Publication:Sea Talk Winter 2007/Defence creates pathways to higher education

By SBLT Leanne Sturzaker

In June 2006, Defence Education Training and Development (DETD) introduced the ADF higher education advance standing (ADFHEAS) scheme to allow ADF members to use their education and training gained in Defence as ‘advance standing’ or ‘credit’ towards qualifications offered by higher education institutions.

LEUT Glen Price found out about the ADFHEAS scheme in Navy News. Having the advance standing through the ADFHEAS scheme allowed him to ‘upgrade’ his Graduate Diploma of Marine Engineering to a Masters of Engineering Management at the University of South Queensland, which effectively halved the number of subjects he needed to complete for the degree.

“I am currently studying asset management, which is very relevant to my service career,” he said.

Who is eligible for ADFHEAS?

The scheme is currently offered to officers who have:

• Satisfied the requirements for the award of an ADF graduate certificate or graduate diploma (up to December 2005);
• Completed the current course or courses which qualify for a graduate certificate or graduate diploma (from January 2006); or
• Completed a mixture of old and new courses which equates to the requirements for a graduate diploma or graduate certificate.

A list of qualifications awarded on completion of RAN courses is available on the ADFHEAS scheme website, following the eligibility of advanced standing link.

What are some of the benefits of the ADFHEAS scheme? For participants in the ADFHEAS scheme there is increased flexibility in the start and end time for units of study, for the submission of assignments, and the taking of examinations to better accommodate operational requirements. Where possible, the member and the university can negotiate assignments and these can sometimes be workplace based. LEUT Price’s previous supervisors, CMDRs Greg Laxton and Rudolph Overmeyer, and his current supervisor, LCDR Alex Forgie, encouraged his postgraduate studies and provided much. LEUT Price found studying while on Operation Catalyst very suitable.

“I visited the Defence library at HMAS Stirling before deploying last year,” he said. “The library staff were very helpful and provided return post bags to mail text books back from the Gulf.”

It was fine to study via correspondence, as many university students were off-campus. In fact, LEUT Price will graduate without ever setting foot on the campus. ADFHEAS scheme participants may also be eligible for funding under the Defence Assisted Study Scheme (DASS) or Civil Schooling Scheme (CSS).

Which universities are involved? The number of universities across Australia participating in the ADFHEAS scheme is continuously growing. Currently there are 16 universities offering advance standing towards a number of their awards:

• Australian Catholic University
• Australian National University
• Charles Darwin University
• Charles Sturt University
• Deakin University
• Edith Cowan University
• Macquarie University
• Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
• Swinburne University
• University of Adelaide
• University of Canberra
• University of Newcastle
• University of South Australia
• University of Southern Queensland
• University of the Sunshine Coast
• Victoria University

The ADFHEAS scheme website provides links to participating universities homepages. Details of the awards in the ADFHEAS scheme and the agreed levels of ‘advance standing’ are also available on the website. The future The DETD is negotiating an expansion of the ADFHEAS scheme to include other ranks vocational education and training (e.g. trade and technical) as ‘advance standing’ into programs offered by higher education institutions.

Participating universities have indicated that they may include additional qualifications/awards within the ADFHEAS scheme in future; and other universities have indicated that they would like to participate in the ADFHEAS scheme. Asked if he would recommend the ADFHEAS scheme to other service personnel, LEUT Price responds: “Definitely - it is an opportunity too good to miss out on. What are you waiting for?”

Further information

• Internal: intranet.defence.gov.au/det/adfheas/
• External: www.defence.gov.au/dpe/adfheas/
• DEFGRAM No 303/2006

Point of contact LCDR Rod Cooper EODELS Defence Education Training Development Branch CP1-6-125 Phone: 02 6266 3565 Fax: 02 6266 3587 rodney.cooper@defence.gov.au