If you are unable to download or read any of these documents, please email skillsconference2009@deewr.gov.au

The list of speakers is available for download:  PDF 515 KB | RTF 20 KB

Tuesday 3 March

Theme: Skills and the Global Financial Crisis—The BIG Picture—New Thinking

• Skills, Jobs and the Global Economy—A Comparative Perspective
  Professor David Finegold
  Dean, School of Management and Labor Relations
  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  USA
  
  Presentation:  PPT 828 KB |  PDF 424 KB
• Economic Update
  Dr Chris Caton
  Chief Economist
  BT Financial Group
  
  The global financial crisis has led to deep and long recessions all over the world. Australia has held up fairly well to date, but there is a deep sense of foreboding. How bad will it be?
  
  Presentation:  PPT 1.6 MB |  PDF 312 KB
• Innovative Capability in the Economy and Workplace
  Professor Roy Green
  Dean of the Faculty of Business
  University of Technology
  Sydney
  
  Competitive advantage in the global economy is increasingly driven by knowledge and skills. The world is not just flat, in the sense of being interconnected and accessible, but also ‘spiky’, because some places achieve superior competitive advantage through the innovative capability of people and their organisations.
  
  Presentation:  PPT 1.1 MB |  PDF 412 KB
• From a Vicious to a Virtuous Cycle—Global Perspectives on Skills, Innovation, Productivity and Shared Growth
  Dr Mmantsetsa Marope
  Senior Education Specialist - Africa Region
  World Bank
  
  Beyond macro-level productivity and growth, skills are a key determinant of employability, income distribution, poverty alleviation, shared growth and the reduction of social inequalities.
  
  Presentation:  PPT 732 KB |  PDF 594 KB
• Industry, Individuals and Innovation—Skilling Australia for the Future
  Mr Philip Bullock
  Chair
  Skills Australia
  
  There are expectations of worsening economic conditions in Australia and it is expected that the effects will be variable. Some regions, industries and groups of workers may be more adversely affected than others. However, there will also be areas of opportunity in terms of emerging industries and areas of persistent skills shortage.
  
  Presentation:  PPT 557 KB |  PDF 298 KB

Wednesday 4 March

Theme: Climate Change and Social Inclusion—BIG Challenges

• Growing the Green Collar Economy
  Dr Megan Clark
  Chief Executive
  Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
  
  The CSIRO is Australia’s national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world.
  
  Presentation:  PPT 2.7 MB
• Education and Action for a Sustainable World
  Professor Debra Rowe
  President
  U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
  USA
  
  Urgent global issues require changes in higher education. Students today need to do more than acquire knowledge and critical analysis skills. They also need the systems thinking and change agent skills to effectively change institutions and norms to help create a sustainable future.
  
  Presentation:  PPT 6.8 MB
• A Journey of Transformation in Vocational and Technical Education—the Singapore Story
  Dr Song-Seng Law
  Former Director and Chief Executive Officer
  The Institute of Technical Education
  Singapore
  
  Presentation:  PPT 9.5 MB

Thursday 5 March

Keynote Address

• The Hon Julia Gillard MP
  Deputy Prime Minister
  Minister for Education
  Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
  Minister for Social Inclusion
  
  Transcript of Speech
• Review of Australian Higher Education
  Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley AC
  Chair of the Review of Australian Higher Education
  
  On 17 December 2008, the Minister for Education, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, released the final report of the Review of Australian Higher Education. The report comprises a detailed examination of the areas covered by the review’s terms of reference and proposes a comprehensive package of reforms to Australia’s tertiary education sector.
  
  Presentation:  PPT 303 KB |  PDF 137 KB
• Beyond Skill Shortages and Unemployment—Nurturing Sustainable Approaches to Workforce Development
  Dr John Buchanan
  Director
  Workplace Research Centre
  Faculty of Economics and Business
  University of Sydney
  
  In recent years VET policy has been concerned, amongst other things, with matters such as skill shortages and boosting workforce participation. With the onset of the current global financial crisis it is almost certain VET policy will be recalibrated to respond to rising unemployment.
  
  Presentation:  PPT 662 KB |  PDF 248 KB