ACM Inroads: Archive

Overview

Australia is a country of 26 million people with the 5th highest Human Development Index (HDI) globally. Australian universities emerged in the colonial era over 170 years ago, based on the British model tempered by less emphasis on the liberal arts and more on providing skills for a developing colony [8]. Australian higher education is a highly regulated and relatively uniform sector dominated by 36 large public universities, see Figure 1. Private universities and smaller providers account for less than 5% of higher education enrollment. All 36 public universities provide a broad range of programs and grant PhDs across most disciplines. All programs must meet required standards within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) [5]. Universities are regularly audited by the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA) [31] and part of the requirement is to demonstrate that undergraduate (UG) programs meet AQF Level 7 requirements [5].

Domestically, Australian universities have successfully supported mass participation in education beginning in the 1970s with over one-third of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher [17]. Australian universities rank highly in most world ranking systems [17]. Australia is near South-East Asia and is an attractive destination for international students offering high quality education delivered in English. Prior to the COVID pandemic Australian universities had the highest proportion of international students in the OECD at around 35% [11]. While enrollments dropped in the pandemic, numbers are increasing and expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2025.

Australia has a long history of education in Computer Science (CS). The world's fourth computer CSIRAC was built in Australia in the late 1940s and the first CS programs emerged in the 1960s and were well entrenched by the 1970s [30]. Australian universities also rank well in computing with five (5) Australian universities listed in the top 100 for Computer Science and Information Systems in QS rankings [27] for example.

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) accredits almost all Australian computing programs and recommends that the curriculum be informed by the ACM curriculum models [1]. Australian computing programs align well with the ACM defined computing disciplines of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Computer Engineering (CE), Computer Science (CS), Cyber Security (CySec), Data Science (DSc), Information Technology (IT) and Software Engineering (SE).

History: Industry Needs for Computing Occupations

Computing professionals are projected to be one of the most sought-after professionals over the next few years as there are expected to be future demands and opportunities in the area. The strongest outlook is expected to be in software development, data and databases, and cyber security [25]. The National Skills Commission also identifies the significant "task change" across a range of occupations brought on by the impact of digital technology on the economy.

Table 1 summarizes the data from the National Skills Commission. The largest numerical growth is in the category of Software & Application Programmers. The largest specific roles in this category are Developer-Programmers and Software Engineers. This has the largest base of employees as well as the largest projected growth in terms of numbers to 2026. Further, the historical data suggests an increasing rate of growth. The next highest projected growth numbers are in the areas of Database and Systems Administrators, and Security Specialists. The largest group in this category is Systems Administrators, which is an area under threat of automation through cloud technology and a range of tools that facilitate provisioning and management of computing infrastructure, and this may underpin the decreasing rate of growth in this broad category. With strong problem-solving capability and technical skill in coding, data and security, prospects for CS graduates should continue to be bright.

Australian Supply of Computing Graduate Enrollment Data

The Australian Government Department of Education [9] does not provide specific enrollment data for CS but does so for the broader field of Information Technology (see Table 2). Undergraduate (UG) computing programs represent over 50% of enrollments. A program is the equivalent of a degree, consisting of 24 courses, subjects or units and taking three years of fulltime study. The total load of UG students at 0.7 is higher than postgraduate (PG) students at 0.6 and UG programs are up to twice as long as PG programs. UG programs constitute the largest investment in computing education accounting for around 74% of the total load. Based on program offerings (see Table 3), about 27% UG computing programs of studies will be CS programs. Overall enrollments have grown by approximately 50% in the period 2017 to 2021.

Structure and Focus of CS Programs

Computing degrees tend to be of 3 years duration with the option of a 4th honors year focused on developing research skills in high performing students. The Australian Computer Society (ACS) accredits all computing programs and does not differentiate CS offerings from other computing discipline offerings. The great majority, if not all CS programs, are accredited by the ACS in Australia which lists 35 of the 36 public universities, five private and two vocational education institutions as providing ACS accredited computing degrees at bachelor level or higher [3].

ACS accreditation requires a focus on a computing discipline or specialty and a capstone or integrating activity, often delivered in the form of an industry project. The ACS Core Body of Knowledge [4] also encompasses generic or transferable employability skills; project management, ethics, impact of ICT, working individually and in professional communication and professionalism in practice, are all core requirements for accreditation.

The UG computing degrees in Table 3 are identified by matching ACS-accredited programs against university websites and official online handbooks. A primary major or discipline is based on title, overall program aims and a brief perusal of core courses. Most programs match one of the eight ACM computing disciplines. It should be noted that while Information Technology is commonly used as an umbrella term for computing in Australia, Information Technology academic programs tend to be very broad, reflecting the aims outlined in CC2020 and IT2017 [2]. Sub-majors are also identified, being defined as requiring at least one year of Equivalent Full-Time Study (EFTS). Several programs also offer minors, typically of one semester EFTS but these are not included in the data in this paper.

CS programs are offered by 24 public universities either as primary or sub-majors. There are 64 unique CS variations identified as major/sub-major combinations. Table 4 shows the most commonly occurring sub-majors in CS programs. Prominent sub-majors are all in technical areas, the emerging areas of Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security and Data Science, and the more traditional areas of Software or Applications Development. All have a role in meeting future needs. Only Technical Entrepreneurship could be classed as non-technical. Most programs also offer electives and minors giving students some exposure to other disciplines and ways of thinking.

CS + X Offerings

Digital technology touches most domains of human activity and effective application of technology requires expertise in both CS and its domain of application. The ACM model recognizes this through Computing + X and X + Computing professionals. CS + X can be addressed by completion of sub-majors and to a lesser extent through electives and minors. Australian students can also complete double degrees, such as a Bachelor of CS/ Bachelor of Laws. Double degrees offer genuine professional level competencies in two disciplines and can lead to dual professional accreditation. They can be completed with a total volume of study that is less than the sum of the individual degrees.

Table 5 shows that only a few universities offer formal double degrees arrangements with CS but those that do cover a range of domains.

Employability of CS Graduates

The National Skills Commission (NCS) defines three categories of competencies needed in computing occupations: specialized skills, the tools or platforms used in the specialization, and generic or core occupational competencies (see for example the roles of Developer Programmer as defined by the NCS [24]. Australian CS programs generally provide graduates with strong technical skills. More problematic is the moving target of platforms or environments in which they must apply these skills. While there is an element of tool and platform agnosticism in academic programs, academia can lag behind industry in providing experience with some tools that may aid graduates to quickly become productive [10]. Familiarity with current technologies, tools, platforms or frameworks may be an advantage in gaining employment.

There are a few examples of innovative curricula, such as integrating entrepreneurial studies, or teaching through studio and/or work-based learning, but the anecdotal evidence is the uniformity of providers, the prominent roles of the regulator, TEQSA, and the professional body, the ACS, lead to consistent quality but little significant variation in curricula and teaching methods. UG CS education continues to be challenged by lack of gender diversity, funding, and the understanding and preparedness of students entering CS programs.

Productive professionals require not only specialized computing knowledge and the ability to apply this with relevant tools, but also business acumen, plus the communication and collaboration skills needed to work with people of varying backgrounds and knowledge [7,16]. Generic individual skills and competencies, foundational or transferable skills are often misnamed as "soft skills"" but they are essential to the productive workplace (see Van Laar et al. [32] who provide a good analysis of these skills under the banner of 21st-century skills). The ACM computing curriculum model [1] identifies 13 elements of foundational and professional knowledge: analytical and critical thinking, collaboration and teamwork, ethical & intercultural perspectives, mathematics & statistics, multi-task prioritization, oral communication & presentation, problem solving & troubleshooting, project & task organization & planning, quality assurance / control, relationship management, research & self-starter/ learner, time management, and written communication. These are important for all Australian CS graduates.

A conception of the well-rounded professional has emerged from computing practice as a T-shaped professional or graduate [19]. The T-shaped professional [19, 29] has depth (the vertical bar) of technical skills, as well as breadth (the horizontal bar) of knowledge in the form of skills that enable creative cross-disciplinary working across application domains (see Figure 2).

While T-shape professionals are continually developing in the workplace [12], higher education has an important role to play in laying the foundations and providing what they can to bridge the "real world" experience gap. Some higher education providers [14,22] and curriculum designers [6,20,21,26] have embraced the concept of the T-shape graduate. This is a promising way to think of programs, certificates, and micro-credentials, that incorporate the computing professional specialist and human capabilities required to apply learnt knowledge and skills to design solutions to real problems.

In satisfying ACS professional accreditation and TEQSA requirements, all CS programs provide competencies in ethical professional practice and include projects as capstone activities. Good capstone experiences bring together technical skills, application platforms, and the foundational, generic skills valued by industry.

Educational Innovations, Challenges and Opportunities

There are a few examples of innovative curricula, such as integrating entrepreneurial studies, or teaching through studio and/or work-based learning, but the anecdotal evidence is that in general the uniformity of providers, the prominent roles of the regulator, TEQSA, and the professional body, the ACS, lead to consistent quality but little significant variation in curricula and teaching methods. UG CS education continues to be challenged by lack of gender diversity, funding, and the understanding and preparedness of students entering CS programs.

Gender diversity is a widespread issue for CS [28] and has been a particular issue in Australia with low numbers and high attrition for students [23], and low staff numbers [15] for a long period. Table 6 shows the gender divide for the overall field of Information Technology for 2017–2021. There has been some growth but despite increased attention, female enrollments remain low and have changed little since the early 2000's. We would expect that Australian CS female enrollments are even lower than for the broader Information Technology category.

Domestic enrollments are funded by the Australian Government according to a formula that has provided CS with lower funding than for other sciences, or technology or engineering disciplines. This means that it is sometimes difficult to provide the resources needed for subject areas that require equipment, staff to support these, and higher staff-student ratios. This may be countered to some extent by healthy numbers of full fee-paying international students.

The teaching of computing related studies in upper high school has also been subject to fluctuation but the introduction of a mandatory, more technical Digital Technologies subject at year 10 [33] into the national curriculum, may better prepare potential students to meet entry requirements and make informed choices about CS as an option for tertiary study.

The opportunities for CS programs and graduates appear to be as good as they have ever been as the global digital economy grows rapidly and will likely continue to do so. Australian CS education is well placed to exploit this locally and in attracting international students to quality programs. Despite a long focus on stronger links with industry by both government and employers, there still appears to be considerable scope to strengthen these connections. Graduates will benefit personally through developing professional skills using contemporary tools and platforms, while the economy benefits from entrants better prepared for work.

Looking Ahead

The future of computing programs in Australia appears strong, as we move on from the disruption caused by COVID-19. Enrollments in Computing Programs are increasing once again, since Australia has opened after the COVID pandemic and many international students, primarily from China, are returning to their studies. All computing programs report high enrollments from both local and international students and many more computing positions for academics are being advertised. There remains a strong emphasis on the employability of computing graduates and Government funding is tied closely to employment outcomes.

This emphasis on employability has also provided opportunities for encouraging diversity in all university programs, but particularly in computing, as more emphasis is being placed on professionalism, communication skills and lifelong learning. The professional bodies, primarily the ACS, are under pressure to lobby the government for more funding since much of the success of survival during COVID has been attributed to technology for enabling enhanced online learning and most businesses to continue operating through the lockdowns.

ChatGPT has become a new technology of interest, particularly for assessments and learning support. As we head toward a net zero carbon economy, sustainability is becoming more of an issue, as the cost of electricity is rising but costs of fossil fuels are even higher. Once again, the technology and education sectors are becoming the driving forces behind lessening the disruption caused by the changeover to renewable energy sources. The outlook for all computing programs in Australia is strong as the demand for computing roles grows, and international education returns to normal.

Summary

Australian CS programs generally provide good problem-solving skills, depth in the foundations of computing theory, hardware and software operating environments and technologies, and complexity, together with a strong focus on programming and software development. Increasingly, programs are focusing on addressing the emerging areas of Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security and Data Science. Australian CS graduates should be in demand in a growing, and increasingly digitized economy. Greater focus on application with industry tools and frameworks, exposure to other disciplines and ways of working, recognition of diversity and development of non-technical competency areas of working may be the best avenues to enhance the capabilities and career prospects of CS graduates. There are challenges in developing more diverse graduates, in funding more effective learning environments, and in building awareness of CS in the community, particularly those that influence the choices of potential students. Overall, the Australian CS discipline is well placed to underpin the developing knowledge economy.

References

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Authors

Margaret Hamilton
School of Computing Technologies
RMIT University
[email protected]

Ana Hol
School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences
Western Sydney University
[email protected]

Joan Richardson
School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences
Western Sydney University
[email protected]

Jim McGovern
School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences
Western Sydney University
[email protected]

Figures

Figure 1. Map of Australia, featuring the Universities by State (Capital City)