“Professor Glover has long championed the importance of having strong links between higher and vocational education systems,” Universities Australia Chief Executive Officer Luke Sheehy said.

“His dual-sector experience stands him in good stead to lead JSA into its next phase in building on and strengthening JSA’s tripartite model to ensure universities and vocational education and training providers are working in partnership with government to meet the nations skills needs.

“Australia’s economy needs a strong pipeline of skilled workers to ensure our future success.

“Government projections show that more than nine in 10 new jobs will require post-school qualifications, while 50 per cent of new jobs are expected to require a university degree or higher.

“The cost of not meeting the target for university-educated workers in 2026 stands at $7 billion, according to our analysis.

“This is why unis and VET must come together to educate the people who will continue to drive our prosperity and ensure we can meet the challenges and embrace the opportunities in front of us.

“We look forward to working closely with Professor Glover to ensure our tertiary systems are working complementary to one another for the benefit of Australia and all Australians.”