Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 Outcomes Framework: Second annual report

Improving pathways and accessibility to post-school education and training for people with disability assists them to achieve their full potential, and to access the same opportunities as Australians without disability (Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031). Having a higher level of education generally results in better employment outcomes and higher income, which are both key factors in economic security and independence (AIHW 2022).

VET participation

A focus for the VET sector is on providing individuals with the skills they need to get a job or change jobs. The VET sector supports the development of technical and employability skills to participate productively in the workforce (NCVER 2020). VET is also an important pathway for educational re-engagement for early school leavers (Lim 2022). The desired key system outcome of this measure is that VET supports people with disability to continue their learning.

Data are for domestic VET students.

Latest results: 2022

• In 2022, the proportion of domestic VET students with disability aged 15–64 was 4.1%.
• The proportion of domestic VET students with disability aged 15–64 has changed little over the period from 2017 to 2022, remaining at less than 5% and ranging between 4.1% in 2022 and its highest point of 4.6% in 2020 (Figure 6.2).

Things to consider when interpreting results

• Data for VET domestic student numbers has a relatively high proportion of students for whom disability status was unknown; results should be treated with some caution. In 2022, disability status was unknown for 11.2% of students, a drop since 2017 (14.9%).

For figure notes, see Appendix C: Figure notes and sources.

For the latest data and breakdowns of the data, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | VET participation.

Undergraduate participation

Undergraduate higher education develops students’ skills and knowledge to prepare them for more highly skilled or professional employment. It is also a pathway to post-graduate study. Undergraduate study in Australia includes an undergraduate certificate, a diploma or advanced diploma that is not accredited as a VET award, an associate degree, a bachelor degree or an honours program (DE 2022).

The desired key system outcome for this measure is that the higher education system supports people with disability to participate in higher education.

Data are for domestic students aged 15 and over at Table A and B providers only (that is, public universities and private universities that receive Australian Government assistance) (TCSI 2021).

Latest results: 2021 (Baseline)

• In 2021, the proportion of domestic undergraduate higher education students with disability aged 15 and over was 10%. This was 5 percentage points higher than in 2011 (5.0%) (Figure 6.3). 
• The proportion of domestic undergraduate higher education students with disability consistently increased between 2011 and 2020. Fitting a regression model to the data up to 2020 shows a modelled increase of 0.3 of a percentage point per year and a modelled increase of 65% over the reference period. The number of domestic undergraduate higher education students with disability in 2020 (62,900) was more than twice as high as the number in 2011 (30,600).
• Between 2020 and 2021, the increase in the proportion and number of domestic undergraduate higher education students with disability (2 percentage points, or around 18,500 students) was substantially larger than previous increases seen in the historical data. The particularly large increase in 2021 is likely due to changes made to the detailed disability categories, related to the implementation of the Tertiary Collection of Student Information (TCSI) System, introduced in 2020 to improve data collection practices.

Things to consider when interpreting results

• Data on disability status are based on self-identification. This means that if a student does not self‑identify, the student is considered to be without disability for the purposes of the data collection.
• Due to an issue related to implementation of the TCSI System over its first year of operation in 2020, enrolment numbers for students with disability were substantially under-reported in the case of several universities. As it is not yet possible to correct this oversight, the entire series has been reported as received. For this reason, caution should be taken when considering 2020 enrolment data for students with disability, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | Higher Education Statistics Collection.

For figure notes, see Appendix C: Figure notes and sources.

For the latest data and breakdowns of the data, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | Undergraduate participation.

VET completion

Experiencing disability can substantially disrupt the educational attainment of young people. As a result, course completion rates tend to be lower among students with disability than among those without disability (Fossey et al. 2015).

The baseline rates reported here are observed actual completion rates for the cohort 2017–2021 – that is, students who started their qualifications in 2017 and completed them by 2021. This cohort analysis is based on the assumption that enough time has passed for all students who were going to complete their qualification to have done so.

A desired population outcome of the Strategy is an increase in young people transitioning into further study, training and completion of qualifications. This measure focuses on qualification completions.

Data are for domestic VET students.

Latest results: Cohort 2018–2022

• The qualification completion rate for cohort 2018–2022 domestic VET students with disability aged 15–64 was 42% compared with 49% for those without disability. This represents a gap of 7 percentage points. The gap increased by one percentage point compared to the 2017–2021 cohort, indicating that the measure has not improved since the start of the Strategy.
• Between cohorts 2015–2019 and 2018–2022, the completion rate for students with disability increased from 39% to 42% (3 percentage points). For students without disability, it increased from 43% to 49% (6 percentage points) (Figure 6.4). 
• The gap in completion rates between students with disability and students without disability has increased year on year from 4 percentage points for cohort 2015–2019 to 7 percentage points for cohort 2018–2022.

Things to consider when interpreting results

• These data on VET completion rates have a relatively high proportion of students for whom disability status was unknown, and results should be treated with some caution. For cohort 2018–2022, disability status was unknown for 19% of enrolled students. This was higher than the previous 3 cohorts: 18% in 2017–2021, 17% in 2016–2020, and 15% in 2015–2019.
• While completion rates improved, the number of VET students with and without disability who completed their qualification dropped. The number of students with disability in cohort 2018–2022 who completed their qualification was 8.2% lower (or 3,946 fewer) than for cohort 2015–2019. For those without disability, it was 24% lower (or 157,401 fewer students).

For figure notes, see Appendix C: Figure notes and sources.

For the latest data and breakdowns of the data, visit Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | VET completion.

Higher education completion

Higher education in Australia consists of undergraduate (see Undergraduate participation for definition) and post‑graduate study. Post-graduate awards include a graduate certificate that is not accredited as a VET award, a graduate diploma that is not accredited as a VET award, a master’s degree, and a doctoral degree (DE 2022).

The desired population outcome of the Strategy is an increase in young people with disability transitioning into further study, training and completing qualifications. This measure focuses on students with disability who complete their higher education qualification.

Higher education qualification completion rates presented here are based on cohort analyses that track higher education student outcomes over time. Data relate to higher education students who commenced their studies in a given year and completed their studies over a 6-year period. For example, cohort 2016–2021 are students who commenced their studies in 2016 and completed them in any year between 2016 and 2021.

Data are for domestic onshore undergraduate and post-graduate students aged 15 and over at Table A and B providers only (that is public universities and private universities that receive Australian Government assistance).

Latest results: cohort 2016–2021 (Baseline)

• Just over half (51%) of domestic students with disability aged 15 and over who commenced their studies in 2016 had completed a higher education qualification (undergraduate or post-graduate) by 2021 (cohort 2016–2021), the baseline cohort (Figure 6.5). This is the same as for cohort 2015–2020 (51%) but lower than for cohort 2005–2010 (55%).
• The proportion of domestic students with disability who completed a higher education qualification over a 6-year period has consistently fallen over time (Figure 6.5). Fitting a regression model to the data for cohorts 2005–2010 to 2016–2021, there was a modelled decrease of 0.5 of a percentage point per year and a modelled decrease of 9.2% over the reference period. 
• While the proportion has fallen, the number has consistently increased over the reference period. Almost 9,700 students with disability in the 2016–2021 cohort completed their qualification, compared with just under 4,400 students in 2005–2010 cohort. 
• Fitting a regression model to the data shows a modelled increase in the number of students who completed a higher education qualification of 524 per year and a modelled increase of 154% over the reference period. It should be noted that the size of the increase, in part, reflects the relatively small size of the cohort of students with disability. 

Things to consider when interpreting results

• Of the student cohorts who had not completed their degree within the reported 6-year period, many are still engaged in their study, and have the potential to do so over a longer period. For data relating completions over a 9-year period, see Second annual report | Data tables: Education and Learning.
• The data presented for this measure do not take into account that some students with disability may be studying part time, which is a factor in completion times. For the student population as a whole (that is, students with and without disability), lower completion rates may be observed in the older student cohort as they are more likely to be part-time students (DE 2017).

For figure notes, see Appendix C: Figure notes and sources.

For the latest data and breakdowns of the data, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | Higher education completion.