CEET Conference 2008 Is Quality Assurance Improving? Rob Fearnside, Deputy Director VRQA

Quality Assurance Managing business processes to ensure the quality and consistency of the training services provided. Emphasis on customer satisfaction and continuous improvement. Quality is determined by the intended users, clients or customers.

Outcomes based regulation – AQTF 2007 Traditional regulation has achieved much, but the nature of regulation has to change in order to keep pace with changes in the economy and society. Society and government demand high standards of education and training. The business world expects greater regulatory efficiency. These potentially conflicting demands can be met by modern regulation.

What’s in the Essential Standards? Conditions of Registration. Three Standards. Outcomes measures.

The Three Standards Standard 1 The RTO provides quality training and assessment across all of its operations. Standard 2The RTO adheres to principles of access and equity and maximises outcomes for its clients. Standard 3Management systems are responsive to the needs of clients, staff and stakeholders, and the environment in which the RTO operates.

Quality Focus on quality rather than process compliance. Standards specify the what, RTOs decide the how. Risk managed quality assurance based on performance and context.

Outcomes Achieving industry competency standards. Meeting learner and client needs. Quality training and assessment services.

RTO Role Each RTO is responsible for the quality and continuous improvement of outcomes from its training, assessment and client services.

Industry Confidence Outcomes focus to improve validity of quality assurance in VET sector. RTOs must engage with industry. Industry regulator role in quality assurance.

Outcomes based regulation – AQTF 2007 Outcomes based standards depend on the ability of regulatory agencies to specify, measure and monitor performance. Outcomes based standards require systems to collect and analyse data on performance. Transitioning to an outcomes based regime requires that the government collect from RTOs new and better data on performance and performance indicators.

Why do the Essential Standards include Quality Indicators? Standards focus - quality of services and outcomes being achieved for clients. Each standard describes an outcome. For example: The RTO provides quality training and assessment across all of its operations. The elements in the standards further describe the outcome. For example: Staff, facilities, equipment and training and assessment materials are consistent with the requirements of the training package. The quality indicators support this outcomes focus.

How do the Quality Indicators support the outcomes focus of the standards? The quality indicators help give an overall picture of the outcomes being achieved by the RTO and how well it is meeting client needs.

What are the Quality Indicators? Three Quality Indicators Employer satisfaction (competency development, and training and assessment quality). Learner engagement (learner engagement and competency development). Competency completion rate (the number of completions of qualifications and units of competency).

How will quality indicator data be useful? Valuable source of data for RTOs: How well RTO is meeting client needs. To supplement information already collected to inform internal continuous improvement activities. To identify areas for improvement in their training and assessment services. The data (along with audit history and any verified complaints) will contribute to risk assessment by the registering body and inform decisions concerning the frequency and targeting of audits.

Continuous Improvement Driven by data collected about outcomes. Meeting changing industry and learner requirements. Underpinned by systematic, sustainable management of RTO operations.

Findings of formative evaluation of AQFT 2007 Strong support for the intent and outcomes-focussed principles of AQTF Collaborative approach to the development and implementation of AQTF Significant effort undertaken by registering bodies to implement AQTF Positive progress that has been made towards effective implementation of risk management and auditing arrangements, outcomes focus, and the development of a nationally consistent approach.

Key overall opportunities for improvement A continued focus on industry regulator engagement to enable effective implementation. Sustained focus on enabling the effective implementation of outcomes focussed auditing approach. A continued focus on the implementation of the risk management approach. Continued focus on improving national consistency in the application of AQFT 2007 through existing collaborative mechanisms.

Key finding AQTF 2007 is not fully implemented and is yet to run its full course. It is recognised that significant effort and activity has occurred to progress the implementation to date, however continued support is required to sustain momentum and embed the change.

Transparency Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority Bill 2008 Second reading speech “in the past, education policy has been dogged by a lack of transparency…in a world where education is central to prosperity and social inclusion, being limited to such an opaque picture is not acceptable.”