National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund (NPILF)

The National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund (NPILF) is a part of the Job-ready Graduates package of higher education reforms. The NPILF allocates grants to universities to help engage industry to produce job-ready graduates. It focuses on the following three priorities:

• Increase the number of internships, practicums, and other innovative approaches to work-integrated learning
• Increase the number of STEM-skilled graduates and improve their employment outcomes
• Support universities to develop and strengthen partnerships with industry.

The program is flexible and tailored to the individual circumstances of universities. It encourages innovation by using industry-linked teaching models and supporting best practice.

NPILF pilot

2021 was a learning year, which focused on helping universities to understand requirements and prepare for the pilot. This included developing plans with proposed metrics and case study topics supporting the program’s priority areas.

The NPILF three-year pilot will run from 2022 to 2024. University NPILF plans for this pilot period have been finalised and are currently being implemented.

The NPILF Guidance Document helps universities to understand:

• the design of the fund and how it will work in the pilot phase
• the program requirements
• guidance on implementation activities.

If you have any questions on the NPILF, please direct your enquiry to npilf@education.gov.au

NPILF design and consultations

The former Minister for Education appointed a working group of university Vice-Chancellors on 1 July 2020 to advise on the design and implementation of the NPILF. The working group was chaired by Professor Attila Brungs, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Technology Sydney.

Following a consultation process, the working group produced the NPILF Final Report. The report outlines the intent of the NPILF and recommends a framework for implementation.

NPILF funding

The NPILF was established under the Other Grant Guidelines (Education) Amendment (No.3) 2020, made under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA). The Other Grant Guidelines (Education) 2012 were superseded by the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022 on 17 March 2022.

As provided for under these legislative guidelines, from 2021 to 2024, Table A higher education providers receive an NPILF grant amount which corresponds to the number of CSPs they are allocated each year, based on the last year of verifiable data. The funding amounts are indexed by CPI in line with broader HESA provisions. Funding amounts are outlined in the table below: