Government welcomes Senate Committee support for establishment of TEQSA
Chris Evans
posted Wednesday, 11 May 2011
The Senate Standing Committee for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations last night released its report on the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Bill 2011 and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2011.
Minister for Tertiary Education, Senator Chris Evans, welcomed the unanimous report supporting the establishment of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) as a new national regulator for the higher education sector.
Senator Evans thanked the Committee for its scrutiny of this important legislation for the future of Australia’s higher education system and said the Government had accepted each of the Committee’s recommendations.
The Government will amend the primary Bill to include provisions recognising that universities have the authority to self-accredit courses of study, consistent with the Committee’s recommendation.
The bill will also be amended to reduce the statutory maximum timeframe for TEQSA to make a decision regarding a provider’s application for registration or accreditation for a course of study from 24 months to 18 months.
The Government will continue to work closely with the states and territories to ensure there are sound communication protocols for the establishment and registration of higher education providers by the new agency.
The Government will seek passage of the Bills through Parliament in the winter sittings.
“It is imperative that Australia’s higher education system is underpinned by a strong system of regulation and quality assurance so that the future growth of the higher education system does not come at the expense of quality,” said Senator Evans.
“The establishment of TEQSA is one of a number of initiatives that the Government is taking to ensure quality in higher education.”
Further information on the Government’s higher education quality initiatives is available at http://www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/Policy/Pages/AdvancingQuality.aspx
Tags: Education, Tertiary Education