Initial registration

Report on initial registration of National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia Ltd (NIODA)

TEQSA has determined, under subsection 21(1) of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), that registration of the National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia Ltd as a higher education provider be granted for a period of four years to 13 October 2020 in the provider category of 'Higher Education Provider'.

TEQSA has, under subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed seven conditions on the registration of the National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia Ltd as a higher education provider.

Condition 1:

Within three months of the notice of decision (and prior to enrolment of any students), NIODA is required to supply TEQSA with evidence demonstrating that it has in place formal arrangements with an external authority for referral of student grievances which have not been resolved within the organisation.

Condition 2:

Within three months of the notice of decision (and prior to enrolment of any students), NIODA is to provide details of arrangements for students to complete an equivalent course with a suitable Australian-registered higher education provider in the event that NIODA does not have capacity to teach out the course.

Condition 3:

NIODA must notify TEQSA within two weeks of being notified by the CAE/Box Hill Institute that it proposes to change the arrangements for use of space at the CAE.

Condition 4:

NIODA is to inform TEQSA in the event that the actual staffing expenditure falls 10% or more below those shown in the revised projected income and expenditure statement submitted to TEQSA on 6 June 2016. In addition, NIODA is to inform TEQSA in the event that staffing positions are not filled or significantly reduced in FTE during the registration period on the basis of the projected staff numbers submitted to TEQSA on 6 June 2016.

Condition 5:

In the event that the contingency fund is accessed, NIODA must inform TEQSA within two business days and must provide a revised financial forecast (including financial projection in the form of income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and student projection) within one month.

Condition 6:

NIODA is to provide a revised financial forecast (including financial projection in the form of income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and student projection) if student enrolments in the first year of the Master program are below commencing numbers of students in the projected student numbers submitted to TEQSA on 6 June 2016.

Condition 7:

Within six months from the notice of decision, NIODA is to provide TEQSA with a detailed scholarship plan which outlines the scholarship objectives and costings for research and scholarship activities for the period 2017-2020.

TEQSA has accredited, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), the following higher education course of study offered by the National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia Ltd for a period of seven years until 13 October 2023:

• Master of Management (Organisation Dynamics)

TEQSA has, under subsection 53(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed two conditions on the accreditation of the above course of study.

Condition 1:

Within three months of the notice of decision NIODA is required to:

a) Review the subject Socio-technics and Organisation Design (MM1) in the course;

b) Identify suitable changes to MM1 to include a range of organisational management theories in the reading and suitable activities to demonstrate that these theories are critiqued within the MM1 subject; and

c) Provide TEQSA with evidence to demonstrate that the changes described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Condition 1 have been implemented.

Condition 2:

Within three months of the notice of decision, NIODA is required to:

(a) Review the assessment tasks for the subjects: Systems Psychodynamic Consulting (MM4), Organisational Role Analysis (MM6) and Authority and Leadership for Role and Task(MM8);

(b) Ensure that there are a variety of assessment tasks included in each subject;

(c) Develop a chart showing how the assessment tasks will enable students to achieve the proposed student learning outcomes; and

(d) Provide TEQSA with evidence to demonstrate that the changes described in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of Condition 2 have been implemented.

The course accreditation covers delivery at all Australian sites.

Main Reasons for Decision

As part of the initial registration process, TEQSA has assessed the registration and course accreditation for the Master of Management (Organisation Dynamics) submitted by the National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia Ltd against the Threshold Standards for Provider Registration and Course Accreditation.

NIODA has demonstrated that it complies with the seven sections of the Provider Registration Standards (PRS). TEQSA considers that the decision to shorten the registration and apply conditions is to address a number of matters that may affect NIODA's capacity to manage and deliver its higher education awards.

• The broad issues which relate to NIODA's registration are risks that:

  a) NIODA may fail to realise its projected student numbers in the future, with implications for meeting its objectives for scholarship and provision of adequate staffing, facilities and resources;

  b) a change in arrangements with Box Hill Institute's facilities may be detrimental to the interests of enrolled students;

  c) NIODA's current arrangements may not adequately ensure that NIODA is able to meet its responsibility to maintain business continuity and safeguard the interests of students should NIODA cease to operate; and

  d) NIODA may not have effective arrangements to ensure the equitable treatment of students through the appointment of an external arbiter for student complaints.

• The broad issues which relate to the Master of Management (Organisation Dynamics) include:

  a) NIODA is at risk of non-compliance with PCAS 1.7 as students may not achieve a wider understanding of organizational management and achieve a greater depth in thinking due to the limited theoretical points of view presented in the literature and assessment.

  b) NIODA is at risk of failing to satisfy PCAS 1.5 as some subjects are assessed with one learning task and the single assessment tasks may not provide sufficient opportunities for students to demonstrate achievement of expected learning outcomes.

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of one higher education course of study offered by Institute of Health & Management Pty Ltd

A delegate of TEQSA has accredited, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), the following higher education course of study offered by Institute of Health & Management Pty Ltd (IHM) for a period of seven years until 23 September 2023

• Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Program For Internationally Qualified Nurses)

TEQSA has, under subsection 53(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed three conditions on the accreditation of the above courses of study. IHM must:

Condition 1:

IHM must not market or enrol students in the course.

Condition 2:

IHM must provide evidence by 1 January 2017 which confirms accreditation of the course by the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC).

Condition 3:

IHM must provide, within 4 weeks of receiving the notice of decision, evidence to demonstrate the full complement of staff required for the coordination and delivery of the Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Program for Internationally Qualified Nurses) as per Provider Course Accreditation Standard (PCAS) 4.1 and PCAS 4.2 to the satisfaction of TEQSA. The evidence must include the name, position title, responsibilities including units taught, qualification/s, teaching experience, professional experience, employment status (full-time, part-time, casual), full-time equivalence, current term (months), current duties classification type and level code.

The course accreditation covers delivery at all Australian sites.

Main reasons for decision

TEQSA considers that the decision to apply conditions to Institute of Health & Management Pty Ltd application for accreditation of one course of study is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act, as Institute of Health & Management Pty Ltd is at risk of not complying with a number of the Threshold Standards. TEQSA considers that the risks of non-compliance with the Threshold Standards involve a number of matters that may affect Institute of Health & Management Pty Ltd capacity to manage and deliver its higher education awards.

• The broad issues which relate to the Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Program for Internationally Qualified Nurses) include:

  a) PCAS 2.4 There is a risk that accurate and current information and advice about the course of study is not provided to prospective and current students

  b) PCAS 4.1 There is a risk that the numbers, qualifications, experience, expertise and sessional/full-time mix of both academic staff who teach or tutor the course of study and support staff, are appropriate to the nature, level and mode of delivery of the course of study and the attainment of expected student learning outcomes will not be met.

  c) PCAS 4.2 There is a risk that the staff who teach students in the course of study will not meet the following:

  • Are appropriately qualified in the relevant discipline for their level of teaching (qualified to at least one AQF qualification level higher than the course of study being taught or with equivalent professional experience);
  • in the case of supervision of students in a course of study that leads to a Doctoral Degree (Professional) award located at level 10 of the AQF, are qualified at level 10 of the AQF or have equivalent professional experience;
  • in the case of supervision of students in a course of study that leads to a Doctoral Degree (Research) award located at level 10 of the AQF, are qualified at Doctoral Degree (Research) level or have equivalent research experience;
  • have a sound understanding of current scholarship and/or professional practice in the discipline that they teach;
  • have an understanding of pedagogical and/or adult learning principles relevant to the student cohort being taught;
  • engage students in intellectual inquiry appropriate to the level of the course of study and unit being taught; and
  • are advised of student and other feedback on the quality of their teaching and have opportunities to improve their teaching

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of two higher education courses of study offered by Alphacrucis College

A delegate of TEQSA has accredited, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), the following higher education courses of study offered by Alphacrucis College for a period of seven years until 30 May 2023:

• Bachelor of Applied Social Science
• Graduate Diploma of Applied Social Science

Main Reasons for the Decision

TEQSA has determined that the two higher education courses of study submitted by Alphacrucis College for accreditation comply with the Provider Course Accreditation Standards and arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites.

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of two higher education courses of study offered by Alphacrucis College

A delegate of TEQSA has accredited, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), the following higher education courses of study offered by Alphacrucis College for a period of seven years until 30 May 2023:

• Bachelor of Applied Social Science
• Graduate Diploma of Applied Social Science

Main Reasons for the Decision

TEQSA has determined that the two higher education courses of study submitted by Alphacrucis College for accreditation comply with the Provider Course Accreditation Standards and arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites.

Renewal of course accreditation

Report on renewal of accreditation of a higher education course of study offered by Technical and Further Education Commission

A delegate of TEQSA has renewed the accreditation, under Section 56 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), of the following higher education course of study offered by Technical and Further Education Commission trading as TAFE NSW Higher Education for a period of four years until 05 December 2020:

• Bachelor of Applied Finance (Financial Planning)

Main reasons for decision

TEQSA has determined that the higher education course of study submitted by Technical and Further Education Commission trading as TAFE NSW Higher Education for renewal of accreditation complies with the Provider Course Accreditation Standards and arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites.

Renewal of registration

Report on renewal of registration of Morling College Ltd

TEQSA has renewed the registration as a higher education provider, under Section 36(1) of the TEQSA Act, of Morling College Ltd to 28 November 2021 in the provider category of Higher Education Provider.

TEQSA has, under subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed two conditions on the registration of Morling College Ltd as a higher education provider.

Condition 1:

That Morling College provides to TEQSA by 31 March 2016: a detailed strategy which includes specific targets, for improvement in student outcomes data, specifically:

• student attrition
• completion rates and
• progression rates

and giving consideration to:

• admission requirements
• student study load
• grade distribution
• students at risk
• adequacy and effectiveness of student support and
• benchmarking.

Condition 2:

That Morling College subsequently provides an annual report on 31 March 2017, 2018 and 2019. The report is to provide:

1. an analysis of improvements in student outcomes data against the targets established under condition 1.
2. an analysis of the probable causes for rates and trends in student outcomes data in each accredited higher education course Morling College offers, and courses offered at the third party entity and considers:
   
   • admission requirements for each cohort
   • mode of study
   • student study load
   • domestic or international students cohort breakdown
   • referral to and uptake of student support (including participation in formal study support programs) and
   • benchmarking of student achievement in similar courses at other higher education providers.

Main Reasons for Decision

As part of the renewal of registration process, TEQSA has assessed the application submitted by Morling College Ltd against the Threshold Standards. The scope of the assessment included the delivery site at Macquarie Park. TEQSA considers that the decision to apply conditions to Morling College Ltd's registration is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act, as Morling College Ltd is at risk of not complying with a number of the Threshold Standards.

The broad issues which relate to the Morling College Ltd's registration include:

• the need to demonstrate implementation of effective quality assurance encompassing systematic monitoring review and improvement particularly in relation to monitoring student attrition, progression and completion rates including in relation to all aspects of the third party arrangements in accordance with Provider Registration Standards 3.8 and 4.5.
• the need to demonstrate effective analysis, reporting and comparison of performance measures on teaching, student learning outcomes, and graduate outcomes to improve higher education operations arrangements in accordance with Provider Registration Standard 5.6.

Renewal of registration

Report on renewal of registration of Nan Tien Institute Limited

TEQSA has renewed the registration as a higher education provider, under Section 36(1) of the TEQSA Act, of Nan Tien Institute Limited (NTI) for a period of four years to 28 April 2020 in the provider category of Higher Education Provider.

Main reasons for decision

TEQSA has assessed the application submitted by NTI against the Threshold Standards. The scope of the assessment included all its Australian sites.

TEQSA considers that the decision to renew NTI's registration for a period of four years is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act, as there are risks that NTI may not continue to comply with a number of the Threshold Standards.

• The broad issues which relate to NTI's registration include:

a) Ongoing financial viability and sustainability.

Renewal of registration

Report on renewal of registration of the National Art School

TEQSA has renewed the registration as a higher education provider, under Section 36(1) of the TEQSA Act, the National Art School for a period of seven years to 19 August 2022 in the provider category of 'Higher Education Provider'.

Main reasons for decision

TEQSA has assessed the application submitted by the National Art School against the Threshold Standards. The scope of the assessment included all its Australian sites.

The National Art School has demonstrated to TEQSA that it continues to meet the Threshold Standards.

Renewal of registration

Report on application for renewal of registration of Raffles College Pty Ltd

TEQSA has agreed to orders made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal under which the registration of Raffles College Pty Ltd trading as Raffles College of Design and Commerce (RCDC) as a higher education provider will be renewed for a period of two years to 22 December 2017 under subsection 21(1) of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act) in the provider category of 'Higher Education Provider'.

These orders also involve the imposition of conditions on the registration of RCDC under subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act. A copy of the conditions is available at Attachment 1.

Background to Decision

RCDC applied to TEQSA for registration in the category of Higher Education Provider under Part 3 of the TEQSA Act.

TEQSA considered RCDC's application and sent RCDC a draft summary of findings with details of the assessment of RCDC's application by the responsible case management team. TEQSA's Commission considered RCDC's response to the draft summary of findings and made a decision to reject RCDC's application for registration on 21 August 2014 on the basis that it was not satisfied that RCDC met the Threshold Standards. TEQSA's reasons for rejection of RCDC's application included, but were not confined to, TEQSA's lack of satisfaction that RCDC had effective mechanisms to manage and quality assure arrangements it had for delivery of its courses at a number of its associate colleges in other countries.

RCDC applied for review of TEQSA's decision in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). In the course of the proceedings, RCDC made submissions and provided further information and evidence about the matters raised in TEQSA's decisions. TEQSA engaged external experts to review the further material.

It is well established that absent a specific legislative provision to the contrary, the AAT is generally required to make a decision on review based on the evidence available at the time of the AAT's decision on review, and that the AAT is not confined to the evidence available at the time of the primary decision. Accordingly, TEQSA accepted that the AAT was required to take account of the further material submitted to TEQSA after TEQSA had rejected RCDC's application.

Main Reasons for Decision

After reviewing the further material submitted by RCDC and participating in mediation with RCDC, TEQSA was satisfied that RCDC meets the Threshold Standards. However TEQSA considered that there remained a number of risks related to RCDC's capacity to meet the Threshold Standards in the future, particularly in relation to the delivery of its courses at certain locations outside Australia. On this basis, TEQSA agreed that it was appropriate to substitute TEQSA's initial rejection of the application with decisions to register RCDC for a period of two years and to impose a number of conditions on RCDC's registration.

The conditions are designed to address the following risks:

• The effectiveness of RCDC's corporate and academic governance of its higher education operations and RCDC's capacity to manage and effectively quality assure those operations, including arrangements for delivery of its courses at its associate colleges, in accordance with Provider Registration Standard (PRS) 1.3, 3.2, 3.4, 3.7, 3.8 and 4.5 and Provider Course Accreditation Standard (PCAS) 1.9 and 1.10. In order to address these immediate risks, RCDC is required to cease to deliver certain of its courses entirely, and to effectively confine delivery of remaining courses to specified associate colleges. RCDC must also undertake reviews of its continuing undergraduate courses and of its continuing associate colleges. Its Academic Board is required to consider the findings and recommendations from the reviews and develop plans to implement the recommendations.
• The need for RCDC to have, as required by PRS 2.3 and PCAS 6.2, financial and tuition safeguards and transition plans in place for students when its ceases or discontinues a course of study at any of its delivery sites to ensure that its students are appropriately protected. In order to address this risk RCDC will also be required to obtain a guarantee of RCDC's liabilities from its parent company.
• The need for RCDC to put in place robust internal processes for design, approval and review of its courses of study, undertake a review of its courses to ensure they meet the specifications of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and ensure that student learning outcomes at its associate college delivery sites are equivalent to those when the course of study is offered directly by RCDC, as required by PCAS 1.1, 1.2, 1.7, 1.9 and 1.10.
• The need for RCDC to ensure it has appropriately qualified personnel, including teaching staff qualified to at least one AQF qualification level higher in the relevant discipline than the course being taught, to manage and to provide academic leadership at all locations at which its courses are delivered as required by PRS 4.5, 5.1 and 5.2 and PCAS 4.1 and 4.2. In order to address this risk, RCDC will be required to provide TEQSA, before commencement of each semester, details of teaching staff's relevant AQF qualification level or evidence of their equivalent professional experience.

TEQSA is satisfied that the conditions will provide a framework for TEQSA to oversee the key risks associated with RCDC's corporate and academic governance arrangements, its quality assurance of its higher education operations at its continuing associate colleges and its responsibilities to students in Australia and offshore. The conditions will also enable TEQSA to closely monitor the effectiveness of RCDC's planned reviews of its associate colleges and courses to ensure that RCDC implements effective quality assurance arrangements for systematic monitoring, review and improvement of its domestic and offshore higher education operations and robust process for review of its courses.

The conditions also ensure that RCDC ceases to offer courses where there are substantial risks that students will not achieve course learning outcomes and will ensure appropriate protection for students who are unable to continue their courses.

In accordance with subsections 32(2) and 32(3) of the TEQSA Act, TEQSA may vary or revoke a condition imposed on the registration of a higher education provider, either on its own initiative, or upon application by the provider for variation or revocation. Accordingly, TEQSA will have the capacity to vary or revoke the conditions as RCDC addresses the risks identified above.

Attachment 1

Conditions imposed on the registration of Raffles College Pty Ltd trading as Raffles College of Design and Commerce (RCDC).

i. RCDC must cease to deliver the following higher education courses by 31 January 2016:

1) Associate Degree of Commerce

2) Bachelor of Accountancy

3) Bachelor of Commerce

4) Graduate Certificate of Commerce

5) Graduate Diploma of Commerce

6) Master of Design

7) Master of Commerce

ii. RCDC must cease to deliver all of its higher education courses at all of its associate colleges, except its associate colleges in Colombo, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, by 1 February 2016;

iii. RCDC must not allow any course of study leading to a regulated higher education award of RCDC to be delivered at any site at which those courses were not delivered as at 30 November 2015;

iv. by 1 July 2016, RCDC must enter into one or more arrangements which would enable the transfer of all students enrolled in a RCDC higher education course at Colombo, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to a mutually agreed course at another higher education provider of equivalent standing, should such transfer become necessary, as required by section 6.2 of the Provider Course Accreditation Standards;

v. RCDC not permit any new students to enrol in a higher education course, or commence a higher education course, after the date of this order, at its Colombo associate college;

vi. a legally enforceable and unconditional guarantee be obtained from Raffles Education Corporation to meet any of RCDC's liabilities that RCDC is unable to meet for the period of RCDC's registration and a copy of that guarantee be provided to TEQSA within fourteen days after the imposition of this condition;

vii. RCDC must maintain a separate bank account with an Australian ADI (within the meaning of section 9 of the Corporations Act 2001) that has at all times a credit balance no lower than the total amount necessary to repay all pre-paid fees related to the provision of a RCDC higher education course to each person who has enrolled in, but not commenced, a RCDC higher education course;

viii. RCDC must:

1) by 1 February 2016 provide TEQSA with a copy of the reports from its reviews of each of its undergraduate course, a copy of the minutes of any Academic Board meeting which record the Academic Board's response to the reports and a proposed implementation plan to address the recommendations in the reports;

2) by 22 February 2016 provide TEQSA with a final implementation plan to address the recommendations from its course reviews which incorporates any amendments requested by TEQSA prior to 15 February 2016

3) implement the implementation plan at (viii)(2) above.

ix. RCDC must:

1) by 1 February 2016 provide TEQSA with a copy of the reports from its reviews of each of its continuing associate colleges, a copy of the minutes of an Academic Board meeting which record the Academic Board's response to the reports and a draft implementation plan to address the recommendations in the reports;

2) by 22 February 2016 provide TEQSA with a final implementation plan to address the recommendations from the associate college audits which incorporates any amendments by TEQSA prior to 29 January 2016;

3) implement the implementation plan at (ix)(2) above.

x. RCDC must provide TEQSA with a report, not later than 4 weeks prior to the commencement of each semester for its higher education courses, which, in relation to each staff member at each location proposed to teach one or more units in a RCDC higher education course, describes:

1) the highest qualification in the discipline of the course being taught;

2) the units proposed to be taught;

3) the professional experience held; and

4) a summary of how RCDC's revised Academic Staff Qualifications and Experience Policy has been applied to that staff member.

xi. RCDC must provide TEQSA with a report every three months, with the first report due by 1 March 2016, which describes RCDC's response to the remaining issues in its plan of action, and which includes copies of the minutes of meeting of the governing Council and academic board which consider the draft report.