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• Education

Quality school education is vital for individual potential and a healthy society. All children should have access to an education that is responsive to their needs as well as upholding high academic standards. CIS’s research focus is on policies that improve the quality of teaching and student outcomes.

Job-ready Graduates 2.0: The Universities Accord and centralised control of universities and courses
Andrew NortonNovember 16, 2023AP58

Summary Australia’s graduate labour market does not always seem to function well. Graduates with degrees...

Mississippi’s Education Success: A Model for Australia | Carey Wright | Jennifer Buckingham
Glenn Fahey, Carey Wright , Jennifer Buckingham OAMNovember 15, 2023

In recent years, Australia has grappled with disappointing education outcomes, with around four in 10...

Are We Failing Our Kids?
October 27, 2023Liberalism in Question

Mr. Nicholas Sampson, the eighth headmaster of Cranbrook School, has been dedicated to preserving the...

The Need For Speed: why fluency counts for maths learning
Toni Hatten-RobertsOctober 19, 2023AP57

1. Introduction Australia has a problem in maths achievement which is shown in stark relief...

Conduct Becoming. The importance of the Behaviour Curriculum
Tom BennettOctober 5, 2023AP56

Introduction Behaviour in many schools in the UK is often far below what it could...

Submission to the Legislative Council Inquiry into the State Education System in Victoria
Trisha JhaOctober 4, 2023

Introduction The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is a leading independent public policy think...

A House Divided: The AFRB and China’s Subnational Diplomacy in Australia
Salvatore BabonesNovember 12, 2020AP17

This paper examines China’s subnational diplomacy in Australia and the suitability of Australia’s Foreign Relations...

Parents’ perspectives on home-based learning in the covid-19 pandemic
Glenn Fahey, Blaise JosephSeptember 30, 2020AP15

School closures during the covid-19 pandemic temporarily shifted schooling from the classroom to the home....

Pain without gain: Why school closures are bad policy
Blaise Joseph, Glenn FaheyMay 24, 2020PP28

The decision by state and territory governments to strongly advise parents to keep their children...

Australia’s Export Exposure to China’s Coronavirus Epidemic
Salvatore BabonesFebruary 18, 2020AP7

This paper estimates the direct and immediate effects of the coronavirus epidemic on the revenues...

What Do Parents Want From Schools?
Glenn FaheyNovember 20, 2019PP26

Educational freedom and proper use of resources are both crucial in producing the best outcomes...

What Do Parents Want? Australian childcare preferences and attitudes
Eugenie Joseph, Fiona MuellerSeptember 10, 2019PP22

Many Australian families rely on formal and informal childcare to enable them to take on...

It’s through high-quality education that society’s inequities are meaningfully addressed
Glenn FaheyAugust 22, 2023ABC

Reducing inequities is a worthy ambition in education policy and practice — but delivering a...

Uni shake-up mustn’t reheat the Gonski fallacy
Glenn FaheyJuly 26, 2023AFR

A new Gonski-style funding model for universities will not improve higher education outcomes, but will...

Harvard University affirmative action reveals flaw in zero-sum equality push
Simon CowanJuly 15, 2023CANBERRA TIMES

In a heavily anticipated decision, the United States Supreme Court recently ruled that two major...

Education overhaul for teachers a long time coming
Glenn FaheyJuly 11, 2023THE AUSTRALIAN

The proposed overhaul to teacher training will mean better prepared teachers and a greater expectation...

Meritocracy
A great court victory for meritocracy
Steven SchwartzJune 30, 2023AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

The United States Supreme Court’s meritocracy verdict in favour of Students for Fair Admissions has...

Help may be on way for graduate teachers who don’t feel class-ready
Glenn FaheyJune 13, 2023ABC

Later this month, the federal government’s Teacher Education Expert Panel will hand down what promises...

Behind Every Great Teacher Is a Great System | David Didau, Jenny Donovan & Trisha Jha
Trisha Jha, David Didau, Jenny DonovanMarch 20, 2026

David Didau — education consultant, teacher trainer, and author of Making Kids Cleverer and Intelligent...

Education Reform That Works: Insights from UK, New Zealand & Australia
Glenn Fahey, Nick Gibb, Jason Clare MPDecember 8, 2025

Three leading education ministers — Sir Nick Gibb (UK), Erica Stanford (New Zealand), and Jason...

What do teachers believe about learning? | Trisha Jha
Trisha JhaNovember 6, 2025

This report presents findings from literature about what teachers believe about how students learn: the...

Restoring Excellence in Australian Education | Senator Jonathon Duniam
Glenn FaheyOctober 3, 2025

At this Centre for Independent Studies forum, Shadow Federal Minister for Education Senator Jonathon Duniam...

Evidence vs Ideology: Why the Science of Learning Matters?
Doctor Carl Hendrick, Doctor Simon Breakspear, Glenn FaheyJune 26, 2025

As Australian student outcomes decline and education inequality persists, a growing movement is challenging the...

The science of learning will set students free | Glenn Fahey
Robert Forsyth, Glenn FaheyJune 13, 2025

Robert Forsyth interviews Glenn Fahey, director of the education program at the Centre for Independent...

Submission to Senate Education and Employment References Committee
Michael Wu October 22, 2025CIS

Despite good intentions, Australia’s Early Childhood Education and Care system has expanded well beyond its...

Submission to the Productivity Commission’s Interim Report on Building a Skilled and Adaptable Workforce
Trisha JhaSeptember 18, 2025

Submission at a glance 1. Achieving written curriculum quality is a necessary step for long-term...

Submission to the Independent Review of Education in Tasmania
Trisha JhaOctober 4, 2024

Introduction The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is a leading independent public policy think tank...

Submission to the Inquiry into Literacy and Numeracy in ACT Public Schools
Trisha JhaFebruary 27, 2024

This submission does not directly seek to answer the 20 questions posted in the Consultation...

Submission to the Legislative Council Inquiry into the State Education System in Victoria
Trisha JhaOctober 4, 2023

Introduction The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is a leading independent public policy think...

Submission to the NSW Curriculum Review Interim Report Consultations
Fiona MuellerDecember 1, 2019

The NSW Government commissioned a review of the state’s curriculum in September, 2018, to be...

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