Print this page2020 Schools Summits
You can be the voice of the future!
- Latest News
- Whats it all about?
- Voices of the Future - Schools Summits Feedback Report
- Voices of the Future - A message for schools (Video)
- Contact Us
Latest News
Feedback for the Australia 2020 Schools Summits has now closed. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated and was involved in this landmark initiative. The schools summits have been a resounding success.
- The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Deputy PM, Schools Summits media release
- The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Deputy PM, Speech given at the opening of the 2020 Youth Summit.
- The Minister for Youth, the Hon Kate Ellis MP, media release on the launch of the Australia 2020 Youth Summit.
- A video compilation of the Deputy Prime Minister talking about the Schools Summit at the 2020 Youth Summit is now available.
- The Voices of the Future Schools Summits Feedback Report.
What's it all About?
In the lead-up to the Youth Summit on 12-13 April and the Australia 2020 summit on 19 and 20 April the Australian Government invited Australian primary and secondary schools to participate in a series of school summits.
The aim of the Australia 2020 summit is to look at Australia’s future challenges and find innovative solutions by harnessing the best ideas across the nation from Australians with experience, accepted standing, credibility and authority.
The Australian Government sought to involve the whole Australian community in addressing these challenges. The level of interest and enthusiasm from schools and thousands of students across Australia has shown this project to be a resounding success. As the future adults of 2020, Australian school students have shown they have a strong and clear voice on the future of our nation.
Schools summits were held across Australia, from Mumbil in NSW to Kalgoolie in WA, Indooroopilly in Queensland to Sandy Bay in Tasmania. School principals, teachers, administrators, student leaders, parents and members of the community have been involved in this initiative, putting their time and energy into sharing their vision for Australia.
For their summit, each school was invited to consider the 10 critical discussion areas, based upon the format of Australia 2020 :
- Future directions for the Australian economy – including education, skills, training, science and innovation as part of the nation’s productivity agenda;
- Economic infrastructure, the digital economy and the future of our cities;
- Population, sustainability, climate change and water;
- Future directions for rural industries and rural communities;
- A long-term national health strategy – including the challenges of preventative health, workforce planning and the ageing population;
- Strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion;
- Options for the future of indigenous Australia;
- Towards a creative Australia: the future of the arts, film and design;
- The future of Australian governance: renewed democracy, a more open government (including the role of the media), the structure of the Federation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens; and
- Australia’s future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world.
Some schools conducted their own summits, drawing on the whole school community; others conducted online forums or facilitated classroom discussions. In one instance, schools from across an electorate came together, they set up working groups and facilitated ideas to flow from primary and secondary school students, principals, deputy principals, teachers and parents. Many creative entries have also been received as feedback.
TopVoices of the Future Schools Summits Feedback Report
We have now CLOSED the feedback facility for the Australia 2020 Schools Summits. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated and been involved in this schools summits initiative.
The summits have been a resounding success and have given the Department and the Government an impressive resource of student ideas, suggestions, reflections and comments. The feedback from the Schools Summits has been provided to the Youth Summit and the Australia 2020 SummitFeedback responses sent in from the schools summits have formed the basis of the Voices of the Future Schools Summits Feedback Report, launched by the Minister for Education, Julia Gillard on 11 April 2008.
A selection of artworks provided by schools is featured on the right hand of the page.
Schools Summit Video Presentation
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A video snapshot of three school summits that took place across Australia, showing the energy and enthusiasm that was put into this landmark project. Government, non government, remote, outback, regional and metropolitan, and primary and secondary schools participated in the Australia 2020 Schools Summits initiative. Technical help is also available. |
Voices of the Future - A message for schools
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This video message from the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and the Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, formed part of the background sent out to participants in the 2020 Schools Summits. The transcript of this video is also available and is recommended for accessibility reasons. Technical help is also available.
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Contact Us
Any enquiries regarding the Schools Summit should be directed to:
Schools Summits Secretariat
Location 12M24
GPO Box 9879
Canberra ACT 2600
If you have questions or if you would like more information, email the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations at schoolsummit@deewr.gov.au.