TEQSA’s Transitions | Slide 1

TEQSA’s Transitions

Dr Michael TomlinsonFCIS

University Governance and Regulations Forum6 SEP 2016

TEQSA’s Transitions | Slide 2

Students by provider category

2014

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Trends

45% increase in overseas students at NUHEPs (Non Fee-HELP) 2013-14

TEQSA caseload increased 33% 2015-16:

365 → 381 assessments completed

10 → 29 initial registration applications

Decline in scheduled assessments coming

Most new applicants RTOs in business

TEQSA’s Transitions | Slide 4

Implications

TEQSA needs to work smarter

Maintain ‘high front gate’

From 1 JAN 2017,109 new Standards

All providers must meet them all always

First-time applicants must demonstrate they meet them all

Differentiated assessments for others

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Higher Education Standards Framework – from 1 JAN 2015

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Governing body external review

Required every registration period

Governance, corporate monitoring and accountability

overarching processes – refer various TEQSA GNs

Report of external review ‘core of core’ for RR, RR assessments focus on self-correcting capability

‘Some’ members of GB must be independent

Reviewer(s) must be independent

Scope of governance review includes: functions & processes (6.1.3)

responsibilities in 6.2 & 6.3 − how can you demonstrate these are met?

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Governing body responsibilities

GB assures itself provider is effective:

Compliance with legislation & HESF

Planning & performance monitoring

Financial viability, monitoring & continuity

Risk management

Academic governance

Complaints addressed (trends?)

How do you assure these?

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Review models

One or more reviewers?

Start with self-review?

Submit report of review + action plan

Reviewer(s) could consider:

Survey of members & key personnel

Terms of reference & minutes

Review reports as listed in next slide

− TEQSA will directly request some of these

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Corporate govern review evidence

Reports of reviews of

− Courses

− Academic units (for consistency)

− Assessment model, practices & validity

− Academic integrity

− Performance of agents + offshore operations

− Student outcomes (e.g. completion & attrition)

− Research performance

− Complaints & grievances

− Risk management

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Academic governance review

Functions & processes again

Responsibilities:

Academic policies & procedures (effective?)

Course review & accreditation

Oversight of academic & research integrity

Academic & student performance, quality of teaching and learning

More detailed academic quality reports

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Institutional Quality Assurance

Course proposals

Overall rationale & structure

Specify course learning outcomes

− Map to units, assessment & AQF with rationale

Student workload and duration

Admissions criteria (normal & special)

Exit pathways & realistic graduate outcomes

Resources available

TEQSA’s Transitions | Slide 13

Institutional Quality Assurance 2

Course reviews:

All of the above

Informed by:

− trend student performance & feedback data

− benchmarked against external reference points

Detect & correct!

Close the loop!

− How will any unfavourable trends be addressed?

Many IQA systems focus too much on units

TEQSA’s Transitions | Slide 14

The picture tells the story 1

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The picture tells the story 2

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Enhance monitoring through additional options:

More data analysis, e.g:

− overseas student data

− field of education data

− sector-wide developments

More systematic scanning of news & social media

Periodic discussions/visits with providers

The more information we build through the cycle the

less we need to requisition at the end

Direct resources to high risk/low confidence providers

Power of external review – not necessarily by TEQSA

Where to next for TEQSA?

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Questions?