The Mitchell Institute for Education and Health Policy at Victoria University is one of the country’s leading education and health policy think tanks and trusted thought leaders.

Our focus is on improving our education and health systems so more Australians can engage with and benefit from these services, supporting a healthier, fairer and more productive society.

We are informed, independent and influential, with a proven ability to identify current and emerging problems in education and health, and use evidence to develop achievable solutions.

Established in 2013, the Mitchell Institute is part of Victoria University, one of the few universities in Australia providing university degrees as well as vocational education and training. We share a strong focus on reducing inequality and the risk of failure within our education and health systems. Our close links with leading academics and institutes from across Victoria University allows us to draw on cutting edge research to inform and improve Australia’s health and education.

The Mitchell Institute is also home to the Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC), an initiative that brings together over 50 leading health organisations to drive progress in tackling chronic disease.

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Our mission

The mission of the Mitchell Institute, located at Victoria University, is to work collaboratively to develop and advocate for improved evidence-based health and education policy, to increase access and opportunities and reduce disadvantage in education and health for all Australians.

What we do

We work to inform and influence public policy and practice to improve the health and education opportunities of all Australians, in particular those in socio-economically disadvantaged communities. In order to achieve this:

  • We analyse evidence and data to understand how our education and health systems are performing; who they are supporting well and who they are failing; how policy settings are influencing health and education outcomes; and the extent to which international evidence and experience can contribute to improving the health and education of Australians.
  • We support and stimulate public discussion and debate to increase policymakers’ and public understanding of the key health and education challenges we face; the benefits to both the economy and society of fairer and more responsive health and education systems; and how these systems can be improved through evidence-based policy and practice.
  • We assist and advise policymakers to make better use of evidence in designing and implementing reform. We translate complex health and education system data into clear policy ideas; we engage directly with decision-makers, service providers and service users to provide a deep and well-rounded perspective on challenges that Australia faces; and we research international health and education systems to understand the impact of different policies and practices, and possible relevance to the Australian context.

Strong partnerships are critical to our work. We work closely with research bodies at Victoria University, including the Centre for International Research on Education Systems (CIRES) and the Institute for Health and Sport (IHES). The Mitchell Institute also leads the Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC), an initiative that brings together over 50 leading health organisations and 70 chronic disease experts to drive progress in tackling chronic disease. Our research connections are enhanced by our partnerships with local communities, and collaboration with leading health and education experts and providers.

Read more about our work and priorities.