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In many ways, there is no investment more important than an investment in the future of our children and young people. That’s why education remains our Government’s number one priority.

In Victoria, there has never been such a significant concentration on, and investment in, education. We are providing children and young people with a 21st Century education to enable them to get 21st Century jobs.

Investment in education is increasing in several key areas: in modern buildings and facilities, to provide the best possible learning environment, in leadership and development opportunities for teachers, and in getting the regulatory framework right.

As a result, Victoria’s national and international reputation as a leader in education is growing: whether that’s in school education, in vocational education and training, or for our outstanding universities. Our Government has also invested in world-leading research infrastructure as a result of our focus on innovation, enabling our state to attract some of the world’s brightest minds to continue their academic work right here.

A little over a year ago, the Victorian Government launched our vision for supporting Victorians to learn from birth to adulthood. This revolutionary Blueprint for Education included measures from building skills and leadership qualities in the teaching workforce, to providing parents with unprecedented levels of information on school performance.

We have also reformed vocational education in Victoria by making our TAFE system more demand-driven – creating up to 172,000 additional training places, hiring an extra 900 teachers and supporting greater student choice.

With the recent rapid growth in the international side of VET, we have seen a small number of providers tarnish the sector’s previously excellent reputation. The Victorian Government has been quick to respond, working with the Commonwealth to implement a rapid audit program of high-risk providers. Under our new international education strategy released in September this year, the rapid audit program will be expanded.

Our $14 million action plan for international education: Thinking Globally was launched in September – both in Melbourne and New Delhi. It’s a long-term plan to support Victoria’s education providers, improve the information available to students, and help students make the most of their time studying and living in Victoria.

We will work with the industry to introduce a new student ‘buddy’ system to support new arrivals in those early months settling in to a new country, and introduce two new international scholarship programs.

Every student who boards a plane to begin their educational journey to Melbourne and Victoria brings with them not only their personal ambitions, but another link between our state and their nation. This link must be nurtured, assisted and valued.