Good Practice Guide for VET Offshore Delivery

Presentation on behalf of the NQCMoira Schulze & Sue Foster

Purpose of the workshop To outline the findings of NQC policy and

research into offshore VET delivery

Quality assurance of offshore VET delivery

Internationalising Australian VET qualifications

To introduce you to the Good practice guide on offshore VET delivery

Quality assurance of offshore VET

Offshore VET is growing for both public and private providers

Provides commercial opportunities & financial & reputational risks

This project developed a model for QA of Offshore VET

What should drive a system of offshore quality monitoring? Protect & build reputation and confidence of

the Australian VET system Assure quality and parity of student outcomes

and experience Protect government interests Protect individual provider reputation &

business interests.

Characteristics of a ‘transition model’ Based on accurate data (evidence) Accurate risk assessment of all providers

delivering offshore Encourage and recognise efforts to monitor,

review and continuously improve offshore delivery.

A national, streamlined approach with a single point of coordination & readily understood

Builds on what’s already there.

Model for QA of offshore VET1. Improved information and badging to the offshore market – voluntary membership listing with strong incentives to achieve listing.

2. Compulsory national annual data collection from all public and private providers regarding programs, enrolments and location of offshore delivery.

3. Initial enhanced risk assessment – desktop audit based on enhanced/more detailed guidelines. High, medium and low risk offshore providers identified.

4. Detailed offshore site visits of high risk providers as per enhanced risk guidelines. –strong quality improvement focus, not only AQTF compliance–supplemented by AEI/AUSTRADE offshore intelligence–conducted by experienced specialist national audit team.

5. Results of offshore visits in public domain, as per current AUQA model.

6. Membership / badging informed by site visit results, eg. major noncompliance as a provider.

Trial to date – data collection In 2009

105 private providers (2% of all registered private RTOs)

37 public providers (61% of all Australian TAFE) 73,271 students Largely in diplomas Across 68 countries

Primarily in China (public & private providers) & New Zealand (private providers)

Internationalising offshore VET qualifications Purpose of the policy

Maximise potential for Australian VET qualifications to support global mobility

Preserve the integrity, validity and fitness for purpose of Australian VET qualifications for Australian industry

Contextualisation of qualifications & units of competency May substitute units of competency in a

qualification Within packaging rules Where it does not distort the vocational integrity or fitness

for purpose of the qualification If consistent with advice in the Training Package on

contextualisation Contextualisation to individual learners or offshore

contexts, must retain the integrity of the overall intended outcome of the unit

Must not deliver less than the full requirements of the unit Can add material provided it does not – undermine

vocational integrity, alter the AQF level, diminish the breadth of application of the unit or limit its portability and use.

The Good Practice Guide The model outlines key challenges – risks -

good practice in planning and delivering Australian VET qualifications offshore

The Guide is structured around a common set of issues What is the issue? The key considerations (for providers) How are providers dealing with the issue? Resources available to assist.

Appendix – includes sample resources Using the Guide – different providers have

different experience and issues – it is NOT a recipe

Assessment

15.Assessment & validation

16.Certification

RESULTS / CHECK

Exit strategy

Quality assurance

17.Monitoring, review & continuous improvement

IMPROVEMENT / ACT

Go /No-go

Preparation

2.Project inception / Business case approval

3.Partner choice / due diligence

4. Business planning

5. Detailed partner contracts & relationship management

APPROACH / PLAN

Objective1. Initial Decision

Go /No-go

Exit strategy

Project Management

- Capability

Ongoing monitoring & review

18. Project Management

Delivery6.Select appropriate offshore delivery models

7.Set quality requirements for offshore facilities

8. Ensure staff skills & qualifications

9.Student information selection & outcomes

10.English language competency

11. Contextualisation of VET programs

12.Provide learning resources

13.Determine provision of student information & support

14.Document educational leadership, coordination & support capacity

DEPLOYMENT / DO

Exit strategy

Sample of Step 1

Initial decision: Go / No-go

Should we be involved in offshore delivery? Why?

Do we have a realistic idea of what it will involve?

Are commercial interests balanced by potential for educational quality?

Initial decision: Go / No-goProvider motivation

Initial Decision:Go / No-Go

Proposed partner motivation(s)

Initial assessment of investment & returns

Preparatory in-country research

Initial assessment – provider capacity &

standing

Capacity

Initial assessment provider capacity

Appendix 1.1 Self assessment checklist

Sample of Step 2 Project inception & business case approval

Before final decision – identify key risks - Commercial & reputational

Does the proposal have a strategic fit to overall strategic directions?

Does it take account of onshore and offshore regulation, culture, context

Have you conducted a site visit? Gain approval at highest levels of the organisation

Project inception & business case approval

Australian ProviderInternal strategic fit

Project Proposal Approved

Australian legal & policy context

& decision makingDetailed analysis of capacity

Initial analysis of commercial viability

Analysis of in-country legal & political context

Detailed research in-country conditions

Proposed PartnerPartner analysis

(Macro)

Analysis of proposed delivery

sites & staff

Project inception & business case approval Resources identified

Project inception outline Business case development & approval model Challenger TAFE Toolkit templates and guides for:

strategic and legal analysis; global analysis; country analysis; RTO capacity analysis; Partner macro analysis; Partner onsite visitor analysis

Austrade contacts AEI country profiles Website at http://www.transparency.org.au for

information on offshore legislation

Other steps: Group activity Consider the section of the guide :

Summarise the section with the rest of the group

What are the issues and risks being addressed?

What do YOU do or WOULD do?

What else might be useful?

Partner choice & due diligence

Australian Provider

Requests written proposal

Sound Business

Partnership Established

Assesses proposal & other documentation

Assesses strategic & business ‘fit’

Undertakes detailed due diligence

Provides documented proposal

Hosts site visit to assess facilities & establish

relationships

Proposed Partner

Quality – Facilities & equipmentTraining Package

or curriculum requirements

Planning

Facilities & Equipment

Checklists

Simulated environments

Work with industry

Document in training & assessment strategy

Assessment Requirements

Monitor facilities and equipment

Quality - StaffSkills &

QualificationsModels

Staff Skills

Eligibility

Staff selection

Staff induction

Mentoring

Capacity Building

Staff exchanges

Quality – assessment and validation

Assessment

Managing assessment

Quality assurance of assessmentPlanning assessment

Validation

Moderation

Staff capability

Workplace assessment

Conduct assessment

Clear roles

Continuous improvement & monitoring

Assessment

15.Assessment & validation

16.Certification

RESULTS / CHECK

Exit strategy

Quality assurance

17.Monitoring, review & continuous improvement

IMPROVEMENT / ACT

Go /No-go

Preparation

2.Project inception / Business case approval

3.Partner choice / due diligence

4. Business planning

5. Detailed partner contracts & relationship management

APPROACH / PLAN

Objective1. Initial Decision

Go /No-go

Exit strategy

Project Management

- Capability

Ongoing monitoring & review

18. Project Management

Delivery6.Select appropriate offshore delivery models

7.Set quality requirements for offshore facilities

8. Ensure staff skills & qualifications

9.Student information selection & outcomes

10.English language competency

11. Contextualisation of VET programs

12.Provide learning resources

13.Determine provision of student information & support

14.Document educational leadership, coordination & support capacity

DEPLOYMENT / DO

Exit strategy