TEQSA wins national acclaim for best practice innovation

TEQSA’s initiative to reshape how regulatory risk is managed in the higher education sector has been recognised as best practice in an Australian public service organisation.

Our innovative ReStreg process is the winner in the risk initiative category of the Commonwealth Awards for Excellence in Risk Management 2025.

The ReStreg process was developed as a risk-based, tiered assessment model that introduced mandatory self-assurance reporting and complexity categorisation.

When faced with a surge in higher education re-registration applications, TEQSA used the ReStreg process to allocate resources more effectively, focus effort where risk was highest and streamline low-risk assessments.

The results have been impressive, including:

• a 228% increase in decisions finalised in 2024
• a saving of over 1,500 staff hours in just 7 months.

The ReStreg process has helped to strengthen a culture of risk awareness and accountability across the sector, as well as improving provider engagement and regulatory compliance. The initiative has subsequently influenced TEQSA’s other regulatory functions and inspired cross-sectoral learning.

During the judging process, TEQSA’s planning, implementation and sustainability was commended as “a powerful example of how risk-informed strategies can deliver measurable outcomes and sector-wide benefits”.

“Congratulations to TEQSA for its contribution to the advancement of risk management best practice in the APS (Australian Public Service).”

The Commonwealth Awards for Excellence in Risk Management 2025 celebrate Australian public service organisations for their outstanding risk management systems, practices and activities. These awards highlight strong leadership, innovation and a commitment to building a risk-aware culture.