelines (Education) Amendment (Women in STEM) 2020

I, Dan Tehan, Minister for Education, make this instrument under section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

Dated  26 November 2020  

Dan Tehan

Minister for Education

Contents

1   Name

2   Commencement

3   Authority

4  Schedules

Schedule 1—Amendments

Other Grants Guidelines (Education) 2012

1  Name

  This instrument is the Other Grants Guidelines (Education) Amendment (Women in STEM) 2020.

2  Commencement

 (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.

 (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.

3  Authority

  This instrument is made under section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

4  Schedules

  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

Other Grants Guidelines (Education) 2012

1  Clause i.ii – interpretation (after definition of the Department)

 Insert, so that the list remains in alphabetical order:

2  Clause i.ii – interpretation (after definition of people or student from a low socio-economic background)

 Insert, so that the list remains in alphabetical order:

3  Chapter 1 – GRANTS TO PROMOTE EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Repeal subsection 1.5.1, substitute:

1.5.1 Programs in this chapter aim to assist with overcoming barriers to access and participation by domestic undergraduate students in higher education, in particular:

(a)     those students who are Indigenous, who come from a low‑SES background, or who have a disability; or

(b)     women undertaking study in STEM Fields of Education.

4  Chapter 1 – GRANTS TO PROMOTE EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Repeal subsection 1.10.1, substitute:

1.10.1  In accordance with item 1 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act, Table A providers and bodies corporate that are specified in section 1.180 of these Guidelines are eligible to receive grants under the equity programs specified in this chapter subject to any extra conditions of eligibility specified under this chapter.

5  Chapter 1 – GRANTS TO PROMOTE EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

After Part 4, insert:

PART 5 – WOMEN IN STEM CADETSHIPS AND ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS PROGRAM

1.170  Purpose

1.170.1 The Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program is specified as a program for the purposes of subsection 41-15-(1) of the Act. This Part also specifies matters listed in subsection 41‑15(2) of the Act in relation to that program.

1.170.5  The purpose of the STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program is to promote equality of opportunity in higher education, in accordance with item 1 of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act, by providing grants to higher education providers and employers, to improve the participation of women in STEM Fields of Education.

1.175  Program objective

1.175.1  The key objective of the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program is to promote equality of opportunity in higher education through cadetship and advanced apprenticeship models of course delivery that:

(a)     increase the number of women with  STEM qualifications in the labour force;

(b)     help women to upskill in STEM or gain job relevant skills to help build a STEM career; and

(c)     develop a pathway to produce graduates with practical workplace skills in STEM sectors vital to Australia’s future productivity.

1.180  Specified bodies corporate

1.180.1  The following employers are eligible to receive grants under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program:

(a)     higher education providers approved under the Act; and

(b)     bodies corporate that employ women undertaking a STEM qualification and enter into a deed of agreement with the Commonwealth under paragraph 1.195.1.

1.185  Grant allocation and distribution

1.185.1  The program has up to 500 employer reserved places to allocate to eligible providers over the 2021 to 2024 calendar years.

1.185.5  Each employer reserved place is equivalent to 0.5 EFTSL per annum.

1.185.10  Employer reserved places will be allocated based on the results of an application process conducted by the Commonwealth.

1.185.15   The maximum grant amount and grant period for a provider or eligible employer is the amount and period specified in their deed of agreement with the Commonwealth under subsections 1.190.5 and 1.195.1.

1.185.20  Grant funding for providers and eligible employers will be distributed twice per calendar year.

1.185.25 The total amount of tuition fees payable by a student enrolled in an employer reserved place under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program is the amount of the grant provided by the Commonwealth to the provider, and any tuition fees payable by, or on behalf of, the student (up to a maximum amount agreed in a deed of agreement).

FEE-HELP

1.185.30  Where a student enrolled in an employer reserved place under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program is paying some or all of their tuition fees for a unit of study using FEE-HELP, the provider must accept the grant provided by the Commonwealth as an up-front payment made on behalf of the student in relation to the unit for the purposes of section 107-1 of the Act.

Grant amount where FEE-HELP loan fee incurred

1.185.35  Where, but for this subsection, a student would have incurred a FEE-HELP loan fee in accordance with paragraph 137-10(2)(b) of the Act, in relation to a unit of study referred to in subsection 1.185.30, an additional grant amount is payable to the provider to be applied as an up-front payment made on behalf of the student, and is to be calculated as the amount that would result in the student’s FEE-HELP debt being increased by only so much as it would have if no loan fee applied.

1.190  Conditions of grant – providers

1.190.1   A grant to a provider under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeship Program grants must be used to achieve the objectives listed in section 1.175.

1.190.5   In addition to any conditions imposed by these Guidelines, a provider recipient of a grant under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program must also enter into a deed of agreement with the Commonwealth. 

Course requirements for all providers

1.190.10  A provider that receives a grant under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program must deliver a course(s) of study that meets the following requirements:

(a)   the course of study leads to at least one Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) qualification at levels 5 to 6;

(b)   the course of study can articulate into a related course of study at the bachelor level or higher;

(c)   the course of study leads to a qualification in one of the STEM Fields of Education; and

(d)   the course of study can be undertaken part-time alongside employment.

Enrolment conditions for all students

1.190.15  For courses of study delivered for the purposes of subsection 1.175, a provider may only enrol persons that are the following:

(a)   women;

(b)   enrolling part-time; and

(c)   employed by an employer that is specified under 1.180.1 and is in receipt of a grant.

1.190.20 Participating students can only be charged up to a maximum tuition fee for their course of study as agreed in writing with the Commonwealth in the deed of agreement under 1.190.5.

Reporting

1.190.25          Providers in receipt of a grant under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program are required to report on performance twice annually in the format requested by the Department.

1.190.30  These reports must include, at a minimum, information on:

(a)   number of students enrolled and the course in which they are enrolled for the purposes of the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program;

(b)   student attrition, progression and completion; and

(c)   any additional criteria in the deed of agreement.

1.195  Conditions of grant – employers

1.195.1  To receive the employer support grant participating eligible employers must:

(a)   agree to release participating employees for study purposes over the duration of the course to be agreed with the student and provider;

(b)   enter into a deed of agreement with the Commonwealth which will set, at a minimum, the maximum grant amount for an employer and the study conditions that the employer will provide for any employees undertaking study under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program; and

(c)   report on performance twice annually in the format requested by the Department.

Employer support grant amount and distribution

1.195.10  The maximum grant amount is $5,000 per student per year over the duration of the course of study within the program period.

1.195.20  Grants may cover expenses related to employee study release time, supervision, study equipment/resources and/or program administration.

Reporting

1.195.25  Employers must provide a report, in the form requested by the Commonwealth, as set out in a deed of agreement. These reports must include, at a minimum, information on:

(a)   employee(s) enrolled;

(b)   hours released for study (paid/unpaid) and as a proportion of work time;

(c)   and any additional criteria in the deed of agreement.

1.200  Conditions of grant – employers and providers

1.200.1   Before receiving a grant under the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program, providers and employers must enter into a restricted access arrangement as defined in the Act.