Quality Assurance in Higher Education Rebecca Liebel AEI Germany 18th September 2006

Presentation Overview The Higher education sector The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Quality assurance processes

Higher Education Sector The National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes that guide State and Territory legislation processes. AQF registers States & Territories Responsible for regulation of non-university higher education providers. Comply with The National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes

Higher Education Sector The Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) A) university audits conducted on a 5 year rolling cycle; assessing universities against their own missions & objectives. B) auditing the State & Territory bodies that regulate the accreditation of other higher education providers. C) Strengthening audit function of Australian offshore higher education provision by 2005 Universities - External examiners - The Australian Vice Chancellor’s Committee (AVCC)  Code of Practice for academic quality  Guidelines for course development

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) forms the foundation for the regulation of qualifications brings together the qualifications issued by the different sectors of the Australian education and training system into a nationally consistent, comprehensive structure of educational awards plays an essential role in defining the standards of qualifications helps students and families understand the available pathways across the sectors Institutions in each sector wishing to award AQF qualifications or offer courses leading to an AQF qualification must meet certain registration and course accreditation criteria. These measures are underpinned by Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation. The institutions and accreditation authorities on the AQF registers have the full endorsement of Australian Commonwealth, State and Territory education ministers and the registers therefore help to safeguard the integrity of Australian education and training by identifying bona fide institutions and accreditation authorities. The registers are publicly available at http://www.aqf.edu.au/register.htm.

The Australian Qualifications Framework The Framework comprises: agreed national guidelines for each of the current thirteen national qualifications principles for articulation and credit transfer; protocols for issuing qualifications registers of authorities empowered by State / Territory governments to accredit qualifications and providers and to issue qualifications. The Australian Qualfications Framework is the key national policy instrument to protect the quality of Australian education and training.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Schools Sector VET Sector Higher Education Sector Senior Secondary Certificate of Education   Doctoral degree Masters degree Graduate Diploma Graduate Certificate Bachelor degree Advanced Diploma Advanced Diploma, Associate Degree Diploma Certificate IV Certificate III Certificate II Certificate I

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)

Quality assurance processes operating in each sector National policy frameworks State and Territory legislative frameworks Robust tradition of self-regulation and continuous improvement at institutional level

Regulations and Legislation The international study sector is regulated by the following: The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 The National Code of Practice The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)

ESOS Act The primary Federal legislation regulating education provided to students studying on a student Visa in Australia It is the responsibility of the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST)

ESOS Act The Act: establishes the National code which sets standards of conduct for providers and their agents; Contains consumer protection provisions; Establishes the Tuition Assurance Scheme; and Establishes the ESOS Assurance Fund

ESOS Act Provides that registered education providers are responsible for their agents regarding: the provision of marketing and student information; and the recruiting and placing of students in a course Hence Agents must: understand the Act and the National Code; and take clear instructions from the institution they represent

Consumer Protection under ESOS The provisions come into play should a school close suddenly for any reason (fire, financial distress etc) According to the provisions a provider must: provide the student a refund if the course doesn’t begin when agreed or ceases to be provided after commencement; or Place the student in a new, alternative course after obtaining the student’s consent

Tuition Assurance Scheme most providers belong to such a scheme scheme members will provide an alternative course place at no extra cost if a refund cannot be provided to the student

ESOS Assurance Fund an additional level of consumer protection when a student’s institution ceases to exist all non-exempt private institutions must contribute a student’s claim is referred to this fund after all other options have been exhausted If the fund manager can’t place the student in an alternate course a refund may be provided

Exempt Providers The following providers are exempt. Students are assured that they will receive tuition or a refund. Government funded schools Publicly funded institutions TAFES

Agent Responsibility If approached by students regarding an institution’s closure, agents are to refer students to the provider’s Tuition Assurance Scheme Agents should be aware that a student’s failure to accept a suitable alternative course may result in his/her ineligibility for a refund.

Tourist Visas and Study Students may partake in a short course of study up to 3 months duration on a tourist visa. The ESOS Act does not regulate provision of services to these students.

The National Code A set of standards with legal force Regulates the conduct of educational institutions that enrol international students The Code places clear responsibilities on all educational institutions The Code makes an Agent’s behaviour the direct responsibility of the education provider

Agent Responsibility under the Code Under the National Code an agent must act responsibly towards prospective students. Examples of Agents’ responsibilities (non-exhaustive): Honest marketing of education and training services Provision of accurate information Not engaging in misleading comparisons of institution The provision of accurate and responsible advice on Visas

The key paragraphs of the Code for agents are: Marketing and student information (para 19-25) Student recruitment and placement (para 26-30) Unethical agent behaviour (para 49)

Other important provisions The following are also important provisions in the Code: Full time courses 20 Contact hours a week (on average), unless the accrediting authority determines otherwise. Students may study on a part-time basis in their final semester to complete a course. Maximum Number of students Each institution has a maximum number of students they are permitted to enrol. The figure is not made public.

Other important provisions Length of Operation An institution may not use their facility for more than 14 hours a day Facilities and Resources (para 18) adequate teaching resources suitably qualified staff secure premises adequate space for students

Other important provisions Student Records (para 34-40) adequate student records regarding academic history, attendance and various other areas must be kept. Repeating Study (para 40) students are only allowed to repeat a subject/course once if doing so requires that they take less than a full-time study load Other relevant paragraphs: Student refunds (42-44) and Student support services (45-46)

Registered Provider Responsibilities The provider is responsible for their agent’s behaviour, hence it must refuse to accept international students if it believes the recruiting agent: has engaged in dishonest practices engages students who don’t comply with their visa requirements engages in false or misleading practices uses the Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS) to create electronic Confirmations of Enrolments (eCoEs)

Further Agent Responsibilities para 19-24: certain features of courses must be described accurately para 26-30: the provider is responsible for certain recruitment and placement acts, whether undertaken by the provider themselves or the agent.

Further Agent Responsibilities An agent must not make false or misleading comparisons with other courses or institutions (i.e. comparisons must be substantiated)

Further Agent Responsibilities An agent must be accurate regarding information it provides students including: General descriptions of the institutions and courses provided by the institution Details of the entry requirements, including English language, academic or work requirements Details of any other institutions involved in the course delivery Details of the fees payable Indications of the costs of living expected during study Information that the student must study full-time and comply with the conditions of their student visa.

CRICOS is the register of all education institutions and courses that are offered to international students studying on a student visa in Australia (i.e. not short courses) the ESOS Act specifies the information that CRICOS must record Providers have a provider number and courses have a course code

CRICOS The provider number clarifies who is responsible for provider obligations under the Act This is important in cases where there is more than one provider responsible for delivering a service

Agents’ Responsibilities To know that it is impossible to gain a student visa to study in Australia if the course or institution is not registered on CRICOS Not to make an offer to a student to apply for a course that isn’t registered on CRICOS To provide the CRICOS code in all marketing material To use the correct CRICOS course code to ensure that relevant course information is being referred to

Thank You