Guidance notes

The Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 (HES Framework) has applied since 1 January 2017. 

From a regulatory perspective, all applications made: 

• before 1 January 2017 will be assessed against the HES Framework 2011 
• on or after 1 January 2017 will be assessed against the HES Framework 2015. 

Material Change Notification Policy (HES Framework 2015)

While the beta consultation period has now closed for the below Material Change Notification Policy, comments to standards [at] teqsa.gov.au are still welcome. We will be considering consultation feedback, and will publish a revised guidance note as appropriate. 

View the Material Change Notification Policy – updated 11 August 2017 

Guidance notes (HES Framework 2015)

The resources published on this page are not instructional or ‘how to’ documents for compliance with the new HES Framework.

TEQSA publishes guidance notes, to provide greater clarity for providers in the interpretation and application of selected standards. Guidance notes draw on our regulatory experience and knowledge of experts in the higher education sector.

We appreciate the constructive feedback received to date on a number of these guidance notes relating to the new HES Framework. Some guidance notes have already been updated as a result of consultation feedback (as identified in the list below). We will be revising and republishing further guidance notes over the next few months. While the beta consultation period has now closed for these particular guidance notes, comments to standards [at] teqsa.gov.au are still welcome.

• Academic Governance – updated 11 October 2017 
• Academic Integrity – updated 11 October 2017
• Academic Quality Assurance – updated 11 October 2017
• Changes in a Course of Study that may lead to Accreditation as a New Course
• Corporate Governance – updated 11 October 2017
• Course Design (including Learning Outcomes and Assessment) – updated 11 October 2017
• Credit and RPL [full title: Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning]
• Determining Professional Equivalence – [full title: Determining Equivalence of Professional Experience and Academic Qualifications] updated 18 April 2017 
• Diversity and Equity – updated 11 October 2017
• External Referencing – [full title: External Referencing (including Benchmarking)] updated 19 July 2018
• Financial Assessment
• Financial Standing – updated 13 December 2016
• Grievance and Complaint Handling
• Joint and Dual Awards – updated 11 October 2017
• Nested Courses – updated 11 October 2017
• Research and Research Training – updated 5 July 2018
• Scholarship – updated 4 September 2017
• Staffing, Learning Resources and Educational Support – updated 22 November 2017
• Technology-Enhanced Learning – updated 11 October 2017
• TEQSA and the Australian Qualifications Framework
• Third-Party Arrangements – updated 11 October 2017
• Transnational Higher Education - Inbound – [full title: Transnational Higher Education into Australia (including international providers seeking to offer higher education in Australia)] updated 11 October 2017
• Varying a Period of Registration or Accreditation
• Wellbeing and Safety – updated 8 January 2018
• Work-Integrated Learning – updated 11 October 2017
• Workforce Planning

Guidance notes (HES Framework 2011)

The following guidance notes are no longer current as they relate to the HES Framework 2011 (no longer in force):

• Guidance note: Academic governance
• Guidance note: Academic leadership 
• Guidance note: Academic quality assurance
• Guidance note: Benchmarking
• Guidance note: Corporate governance
• Guidance note: Course approval, design and delivery
• Guidance note: Equivalence of professional experience to academic qualifications
• Guidance note: Information resources
• Guidance note: Nested courses
• Guidance note: Scholarship
• Guidance note: Third party arrangements
• Guidance note: Workforce planning

Accreditation and Registration

• Shortening or cancelling a period of accreditation
• Shortening a period of registration or cancelling registration
• TEQSA and the Australian Qualifications Framework
• TEQSA's approach to financial assessment
• TEQSA’s approach to regulating the offshore provision of regulated higher education awards
• TEQSA’s approach to the assessment of joint and dual awards