Department of Education (Australia)

The Department of Education is a department of the Government of Australia formed on 1 July 2022.

History

The department was formed by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 1 June 2022. It split the preceding Department of Education, Skills and Employment into the newly formed Department of Education and Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

Preceding departments

The Department of Education's predecessor departments have been:

• Department of Education and Science (13 December 1966 – 19 December 1972)
• Department of Education (19 December 1972 – 11 March 1983)
• Department of Education and Youth Affairs (11 March 1983 – 13 December 1984)
• Department of Education (13 December 1984 – 24 July 1987)
• Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) (24 July 1987 – 11 March 1996)
• Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA) (11 March 1996 – 21 October 1998)
• Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DETYA) (21 October 1998 – 26 November 2001)
• Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) (26 November 2001 – 3 December 2007)
• Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) (3 December 2007 – 18 September 2013)
• Department of Education (18 September 2013 – 23 December 2014)
• Department of Education and Training (23 December 2014 – 29 May 2019)
• Department of Education (29 May 2019 – 1 February 2020)
• Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) (1 February 2020 – 1 July 2022)

Operational activities

In an Administrative Arrangements Order made on 13 May 2025, the functions of the department were broadly classified into the following matters:

• Schools education policy and programmes
• Education transitions policy and programmes
• Youth affairs and programmes, including youth transitions
• Pre-school education policy and programmes
• Higher education policy, regulation and programmes
• Policy, coordination and support for international education and research engagement
• Co-ordination of research policy in relation to universities
• Creation and development of research infrastructure
• Research grants and fellowships
• Early childhood education and care policy and programmes

See also

• Minister for Education (Australia)
• List of Australian Commonwealth Government entities
• Education in Australia

References

External links

• Department of Education website
• Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Website