A Snapshot of TEQSA

Dr Carol Nicoll Chief Commissioner

Festival of Learning and Teaching University of Adelaide Tuesday 6 November 2012

AUSTRALIAN HE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

172 providers129 HEPs (125 non SAA; 4

SAA)

40 universities

1 university of specialisation

2 overseas universities

High quality and relevant graduate outcomes

National regulation

(TEQSA/standards)

Professional regulation

(standards/QA)

Provider self regulation

(QA/QI)

Market regulation

(student demand, funding

schemes)

≈1.22m students (≈26% international)

≈1.15m in university sector

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LEARNING AND TEACHING ARE FUNDAMENTAL CONCERNS TO TEQSA

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Ensure national consistency in the regulation of higher education using a standards-based quality framework and applying three regulatory principles

Protect and enhance Australia’s reputation for quality higher education and excellence, innovation and diversity

Protect students undertaking higher education

Ensure that students have access to information relating to higher education.

Encourage and promote a higher education system that is appropriate to meet Australia’s social and economic needs

TEQSA’s Objects

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Basic Principles of Regulation

Standards-based approach

Regulation is based on the principles of:

Regulatory Necessity

Reflecting Risk

Proportionate Regulation

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STANDARDS FRAMEWORK

Threshold Standards

Provider Standards Provider Registration Provider Category Course Accreditation

Qualifications Standards

Other Standards

Teaching and Learning Standards

Research Standards

Information Standards

Higher Education Standards Panel:Responsible for development and review of the Higher Education Standards FrameworkIndependent from TEQSA

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TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE THRESHOLD STANDARDS

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Provider Registration Standards1.3 The higher education provider takes

responsibility for the quality of every course of study leading to the higher education award it is accredited to award.

Section 4: The higher education provider maintains academic quality and integrity in its higher education operations.

4.3 The higher education provider protects academic integrity in higher education through effective policies and measures to:

ensure the integrity of student assessment;

prevent, detect and address academic misconduct by students or staff, including cheating and plagiarism.| Slide 8

Provider Registration Standards cont…

4.5 Third party arrangements - ensure student learning outcomes are equivalent to those for the same or a cognate course of study when delivered by the higher education provider.

5.6 The higher education provider compares its performance on teaching, student learning outcomes, graduate outcomes, and research with other higher education providers, and uses regular, valid and reliable feedback from internal and external stakeholders to improve its higher education operations.| Slide 9

Provider Registration Standards cont…

6.5 The higher education provider identifies and adequately meets the varying learning needs of all its students, including

the provision of orientation courses and transition support; and,

ongoing academic language and learning support.

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Provider Category Standards1.3 The higher education provider delivers teaching and learning that engage with advanced knowledge and inquiry.

1.4 The higher education provider’s academic staff are active in scholarship that inform their teaching, and are active in research when engaged in research student supervision.

2.5 The higher education provider demonstrates sustained scholarship that informs teaching and learning in all fields in which courses of study are offered.

2.6 The higher education provider identifies and implements good practices in student teaching and learning, including those that have the potential for wider dissemination nationally. | Slide 11

Course Accreditation StandardsStandards for each higher education award:

Course design is appropriate and meets the Qualification Standards

Course resourcing and information are adequate

Admission criteria are appropriate

Teaching and learning are of high quality

Assessment is effective and expected student learning outcomes are achieved

Course monitoring, review, updating and termination are appropriately managed

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INPUTS ANALYSISMODES OF FORMAL INQUIRY

COMMISSION ACTIONS

TEQSA Act Threshold Standards

Regulatory principles - reflecting risk, proportionate regulation and regulatory necessity

TEQSA’s REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Information and Data Gathering

Regulatory Risk Management

Provider Case Management

Reviews

Quality Assessments

Regulatory Decisions

Regulatory Actions

Non-Regulatory Actions

National Register

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Regulatory Risk Framework

TEQSA’s Regulatory Risk Framework will underpin TEQSA’s regulatory and quality assurance activities.

It is a regulatory tool to assess risk to quality in higher education and guide regulatory action in response.

The overall risk assessment focuses on 3 priority risk areas:

Risk to studentsRisk of provider collapseRisk to national reputation

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Regulatory Risk Framework cont…

TEQSA is taking a holistic approach to risk assessment, balancing quantitative and qualitative information to develop ‘Risk Profiles’, and is committed to two-way dialogue with providers

Risk assessments will be undertaken annually

Risk assessments are not public documents

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Regulatory Risk Framework cont…

TEQSA’s regulatory risk analysts focus on range of quantitative and qualitative indicators, including:

signals about the academic culture in an organisation and its quality assurance program.

investment by the provider in senior academic leadership to drive and support improved teaching and learning in each field in which a provider offers courses;

sufficient teaching staff to support students and ensure a manageable teaching workload;

teaching staff with appropriate qualifications to support quality teaching and learning; and

admission standards, and progress and outcomes of students.

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Interaction with TEQSA

Material changes

CRICOS matters

Renewal of registration and accreditation, if necessary

Risk assessment and Provider Information Request

Quality Assessments

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Register of ExpertsDemonstrated expertise as individual, not members of a panelProviding input on specific, identified elements of applications or quality assessmentsWill not make recommendations to the CommissionInterim Register is currently in place Open and transparent selection process for the development of the permanent RegisterCall for applications opened 31 October 2012Permanent Register in place from early 2013Information on the selection process will be available on www.teqsa.gov.au/experts | Slide 18

What sort of regulator do we aspire to be?

Proactive IndependentFocused on preventionStudent welfare & outcomes centralConscientiously apply regulatory principlesRegulate a sector where most providers are ‘self-regulating’ & meet the Threshold StandardsDirect contact with providers to understand context & particular issuesListens & responds to constructive criticism – active stakeholder engagement| Slide 19

Further information and updates:

teqsa.gov.au

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