The self-assurance report is an opportunity for you to articulate and evidence the effectiveness of your systems of self-assurance as they relate to your operational context and the course accreditation application, thereby demonstrating how you have assured yourself of compliance with the requirements of the HES Framework.
Outcomes of your self-assurance activities should be used to demonstrate your capacity to identify, mitigate and manage risks to higher education quality, and relatedly, to identify and action opportunities for improvement.
To assist you in preparing your self-assurance report and application, TEQSA has compiled the following list of key considerations relevant to course accreditation. This is not a definitive list and is intended to support providers in considering (and subsequently demonstrating consideration of) relevant factors and potential areas of risk that may apply to this application type.
TEQSA recommends that you give regard to the key considerations relevant to your specific context, noting that this is expected to vary from application to application.
| Course design, learning outcomes and assessment |
- Learning outcomes embrace specific, generic, employment-related and life-long learning outcomes
- Learning outcomes are consistent with the level and field of education, and informed by credible national and international comparators
- Course content and learning activities suit the level of education/qualification and the expected learning outcomes
- Methods of assessment are credibly capable of assessing the expected learning outcomes
- Assessments and units of study are scaffolded to support progressive and coherent achievement of the expected learning outcomes
- National and international comparators are advanced in support of course design, including where novel delivery models are proposed
- Work integrated learning is well conceived in design and rationale, and where it forms part of the requirements for professional accreditation is fit for that purpose
- The course is consistent with the relevant Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level specification, including a credible volume of learning irrespective of delivery mode
- Entry and exit pathways are clearly specified for nested courses
- Students have equal opportunity for attainment and equivalent student experiences irrespective of delivery mode, location or language of instruction.
TEQSA recommends that providers consider our guidance notes on course design (including learning outcomes and assessment) and nested courses of study.
|
| Admissions |
- Admissions processes are transparent, with accurate and current admissions information made available to prospective students
- Admissions processes consider different student cohorts and sub-groups and are designed to ensure that all admitted students have the academic preparation and proficiency in English to succeed in their chosen course of study, and no known limitations to impede progression or course completion.
TEQSA recommends that providers consider our guidance note on admissions (coursework) and the good practice note on making higher education admissions transparent for prospective students.
|
| Course resourcing, including staffing |
- The academic staffing profile is suitably skilled, qualified and supported to deliver the course in the nominated discipline at the qualification level
- Academic leaders demonstrate current discipline expertise to credibly lead and oversee teaching
- Staff numbers and workload hours are sufficient to meet the educational, academic support, and administrative needs of students (considering projected student numbers)
- Assessments of professional equivalence are tailored to the field and level of education required of academic and supervisory staff and consistent with internal policies
- Credible guidance and oversight arrangements exist for staff who do not fully meet the requirements of Standard 3.2.3
- Course delivery is supported by sufficient, accessible and quality learning resources that reflect the learning needs of students (considering differing modes and locations of delivery, and language of instruction)
- Specialist resources and facilities are fit for purpose, available and accessible as needed.
TEQSA recommends that providers consider our guidance notes on staffing, learning resources and educational support, determining professional equivalence and scholarship.
|
| Certification |
- Award titles are consistent with the AQF issuance policy and reflect the field of education and intended graduate outcomes.
|
| Quality assurance |
- Course development processes involve participants competent to assess the design, delivery and assessment of the course, including independent external participants with discipline expertise
- Course development processes include coordination with the relevant professional accrediting body and reference the current professional accreditation standards where accreditation is required for graduates to be eligible to practise
- Course development processes consider relevant requirements for recognition by peak industry bodies or associations
- Applicable sector and discipline risks are considered as part of course development and approval processes
- Active arrangements exist to support the use of another registered provider’s intellectual property
- Internal course approval processes are rigorous, and validate course quality and standing
- Quality assurance mechanisms will support the monitoring and review of third party or transnational delivery arrangements.
TEQSA highly recommends providers consider our guidance note on academic quality assurance and resource on engaging a suitable and independent external reviewer.
TEQSA further recommends consideration of TEQSA’s guidance note on delivery with other parties and the transnational education (TNE) toolkit.
|
| Preparedness to deliver research courses for the first time |
- Sufficient financial and other resources are applied to successfully offer and support research degrees consistent with the requirements of the HES Framework, and to sustain the quality of higher education that is offered
- An institutional research policy framework is established and implemented, including policies and procedures to govern the assessment of research degrees
- A training environment is established that includes suitable induction processes, supervisory arrangements and resources
- Measures are in place to promote and foster a culture of research integrity
- Mechanisms are in place to ensure competent academic governance and leadership of research training consistent with institutional academic governance policy frameworks, including a dedicated research committee responsible for research activities and ethics
- Processes and structures are established, and responsibilities assigned, that collectively evidence academic oversight of the quality of teaching, learning, research and research-training
- Credible continuity plans and adequately resourced financial tuition safeguards are in place to mitigate disadvantage to students due to any unexpected changes in a provider’s operations.
TEQSA recommends providers consider our guidance notes on research and research training and academic and research integrity.
|
| Delivery of research courses |
- Quality assurance processes identify, manage and mitigate risks specific to research-training
- Supervisory arrangements are appropriate, including principal supervisors being suitably qualified and experienced in research in the relevant field
- Research candidates acquire the relevant skills, and their major assessable research outputs are assessed by suitably qualified external assessors, contributing to development of the field
- Coursework components of research degrees meet established governance and quality assurance requirements for coursework.
|
In preparing your self-assurance report you are also expected to self-identify and address any significant risks or opportunities for improvement specific to your individual circumstances. These may include, but not be limited to risks associated with:
- your regulatory and compliance history, including management of course conditions, voluntary undertakings, and any other adverse outcomes from recent regulatory assessments undertaken by TEQSA
- observations and recommendations made by TEQSA about areas for improvement to support quality enhancement
- areas of high or heightened risk identified by TEQSA in our annual Provider Risk Assessments (e.g. attrition rates, progression rate, senior academic leaders)
- recent significant changes, including changes to senior leadership, ownership, third-party arrangements, courses, or organisational structure, or significant events, including media reporting or public attention surrounding an issue at your organisation
- issues identified by other government and regulatory bodies (ASQA, the Department of Home Affairs, etc), or professional accreditation bodies.
Further information
For more information or assistance when applying for course accreditation, please contact the Courses team at assessments@teqsa.gov.au.
