About the Department

Office for Policy, Research and Innovation

This Office leads the Department's policy development, research and innovation activities. It conducts major research to help develop longer term strategic policy for all facets of education. This Office also develops and promotes a framework for education innovation to ensure new ideas and methods are absorbed and implemented into mainstream practices.

The Office consists of six divisions:

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Youth Transitions Division

The key functions of the Youth Transitions Division are to:

  • provide leadership and develop policy to expand pathways and improve student transition to further education, training and employment for young people aged 15 to 24 years;
  • manage ongoing relationships with the Commonwealth, interstate counterparts and other government Departments, and liaise with Department regions, community groups and other key stakeholders, in support of the Government's post-compulsory reform agenda; and
  • manage cross sectorial initiatives to support improved service delivery to young people 15 to 24 years old, including LLENs and Transition Support Workers.

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Education Policy and Research Division

The key functions of the Education Policy and Research Division are to:

  • conduct major research and develop the Department's longer term strategic policy;
  • ensure the Department's policy development covers all facets of education; and
  • lead and develop cross system and key change projects across the Department to facilitate policy development.

The above functions have a particular emphasis on curriculum, learning and teaching, assessment and reporting, and school improvement.

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System Policy and Research Division

The key functions of the System Policy and Research Division are to:

  • conduct major research and develop the Department's longer term strategic policy;
  • ensure policy development covers all facets of education;
  • lead and develop cross-system and key change projects to facilitate policy development;
  • manage the Department's relationship with non-government schools, including facilitating direct relationships with the non-government sector and specialist areas within the Department; and
  • manage Koorie education strategy, policy and programs.

The above functions have a particular emphasis on school system policy issues.

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Innovation / Next Practice Division

The key functions of the Innovation / Next Practice Division are to:

  • develop and promote a framework for educational innovation to ensure innovations can assume scale and become mainstream practice;
  • stimulate and incubate innovation through pilot, communities of practice and national and international partnerships;
  • progress innovations in e-learning through pilots and partnerships to progress the integration of ICT into teaching and learning and school improvement; and
  • promote successful school and system level innovations.

 

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International Education Division

The key functions of the International Education Division are to:

  • establish and maintain ongoing relationships with overseas governments and global partners to facilitate knowledge transfer, trade and capacity building;
  • promote and manage cross-government and education provider participation in the international education marketplace;
  • initiate collaborative international education initiatives in key markets; and
  • administer the intake of international students into Victorian government schools.

 

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Commonwealth and State Relations Division

The key functions of the Commonwealth and State Relations Division are to:

  • provide services related to Commonwealth-State negotiations and both intra-government and inter-government relations;
  • conduct major research and develop the Department's longer term strategic policy and new policy required in relation to Commonwealth-State relations; and
  • contribute to the Victorian government's agenda in Commonwealth-State relations.

The above functions involve close liaison with central agencies, and will have a particular emphasis on the social and economic aspects of education, the development of human capital, the relationships and relative roles and responsibilities of the Commonwealth and State governments in education.