ESTABLISHING TEQSA EMERITUS PROFESSOR DENISE BRADLEY AC PROFESSIONS AUSTRALIA - UNIVERSITIES AUSTRALIA WORKSHOP ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE PROFESSIONS 2011 AND BEYOND 8 APRIL 2011

OVERVIEW Why do we need a national regulator? A new approach to regulation Current projects International implications? TEQSA

WHY A NATIONAL REGULATOR? Recommendations of 2008 Review of Higher Education move to a more open and competitive system in 2012 —“growth on one side of the coin, quality on the other” response to concerns about the evident problems with mutual recognition and fragmented nature of regulatory interventions support in the sector for an independent regulator with teeth to protect national reputation and ensure students get a fair deal TEQSA

PLANNING ASSUMPTIONS AND A NEW APPROACH TO REGULATION Should not entrench the status quo Transparent Regulation based on prevention Standards based approach Regulatory process has real consequences but is light touch on high quality providers Be able to act at course, cohort, institution or sector level A shift in direction to: greater power to intervene and enforce compliance combining regulatory and quality improvement activities TEQSA

CONSULTATION PROCESSES CLOSE TO CONCLUSION 1.Provider Standards: consultation on 2 nd draft undertaken – 30 submissions received and 80 attendees at the February workshop; 3 rd draft to be released for public comment shortly 2.Qualifications Standards: based on AQF, which was subject to a 20 month review and agreed by Ministers in March Legislation to establish TEQSA: legislation was introduced to Parliament and referred to Senate Committee on March 23; submissions to Senate Committee by April 13 and Committee will report by May 10. TEQSA

CURRENT PROJECTS: RISK MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK A new approach: – Institutions will be continuously assessed against a risk framework which employs both quantitative and qualitative indicators – Move to a 7 year cycle of registration and accreditation – TEQSA will take into account a range of factors, including the provider’s history of scholarship, teaching and research, its students’ experiences, its financial status and capacity, and its history of compliance – The institution’s risk rating will determine the level and frequency of regulatory activity TEQSA’s risk model is under development. Consultation with stakeholders will occur once a draft has been produced. TEQSA

OTHER PROJECTS UNDERWAY: CONSULTATION TO BEGIN SOON 1.Teaching and learning standards – draft discussion paper being developed. Focus on getting agreement on what we mean by standards and a workable approach to regulating them. Major consultation with senior sector representatives planned for HERDSA conference in July 2.Research standards – general approach agreed and project underway. Constructed around the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research TEQSA

OTHER PROJECTS UNDERWAY: CONSULTATION TO BEGIN SOON 1.International students – ESOS regulatory responsibility will transfer to TEQSA and details of transfer being clarified 2.Common dataset – project begun- aim will be not to increase reporting burdens for Universities but will have implications for other providers 3.Regulation of dual sector providers – work on commonalities between two systems and a more coherent approach to regulation for these providers is underway 4.Approach to conducting thematic reviews – project begun. TEQSA

TRANSITION TO NEW ARRANGEMENTS Legislation to proceed through Parliament Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) will transition into TEQSA on 1 July 2011 and AUQA’s current Cycle 2 audits will continue into 2012 State and Territory responsibilities will transfer on 1 January 2012 TEQSA

INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS Australian approach is new Considerable interest already from other countries - particularly Japan and UK General consensus is Australia is now at forefront of international attempts to apply effective regulatory interventions TEQSA