Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 Outcomes Framework: First 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.

Results at baseline: 2021

• In 2021, the proportion of domestic VET students with disability aged 15–64 was 4.4%.
• The proportion of domestic VET students with disability aged 15–64 has changed little over the period from 2017 to 2021, remaining at less than 5% and ranging between 4.3% (2017 to 2019) and its highest point of 4.6% in 2020 (Figure 6.4).
• In 2021, the proportion of male VET students with disability (4.1%) was slightly lower than that for female VET students with disability (4.9%).
• There was a higher proportion of VET students with disability aged 15–24 (5.6%) than aged 25–44 (3.3%) and 45–64 (4.8%).

Latest results

Updated data are not yet available for this measure. New data from NCVER are expected to be available in 2023 and will be included in the 2023 annual report.

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 thus be treated with some caution. In 2021, disability status was unknown for 11.6% of students, a drop since 2017 (14.9%).

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 2021).

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).

Pre-baseline results: 2020

• In 2020, the proportion of domestic undergraduate higher education students with disability aged 15 and over was 8.1%. This was 3.1 percentage points higher than the proportion in 2011 (5.0%) (Figure 6.5).
• The proportion of domestic undergraduate higher education students with disability consistently increased between 2011 and 2020. Fitting a regression model to the data shows a modelled increase of 0.4 of a percentage point per year and a modelled increase of 66% over the reference period.
• The number of domestic undergraduate higher education students with disability in 2020 (62,900) was twice as high as the number in 2011 (30,600). Fitting a regression model to the data shows an increase in the number of students of 3,610 per year and a modelled increase of 108% over the reference period.
• In 2020, the proportion of male students with disability (6.9%) was a little lower than the proportion of female students with disability (8.8%). The proportion of students with disability in the category indeterminate/intersex or unspecified was 32%. However, it should be noted that the number of students in this category is relatively low compared with the number of male and female students (335 compared with 22,100 males and 40,500 females). This may affect comparability.
• The proportion of students with disability increases with age. While 7.2% of those aged 15–24 were students with disability, the proportion increased to 9.7% for those aged 25–44, 13% for those aged 45–64 and 14% for those aged 65 and over. However, it should also be noted that the number of students with disability fell with age. While 41,300 students were aged 15–24, only 310 students with disability were aged 65 and over.

Baseline results: 2021

Data for the baseline year (2021) are not yet available for this measure. Data from the Department of Education’s 2021 Higher Education Statistics Collection are expected to be available for inclusion in the 2023 annual report.

Things to consider when interpreting results

• Data on disability status are self-identified. 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.

Some of the increase in the proportion of undergraduate higher education students with disability since 2011 may, in part, reflect improved disability disclosure or data collection practices. However, currently it is not possible to quantify this.

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.

Results at baseline: Cohort 2017–2021

• In 2021, the qualification completion rate for domestic VET students with disability aged 15–64 for cohort 2017–2021 was 40% compared with 46% for those without disability.
• Between cohorts 2015–2019 and 2017–2021, the completion rate for students with disability increased from 38.5% to 40.0% (1.5 percentage points). For students without disability, it increased from 42.9% to 46.3% (3.4 percentage points) (Figure 6.6). However, the gap in completion rates between students with disability and students without disability was:
  • 4.4 percentage points for cohort 2015–2019
  • 4.5 percentage points for cohort 2016–2020
  • 6.2 percentage points for cohort 2017–2021.
• For cohort 2017–2021, completion rates for VET students with disability varied by gender but were lower for students with disability than for students without disability for both males (37% compared with 43%) and females (43% compared with 50%). The difference between male VET students with and without disability (6 percentage points) was similar to that between female VET students with and without disability (7 percentage points). However, females, both with and without disability, had higher completion rates than their male counterparts.
• For cohort 2017–2021, completion rates varied by age group, but were consistently lower for students with disability than for those without disability. The youngest age group (15–24-year-olds) had the highest completion rates for students with and without disability (46% and 50%, respectively). This age group also had the smallest difference in completion rates between students with and without disability (4.1 percentage points). The largest difference in completion rates between students with and without disability was observed in the 25–44 age group (10 percentage points).

Latest results

Updated data are not yet available for this measure. New data from NCVER are expected to be available in 2023 and will be included in the 2023 annual report.

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 2017–2021, disability status was unknown for 18% of enrolled students, a little higher than for cohorts 2016–2020 (17%) and 2015–2019 (15%).
• 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 2017–2021 who completed their qualification was 8.0% lower (or 3,800 fewer) than for cohort for 2015–2019. For those without disability, it was 21% lower (or 138,800 fewer students).

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 2021).

The desired population outcome of the Strategy is for there to be 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 2015–2020 are students who commenced their studies in 2015 and completed them in any year between 2015 and 2020.

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

Pre-baseline results: cohort 2015–2020

• Of domestic students with disability aged 15 and over who commenced their studies in 2015, just over half (51%) had completed a higher education qualification (undergraduate or post-graduate) by 2020 (cohort 2015–2020) (Figure 6.7). This compares with 55% for cohort 2005–2010.
• The proportion of domestic students with disability who completed a higher education qualification over a 6-year period has consistently fallen over time (Figure 6.7).
• Fitting a regression model to the data for cohorts 2005–2010 to 2015–2020, there was a modelled decrease of 0.5 of a percentage point per year and a modelled decrease of 8.2% over the reference period.
• Results for cohort 2015–2020 may have been affected by restrictions associated with COVID-19. The decrease between cohorts 2014–2019 and 2015–2020 was 1 percentage point, compared with the modelled average 0.5 percentage decrease per year.
• While the proportion of students completing a higher education qualification has fallen, the number of students with disability who completed a higher education qualification has consistently increased over the reference period. Nine thousand students with disability in the 2015–2020 cohort completed their qualification, compared with 4,400 students in the 2005–2010 cohort. Fitting a regression model to the data shows a modelled increase in the number of students of 520 per year and a modelled increase of 137% 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.
• For the cohort 2015–2020, the completion rate was a little lower for males with disability than for females with disability (50% and 51%, respectively).

• Completion rates varied by age, with the youngest age group (15–24-year-olds) having the highest completion rate (56%). The lowest rate was for the age group 45–64 (37%).

Baseline results: cohort 2016–2021

Data for the baseline cohort 2016–2021 are not yet available for this measure. Data from the Department of Education 2021 Higher Education Statistics Collection are expected to be available for the 2023 annual report.

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. Future reports will include data on the proportion who are still studying as additional context. For data relating completions over a 9-year period, see First 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 the latest data and breakdowns of the data, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | Higher education completion.