▁in ▁its ▁research , ▁and ▁the ▁more ▁it ▁wid ens ▁access ▁to ▁all ▁members ▁of ▁society ▁to ▁benefit ▁from ▁the ▁f ruits ▁of ▁the ▁research , ▁the ▁more ▁it ▁supports ▁a ▁genu ine ▁‘ learning ▁society ’ ” ▁▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁newly ▁elected ▁Australian ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Julia ▁Gill ard ▁reflected ▁the ▁growing ▁divers ification ▁of ▁the ▁education ▁sector ▁in ▁her ▁cabinet , ▁by ▁abandon ing ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁a ▁traditional ▁‘ E ducation ▁Minister ’ ▁and ▁instead ▁sub sum ing ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁higher ▁education ▁into ▁a ▁minister ial ▁port folio ▁that ▁also ▁included ▁jobs , ▁skills ▁and ▁work place ▁relations ▁– ▁this ▁move ▁was ▁critic ised ▁by ▁many ▁high - profile ▁univers ities ▁in ▁Australia ▁who ▁argued ▁that ▁it ▁und erm ined ▁the ▁central ▁role ▁of ▁higher ▁education ▁as ▁a ▁place ▁for ▁learning ▁in ▁society . ▁ ▁Further , ▁advoc ates ▁of ▁the ▁‘ L ear ning ▁Society ’ ▁also ▁call ▁upon ▁partners hips ▁between ▁public ▁and ▁private ▁enter pr ises ▁to ▁expand ▁the ▁scope ▁of ▁education ▁to ▁allow ▁for ▁more ▁powerful ▁educational ▁learning ▁experiences ▁inside ▁and ▁outside ▁of ▁traditional ▁institutions . ▁These ▁partners hips ▁are ▁seen ▁to ▁increase ▁supp lement ▁fund ing ▁levels ▁( where ▁in ade qu ate ▁public ▁funds ▁exists ) ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁open ▁traditional ▁institutions ▁and ▁methods ▁to ▁technology ▁and ▁industry ”. ▁ ▁One ▁criticism ▁is ▁that ▁the ▁learning ▁society ▁does ▁not ▁actually ▁exist , ▁but ▁is ▁simply ▁a ▁tool ▁or ▁theory ▁invoked ▁by ▁powers ▁( g overn ments , ▁I