Senior executives are being recruited for the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), the new national regulatory and quality assurance agency for the higher education sector.

 

An executive director and other senior officers  will be appointed for the Regulation and Review Group which will play a central role in implementing and developing TEQSA’s regulatory responsibilities. The Group has responsibility for the case management of groups of providers covering all aspects of regulation and for planning and implementing quality assessments and thematic reviews.

 

An executive officer is also being sought for the Executive Office which supports the Chief Commissioner and four Commissioners of TEQSA. TEQSA is currently operating in a quality assurance capacity and will assume regulatory responsibilities on 29 January. The first set of Higher Education Threshold Standards comprising the Provider Standards and the Qualification Standards was established as a Legislative Instrument on January 4, 2012. The Standards are now availabe online.

 

The Chief Commissioner, Dr Carol Nicoll, was appointed in August last year, together with four Commissioners: 

  • Mr Michael Beaton-Wells (full time Commissioner)
  • Ms Dorte Kristofferson (full time Commissioner)
  • Mr Ian Hawke (part time Commissioner)
  • Mr Eric Mayne (part time Commissioner)

TEQSA brings together the regulatory functions previously undertaken by the states and territories and the quality assurance activities undertaken by the Australian Universities Quality Agency, reducing the number of higher education regulatory and quality assurance bodies from nine to one.

 

The TEQSA Standards Framework comprises five domains: Provider Standards, Qualification Standards, Teaching and Learning Standards, Information Standards and Research Standards.

 

In November, Dr Nicoll announced the Agency’s regulatory schedule for 2012.

 

All institutions that are regulated by TEQSA will be subject to a preliminary risk scan in early 2012. This will necessarily be based on a limited set of core data, drawing on existing information within the sector. More detailed risk evaluations commencing later in 2012 will require the collection of additional information from all providers. TEQSA will liaise with governments, ASQA and providers to ensure that wherever possible additional information requirements avoid duplication and are consistent with the principle of regulatory necessity.


TEQSA’s approach to registration of providers, course accreditation and its policy and procedure for providers to notify TEQSA of major changes will be available in January 2012. TEQSA is also responsible for establishing and maintaining a National Register of Higher Education Providers. The National Register will be accessible on the TEQSA website from 29 January 2012.

 

More information is at www.teqsa.gov.au