Australia's incremental improvement policy

When institutions or entire countries seek change in any sector, the question becomes one of should the strategy be revolutionary or evolutionary? In higher education, where vested and independent interests often undermine change, choosing a strategy is perhaps even more important than other sectors.

Australia is working toward a new accountability system for its higher education sector that rewards campuses based on achieving retention, graduation, and satisfaction measures. Those involved with the new system indicate, "We're pretty certain... the model is fair and feasible and can be operated safely by all universities, irrespective of the catchment of students or the subject mix," with the hope of avoiding "perverse outcomes such as making the sector more uniform."

Statements such as the above portray an incremental and contextualized approach to policy transfer and implementation. Change in complex systems where avoiding sabotage and unknowable side-effects is key, Australia may have an approach that will work.