Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of three higher education courses of study offered by Victorian Institute of Technology 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 courses of study offered by Victorian Institute of Technology Pty Ltd for a period of four years until 5 September 2021:

• Masters of Business Administration
• Graduate Diploma of Business Administration
• Graduate Certificate of Business Administration

TEQSA has, under subsection 53(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed one condition on the accreditation of the above courses of study. Victorian Institute of Technology Pty Ltd must:

Condition 1:

Prior to marketing and enrolling students into the courses VIT must provide evidence to TEQSA demonstrating that the following actions have been undertaken, and minutes to demonstrate that the outcomes have been reviewed and approved by the Academic Board and Course Advisory Committee:

1. Review of all unit learning outcomes against AQF requirements;
2. Mapping of all assessment tasks against unit learning outcomes;
3. Review of all unit content against unit learning outcomes.

The course accreditation covers delivery at all Australian sites.

Main reasons for decision

TEQSA considers that the decision to apply conditions to Victorian Institute of Technology's application for accreditation of three courses of study is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act, as Victorian Institute of Technology is at risk of not complying with a number of the Threshold Standards.

• The issues which led TEQSA to impose the conditions are:

  a) These are the first courses delivered by Victorian Institute of Technology at post graduate level;

  b) Victorian Institute of Technology does not have a record of delivering courses in this discipline.

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of a higher education course of study offered by Sheridan College Inc

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 Sheridan College for a period of four years until 29 June 2021:

• Bachelor of Arts

Main reasons for decision

TEQSA has determined that the higher education course of study submitted by Sheridan College for accreditation complies with the Provider Course Accreditation Standards and arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites.

TEQSA considers that the decision to accredit the course of study for a period of four years is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act. The shortened accreditation period provides an appropriate timeframe for TEQSA to review the course to ensure on-going compliance with the Threshold Standards, given that this will be the first AQF level 7 course delivered by Sheridan College, and risks identified in relation to:

a) PCAS 2.1 in relation to resourcing; and

b) PCAS 2.2 in relation to access to library and electronic resources.

Varying Conditions on Registration and Accreditation

Report on varying conditions on the registration of ParaPharm Pty Ltd and the accreditation of the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Mind Body Medicine) offered by ParaPharm Pty Ltd

A delegate of TEQSA has varied under subsection 32(2) of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), Condition 1 imposed on registration of ParaPharm Pty Ltd (refer to Renewal of Registration Public Report dated 21 September 2016).

A delegate of TEQSA also varied under subsection 53(2) of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), Condition 3 imposed on the accreditation of the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Mind Body Medicine) course offered by ParaPharm Pty Ltd (refer to Renewal of Registration Public Report dated 21 September 2016).

Attachments 1 and 2 reflect the full suite of active conditions on the registration of ParaPharm Pty Ltd and the accreditation of the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Mind Body Medicine).

Main reasons for decision

The condition was varied to afford ParaPharm Pty Ltd additional time to meet the requirements of Part C of Condition 1 on its registration and Condition 3 on the accreditation of the Bachelor.

Attachment 1

Conditions imposed on the registration of ParaPharm Pty Ltd trading as Paramount College of Natural Medicine:

i. ParaPharm Pty Ltd must review the following three courses of study:

• Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy)
• Bachelor of Health Science (Nutritional Medicine)
• Bachelor of Health Science (Western Herbal Medicine)

  and its information resources in light of the matters described in the 2016 expert reports and, within three months of the date of these orders, provide TEQSA with the following:

  1. a list of the changes to be made to each of the courses;
  2. evidence that the changes have been considered and approved by ParaPharm Pty Ltd's Academic Committee; and

  within six months of the date of these orders, provide TEQSA with the following:

  3. evidence from an independent expert (approved by TEQSA prior to his/her appointment) that the revised courses and information resources will allow students to achieve the learning outcomes of the courses (Condition 1);

ii. ParaPharm Pty Ltd must not enrol any new students in the following three courses of study:

• Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy)
• Bachelor of Health Science (Nutritional Medicine)
• Bachelor of Health Science (Western Herbal Medicine).

  until A and B of Condition 1 are met (Condition 2);

iii. ParaPharm Pty Ltd must, within one month of the date of these orders and, at least one month prior to the beginning of each financial year in which it is registered, provide TEQSA with the following:

1. a budget describing ParaPharm Pty Ltd's planned expenditure on staffing, facilities and educational resources for the financial year, which includes details on how ParaPharm Pty Ltd intends to address the concerns raised in the 2016 expert reports in relation to the currency of ParaPharm Pty Ltd's information resources and the adequacy of ParaPharm Pty Ltd's physical facilities (particularly its specialised facilities); and
2. evidence that the budget has been considered and approved by ParaPharm Pty Ltd's Board of Governors, with the benefit of advice from the ParaPharm Pty Ltd's Academic Committee (Condition 3);

iv. For six months from the date of these orders, ParaPharm Pty Ltd must provide TEQSA with a copy of the minutes of each meeting of its Board of governors and Academic Committee (minutes) no later than 21 days after the meeting takes place. After the initial six month period, ParaPharm Pty Ltd must provide the minutes no later than two weeks after the date the meeting takes place. The minutes must:

1. demonstrate a process consistent with the TEQSA Guidance Notes for the relevant bodies on the matters the subject of discussion;
2. include consideration of the matters required to be considered by the relevant bodies under the Higher Education Standards Framework, including risk management, delegations, course review, student performance, financial sustainability, facilities and staffing; and
3. specify the extent to which the discussion took account of external advice or input (Condition 4);

v. Within one month of the date of these orders, ParaPharm Pty Ltd must provide to TEQSA revised position descriptions for its Faculty Manager and another person or other persons, which set out the specific responsibilities of those staff to guide and support students to access library and information resources (Condition 5); and

vi. Within six months after the date of these orders, ParaPharm Pty Ltd must provide TEQSA with a report from an independent external expert (approved by TEQSA prior to his/her appointment), which reviews ParaPharm Pty Ltd's clinic arrangements and confirms that those arrangements provide for appropriate supervision, resources and student experiences to prepare students for practice in the field of their course of study (Condition 6).

Attachment 2

Conditions imposed on the accreditation of the Bachelor of Health Science (Mind Body Medicine) offered by ParaPharm Pty Ltd trading as Paramount College of Natural Medicine:

i. ParaPharm Pty Ltd must not enrol, or allow to be enrolled, any new students in the Bachelor of Health Science (Mind Body Medicine) course;

ii. any students currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Mind Body Medicine) course who are scheduled to complete the course by 31 July 2017 may continue studying the course; and

iii. any students currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Mind Body Medicine) course who are not scheduled to complete the course by 31 July 2017 must be transferred to another appropriate course or be provided with an appropriate refund within six months of the date of these orders

Renewal of course accreditation

Report on renewal of accreditation of one higher education course of study offered by North Metropolitan TAFE

On 2 February 2018 a delegate of TEQSA renewed, under section 56 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), the accreditation of the following course offered by North Metropolitan TAFE, for a period of seven years until 2 February 2025:

• Diploma of Commerce

Main reasons for the decision

TEQSA made this decision on the basis that it was satisfied that the course submitted by North Metropolitan TAFE for renewal of accreditation continues to meet the Provider Course Accreditation Standards of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015.

TEQSA's assessment considered North Metropolitan TAFE's arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites

Renewal of course accreditation

Report on renewal of accreditation of one higher education course of study offered by Kollel Academy of Advanced Jewish Education Limited

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 Kollel Academy of Advanced Jewish Education Limited for a period of seven years until 7 September 2024:

• Bachelor of Talmud / Bachelor of Rabbinic Thought

Main reasons for decision

TEQSA has determined that the one higher education course of study submitted by Kollel Academy of Advanced Jewish Education Limited for 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 Kollel Academy of Advanced Jewish Education Limited

TEQSA has renewed the registration as a higher education provider, under subsection 36(1) of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), of Kollel Academy of Advanced Jewish Education Ltd for a period of seven years to 7 September 2024 in the provider category of 'higher education provider'.

Main reasons for decision

TEQSA has assessed the application submitted by Kollel Academy of Advanced Jewish Education Limited against the Threshold Standards. The scope of the assessment included all its Australian sites.

Kollel Academy of Advanced Jewish Education Limited has demonstrated to TEQSA that it continues to meet the Threshold Standards.

TEQSA found that Kollel Academy of Advanced Jewish Education Limited has demonstrated:

1. sound corporate governance, with mechanisms for external advice
2. well-articulated risk framework
3. strong academic staff capabilities
4. well-targeted support, appropriate to the varying needs of its students.

Renewal of registration

Report on renewal of registration of the Australian College of Theology Limited

TEQSA has renewed the registration as a higher education provider, under Section 36(1) of the TEQSA Act, of the Australian College of Theology Limited for a period of seven years to 16 July 2022 in the provider category of Higher Education Provider.

TEQSA has, under subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed three conditions on the registration of the Australian College of Theology Limited as a higher education provider.

Condition 1:

Within three months of the date of notification of the decision, the ACT is required to:

a) amend its standard affiliation agreement and all related policy such that:

1. a student may lodge a complaint 'about any aspect of the higher education provider's higher education operations, including operations provided by other entities on behalf of the provider, without fear of reprisal';
2. it clearly sets obligations on an affiliated college to comply with the requirements of PRS 6.4 and sets out the potential consequences available to the ACT in circumstances where an affiliated college fails to meet those requirements; and
3. it establishes and demonstrates evidence of an arrangement with an appropriate independent third party to whom grievances may be referred if they are unable to be resolved internally.

b) amend the Dispute Resolution Policy for Domestic Students and the Dispute Resolution Policy for Overseas Students to ensure that affiliate colleges keep records of and report on all grievances and the resolution of all grievances.

Condition 2:

Within three months of the date of notification of the decision, the ACT is required to:

a) develop and implement a specific Human Resources strategy and policy that ensures that academic staff either have an AQF qualification at the level specified in PCAS 4.2 or have professional experience equivalent to such a qualification, and specifies the criteria against which such professional experience is measured.

b) provide evidence that the Academic Board considered the ACT Human Resources strategy and policy in respect of each and every staff member involved in delivery of its higher education programs. The evidence must include a schedule identifying all higher education academic staff, what courses they teach, their highest relevant qualification and where that qualification is not at least one AQF qualification level higher than the course of study they teach, how compliance with the Threshold Standards, including Provider Registration Standard 5.1 and 5.2 and Provider Course Accreditation Standard 4.1 and 4.2 has been achieved.

c) provide evidence of the Academic Board's consideration of the schedule and its decision as to what action the ACT will take where no assessment of equivalent professional experience has been made or that assessment shows non-compliance with the Threshold Standards, in each case to ensure compliance with the Threshold Standards.

Condition 3:

Within 28 days of the date of notification of the decision, the ACT is required to identify any Head of Program or equivalent where relevant, who does not have a relevant qualification at least one AQF level above the level of the course taught and for whom no assessment of equivalent professional experience has been made and provide advice to TEQSA as to what action will be taken by the ACT to address the matter.

Main Reasons for Decision

As part of the renewal of registration process, TEQSA has assessed the application submitted by the Australian College of Theology Limited against the Threshold Standards. The scope of the assessment included all its Australian sites and site in New Zealand.

TEQSA considers that the decision to apply conditions to the Australian College of Theology Limited registration is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act, as the Australian College of Theology Limited is at risk of not complying with a number of the Threshold Standards.

• The broad issues which relate to the Australian College of Theology Limited registration include:

  a) The provider is at risk of not complying with the requirements of Provider Registration Standard 5.2 in relation to the qualifications of the academic staff teaching its Master of Divinity and its Master of Arts (Theology), Master of Arts (Ministry) and Master of Arts (Christian Studies).

  b) There is a risk that the provider may not provide its students with access to effective grievance processes to enable them to make complaints about any aspect of the providers operations without fear of reprisal as required by Provider Registration Standard 6.4.

Renewal of registration

Report on renewal of registration of Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd

TEQSA has renewed the registration as a higher education provider, under Section 36(1) of the TEQSA Act, of Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd for a period of four years to 14 December 2020 in the provider category of 'Higher Education Provider'.

TEQSA has, under subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed two (2) conditions on the registration of Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd as a higher education provider.

On 5 January 2017, TEQSA varied, under subsection 32(2) of the TEQSA Act, the Condition 2 imposed on Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd on 14 December 2016. The revised conditions are set out below:

Condition 1:

a) Commencing from Trimester 1 2017, Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd must endeavour to maintain a maximum student to academic staff ratio of no more than 30:1, calculated based on the methodology set out on page 18 of the TEQSA Risk Assessment Framework (Version 2.1) document.

b) Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd must notify TEQSA if its student to academic staff ratio increases above 30:1 for a period longer than 10 business days.

Condition 2:

Within 3 months of the conclusion of each Academic Year, Australian Institute of Business and Management must provide to TEQSA:

a) A report on the implementation of its Retention Strategy that details its performance against each of the four priority areas within the strategy including relevant student performance data that details attrition, progression, completion and grade distributions. Calculations must be based on the methodology set out on pages 15 and 16 of the TEQSA Risk Assessment Framework (Version 2.1).

b) Evidence by way of meeting minutes that the report has been considered by the AIBM Academic Board and Council which includes any action in response to the report.

The first report is due to TEQSA within 3 months of the conclusion of the 2017 academic year.

Main Reasons for Decision

As part of the renewal of registration process, TEQSA has assessed the application submitted by Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd against the Threshold Standards. The scope of the assessment included all its Australian sites.

TEQSA considers that the decision to apply conditions to Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd's registration is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act, as Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd is at risk of not complying with a number of the Threshold Standards.

• The broad issues which relate to the Australian Institute of Business and Management Pty Ltd's registration include:

  a) Provider Registration Standard (PRS) 5.2, in relation to KOI's staffing and the extent to which staffing levels ensure the achievement of student learning outcomes; and

  b) PRS 3.4 and 3.8, in relation to the consideration of, and action in response to student performance in KOI's risk management and quality assurance processes.

Renewal of registration

Report on renewal of registration of Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd

TEQSA has renewed the registration as a higher education provider, under Section 36(1) of the TEQSA Act, of Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd (AIH) for a period of three years to 26 February 2018 in the provider category of Higher Education Provider.

TEQSA has, under subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed three conditions on the registration of Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd as a higher education provider.

Condition 1

Within three months of the date of notification of this decision, AIH is required to:

a) provide TEQSA with a workforce plan. At a minimum the workforce plan must identify recruitment strategies, discipline needs, academic and career development strategies incorporating scholarly activity, appropriate full-time to sessional staffing ratios and key implementation dates for the plan.

Condition 2

AIH is required to:

a) provide TEQSA, within three months of the date of notification of this decision, with a comprehensive diagnostic analysis of the probable causes for observed rates and trends for student attrition, progression and minimum time completion rates and failure rates, for each accredited higher education course it offers and each year, for the period 2011 to 2014 inclusive. The analysis must include accurate data on student attrition, completion, progression and grade distribution and include analysis by:

1. entry path (comparing students admitted under each entry pathway);
2. credit awarded (comparing students admitted with no credit awarded to students admitted with credit for up to a third of the course and between a third and two thirds of the course);
3. study mode (comparing students who take less than a full-time study load, exactly a full-time study load and greater than a full-time study load, where full-time study load is equal to 120 credit points in a calendar year);
4. place of study;
5. whether students are domestic or international students;
6. referral to and uptake of student support (including participation in formal study support programs); and
7. student achievement in similar courses at other higher education providers.

b) develop and provide to TEQSA by 30 August 2015, a detailed strategy, having regard to the comprehensive diagnostic analysis required under (a) above, which:

1. includes specific targets for improvement of student attrition, completion and progression rates and failure rates for each course and each year over the forward registration period; and
2. gives consideration to admission practices and standards, study load of students, the identification of students at risk of not progressing academically, and the adequacy and effectiveness of student support.

c) revise the targets determined in accordance with (b) above if and as directed by TEQSA.

d) demonstrate improvement, with reference to the targets to be established under (b) and (c), overall and for each course of study, through annually reporting to TEQSA on these rates by 31 January each year (for the rates in the previous calendar year) throughout the period of registration, with these reports to commence on 31 January 2016.

Condition 3

AIH must provide to TEQSA:

a) By 30 June 2015, evidence to demonstrate to TEQSA that its governing Body has an effective risk management framework for all AIH's higher education operations. The evidence should include:

1. an updated risk management framework which accounts for academic risk; and
2. Minutes of meetings of the Academic Board that demonstrate that AIH has considered all conditions and requests for information imposed by TEQSA on the registration of AIH and the accreditation of its courses;

b) By 30 June 2016, minutes of the Academic Board meetings for the preceding 12 months which demonstrate:

1. that it has effective development, approval, implementation and review of all academic policies; and
2. the nature of its considerations in relation to any of its policies or procedures, including any recommendations and changes to those academic policies and procedures.

Main reasons for decision

As part of the renewal of registration process, TEQSA has assessed the application submitted by Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd against the Threshold Standards. The scope of the assessment included all its Australian sites.

TEQSA considers that the decision to apply conditions to Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd registration is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act, as Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd is at risk of not complying with a number of the Threshold Standards.

• The broad issues which relate to the Australian Institute of Higher Education Pty Ltd registration include:

  a) AIH's management of human resources

  b) Student outcomes including attrition and progression

  c) Risk management

  d) academic policy development and review