The VET International Practitioner Fellowship
The VET International Practitioner Fellowship program provides eligible applicants with the opportunity to travel overseas for participation in applied research to generate actionable knowledge, find solutions, and develop innovative practices that are applicable in their chosen professional field.
The VET International Fellowship (the Fellowship) program is organised and run by the International Specialised Skills (ISS) Institute. The ISS Institute is an independent organisation that works with Australian government, industry and education institutions to enable individuals to gain skills and experience in trades, professions and leading-edge technologies.
The ISS Institute has been supported and funded by the Department of Education and Training (the department) since 1999.
The Fellowship program is funded by the department as part of its partnership with the ISS Institute. Additionally, the department funds the Fellowship program to support the priorities of Skills First, which includes developing workers’ capacity and capability, innovative training practices and teacher quality within the VET sector. These Skills First priorities play a key role in the development of the VET sector and Victoria’s current and future workforce.
The purpose of the Fellowship program is to create opportunities within the VET sector that assist in building on the Victorian Government’s Education State initiative. The Education State strives to improve outcomes for young people and adult learners in Victoria by developing excellence and reducing the impacts of disadvantage on their professional pathways.
The Fellowship program provides successful applicants (Fellows) with funding to travel overseas and participate in International Applied Research (see below) activities relating to their chosen professional field. Participating in International Applied Research activities will allow Fellows to build knowledge, find solutions and develop innovative practices that are applicable in their chosen professional field.
Link to strategic priorities
The Victorian Government has invested $10.8 billion dollars across all Department of Education and Training portfolios to make Victoria the Education State. The Victorian Government’s vision for the Education State is to build systems and opportunities that provide young people and adult learners with the knowledge, capabilities and attributes to see them thrive throughout their lives regardless of background, circumstance or postcode. The Education State agenda is a key priority of the Department.
Skills First is the initiative representing the department’s commitment to supporting TAFEs, developing workers’ capacity and capability, promoting innovative training practices, and improving teacher quality within the VET sector. These Skills First priorities are essential towards the development of the state’s VET sector and progress towards the Victorian Government’s vision for the Education State.
The Fellowship program plays a major role in the Department’s priorities for the Education State and Skills First. By investing in Fellows to participate in International Applied Research, Fellows benefit from the learnings gained from their Fellowship activities. Such learnings will then benefit the VET sector’s development when applied in the Australian context, resulting in the fulfilment of the Department’s Education State agenda and Skills First priorities.
Fellowship Program overview
The department and ISS Institute will offer select International Fellowships valued at $13,000 each under the Fellowship program. The value of these Fellowships will cover the expenses associated with each Fellow’s International Applied Research (see below) activities.
Those that are eligible and invited to apply for the Fellowship program will support the continued development of a VET delivery focusing on at least one of the following priority areas:
- Developing quality training with deep and meaningful connections to emerging or ongoing industry needs; or
- Developing education approaches that address the gaps between disadvantaged learners and high-quality education and training outcomes.
For more information about the program, please visit the ISS Institute .
International Applied Research & The Fellowship Program
International Applied Research refers to solving practical problems through applied research and study activities. These activities are often used in education, training and across industries to generate knowledge, find solutions or develop innovative practices that are directly applicable to industry-related work. The Fellowship program invests in Australians seeking to undertake applied research and study outside of Australia and apply their learnings in an Australian context upon return.
International Applied Research activities conducted under the Fellowship program may include:
- Meeting knowledgeable industry leaders;
- Conducting interviews with leaders and/or workers;
- Observing and studying workplace practices;
- Immersing in new workplaces and environments;
- Undertaking specialised training; and/or
- Attending a specialist conference
Applying to the VET International Practitioner Fellowship
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To be eligible for the Fellowship program, applicants must be:
- An Australian Permanent Resident over the age of 18; and
- VET practitioners employed by Victorian Government contracted Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) including TAFES, private RTOS and Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board-registered Learn Local (LL) providers
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Applicants to the Fellowship program must complete the VET International Practitioner Fellowship Application on the ISS Institute website. This is the preferred method.
Applicants experiencing difficulty with the Fellowship Application Form may submit hand-written or Word applications to applications@issinstitute.org.au. If submitting via this approach, applicants should save their application file as their surname and the current year (e.g., Jones2022) before emailing it with attached supporting documentation.
Applicants experiencing difficulty with the above application processes should contact the ISS directly (see end of document for contact details).
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Applicants are required to provide their basic ID and contact information.
Nine (9) open-ended selection criteria questions must also be addressed. The questions relate to the applicant’s professional interests, proposed areas for skill or knowledge development, and how the applicant’s participation in the Fellowship program will benefit themselves and the broader community. Responses to each question should be between 200-300 words.
Applicants must also provide the following supporting documentation:
- Curriculum vitae (CV);
- One (1) employer endorsement letter; and
- Two (2) letters of support
Employer endorsement letter
An employer endorsement letter demonstrates that applicants have discussed their Fellowship application with their employer. An employer may be a CEO, director, supervisor or senior manager at your place of work.
It is important that employers understand that applicants may be the sole recipients of a Fellowship. Accordingly, employers should be aware that Fellows may be required to take leave from work, complete a fellowship report and seek other opportunities within and beyond their workplace to disseminate their Fellowship learnings to the broader community.
Letters of support
Letters of support demonstrate the relevance of a Fellowship field and how it will benefit the applicant’s chosen professional sector or industry. Letters of support may come from a peak industry body, a select industry/sector partner, a government agency, and professional association or a key partner. Furthermore, letters of support will describe how they may support the applicant’s Fellowship, express enthusiasm or lend credibility to the needs of the research being associated with the Fellowship application.
All letters of support should have an appropriate letterhead and be signed and dated by their provider.
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Submitted applications will be jointly assessed by the Department, ISS Institute team members and specialist industry experts.
Short-listed applicants will be interviewed by a selection panel consisting of Department representatives and ISS Institute team members. Interviews will be conducted in-person or via videoconference / teleconference.
All applicants will be advised on the outcome of their applications. However, individual applications will not receive feedback due to the large number of applications received by the ISS Institute.
Participating in the VET International Practitioner Fellowship
What are the Fellows expected to do?
Fellows are expected to use their $13,000 Fellowship payment to cover the expenses involved in undertaking International Applied Research activities overseas. These Fellowship funds must be personally managed to cover travel expenses and International Applied Research activities (see above International Applied Research & The Fellowship Program section). The duration of the International Applied Research component of the Fellowship program is typically two (2) to four (4) weeks spent overseas.
Fellows must arrange for leave with their employer to allow for time to participate in International Applied Research activities overseas. It is important that the employer supports the Fellow towards meeting their Fellowship obligations, as the Fellow is the main participant in the Fellowship program.
Upon being accepted into the Fellowship program, Fellows must enter a contractual agreement with the ISS Institute to ensure that their Fellowship obligations are being met. Subsequently, Fellows will participate in a Fellowship induction program. The ISS Institute will facilitate the induction program and provide ongoing support throughout the Fellowship period and beyond.
Fellows are expected to build local connections with the Victorian education sector to ensure that learnings from the Fellowship program are being shared within the VET sector as well as relevant industries.
Fellows must prepare both a brief and detailed formal Fellowship report documenting their research findings and recommendations for addressing their identified industry area. The report is to be completed within 18 months of receiving the Fellowship payment. The ISS Institute will assist in the formatting, editing and publication of the Fellowship report.
Fellows agree to be ambassadors of the ISS Institute throughout and beyond the duration of their Fellowship. This entails Fellows participating in activities associated with sharing their research findings with the VET sector and their relevant industry. All Fellows must complete three (3) dissemination sessions within three (3) months of having their formal Fellowship report published. These sessions involve disseminating Fellowship learnings and recommendations to industry peers, leaders and other relevant bodies and reporting back to the ISS Institute. Moreover, Fellows must agree (where practicable) to participate in speaking opportunities identified by the ISS Institute and/or the Department.
Past Fellowships reports
Please see below for the most recent VET International Practitioner Fellowship reports (as of March 2022).
Special Education needs is everybody’s
Felicity William
Marina McGrath
Victorian TAFE Hospitality Students Employability
Damain Shrivastav
Elizabeth Bonner
Additional ISS Institute Fellowship reports may be accessed .
Further information and support
The ISS Institute welcomes applications from individuals that meet the VET International Practitioner Fellowship program eligibility criteria. Any questions regarding submissions to the Fellowship program may be directed to the ISS Institute team:
Phone: 03 9347 4583
Email: applications@issinstitute.org.au
The department welcomes inquiries on the VET International Practitioner Fellowship program. Such inquiries may be directed to the Department here:
Reviewed 19 July 2022