The New Metrics Project is a collaborative research venture between The University of Melbourne and selected forward-thinking schools to work in partnership to address the meta-problems faced by Australian schools today and in the future.

This is an opportunity for innovative school leaders to join with academic experts and international trailblazers to reimagine and influence schooling in Australia – to lead us away from the ‘grammar of schooling’ that continues to lock our schools into many of the distinctive features of the 20th Century version of education.

Australian schooling is ready for a paradigm shift and the development of new metrics to assess, credential and measure student and school success. Young people must now be educated and assessed in new ways so they are prepared for a very different future.

In this research-practice partnership, schools will work with experts at the Assessment Research Centre to access University technology to support the creation and validation of new metrics.

The partnership provides the opportunity to:

  • work with progressive school leaders who have moved away from the traditional ‘grammar of schooling’
  • generate new and validated assessment tools
  • influence the development of new policy
  • garner the necessary support to facilitate real change in schools
  • connect with national and international networks of like-minded leaders.

Introductory webinar

All interested schools were invited to an introductory webinar in October.

Download the New Metrics for Success brochure

Learn more about the program

  • Academic team

    The Melbourne Graduate School of Education academic team will be led by members of the Graduate School’s professoriate:

    Participants will be connected to the leadership team’s extensive local and international network, including luminaries such as Professor Emeritus Michael Fullan (Canada) and Professor David Ng (Singapore).

  • Collaboration

    Participants will work together on solutions to the big challenges that face Australian education and member schools. These challenges vary but often stem from the traditional organisation of learning, which includes:

    • age grading
    • curriculum devised around discipline content areas
    • reliance on summative examinations to gauge success
    • use of standardised testing in narrow areas of attainment to determine overall success
    • timetables organised around short time periods of instruction provided principally by subject experts.

    The collaboration will involve:

    • Participants attending three two-day conferences each year. The conference programs include keynote presentations by University academics along with workshops and masterclasses facilitated by academics, international industry practitioners and renowned school leaders.
    • Promoting alignment of policy and system reward and is expected to influence the development of new ideas about metrics for success for learners, schools and systems
    • Building the capacity and reputation of participants as innovative and progressive leaders
    • Accessing University post-graduate student researchers to support the collation and analysis of school-based data
    • Schools working with the University to develop and publish case studies that promote the program and the schools’ innovations
    • Providing each school with a project officer to help facilitate their engagement with the program and their collaboration with other schools.

    Program participants will have the opportunity to share their progress, receive critical feedback, and establish relationships with a range of schools, experts and influencers from across the education sector.

  • Governance

    An Industry Oversight Advisory Board will include representatives from the schools, education departments across sectors, principal associations and progressive leadership experts chaired by the Dean of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Professor Jim Watterston. It is anticipated that this board will provide opportunity for the work of schools and the research outcomes attained to influence policy at system and sector level.

    A University of Melbourne Project Executive will be chaired by Enterprise Professor Sandra Milligan and include nominees of the participating schools as well as Melbourne Graduate School of Education’s executive team.

  • Terms and conditions

    Term: Two years, with the option of a further two-year extension.

    Cost: $10 - $30K per annum, depending on size.