To support institutions effectively and ethically integrate generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) into teaching and learning, while managing the risks these evolving technologies pose to award integrity, TEQSA has developed a new toolkit.

Gen AI strategies for Australian higher education: Emerging practice, has been informed by the request for information TEQSA issued to all Australian providers in June 2024. The information request asked providers for an action plan addressing the risk gen AI poses to award integrity at their institution. TEQSA received a 100% response to this request. The new toolkit, which launched at a webinar on Thursday 28 November, is the first resource developed from the analysis.

The toolkit shares practical actions and experiences from across the sector, to uplift capability and support providers in managing the risk gen AI poses to award integrity, while also meaningfully and ethically integrating these tools into teaching and learning practices.

If you have any questions about the toolkit, please email integrityunit@teqsa.gov.au.

Another 50 illegal academic cheating service websites have been blocked by TEQSA, disrupting the operations of cheating services that target students in Australia.

This recent action brings the total number of websites blocked, under protocols with major internet service providers (ISPs), to 422. A list of the blocked illegal cheating websites is available at teqsa.gov.au.

Academic cheating services allow students to pay someone to complete assessments for them. This undermines the student’s learning and the trust in the qualification they receive. Further, using these services leaves the student vulnerable to blackmail and identity theft.

Blocking illegal academic cheating service websites is part of TEQSA’s multi-pronged approach to protecting the integrity of higher education awards.

In September, TEQSA, as part of the Global Academic Integrity Network, issued an open letter calling on social media and online platforms to take action to stop the advertising of these predatory services.

TEQSA has also worked to understand student attitudes to the issues of academic cheating, generative artificial intelligence and student wellbeing, conducting market research in May 2024.

To support providers in engaging students with these issues, TEQSA has shared the insights gathered from this research on our website. We encourage providers to consider these insights, and those gathered from their own student body, in preparing student communication around academic integrity for 2025.

TEQSA has numerous resources available to support higher education students, academics and professional staff. These resources include:

• Understanding academic integrity information for students (translations of this information into languages other than English, are also available on our website)
• the TEQSA Masterclass: Contract cheating detection and deterrence, which is suitable for professional and academic staff.
   

Full-length recordings are now available of every session from the #TEQSA24 Conference.

Session 1

Introduction

Master of Ceremonies, Professor Braden Hill, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Equity and Indigenous), Edith Cowan University

Keynote address: Winning the productivity prize in Australia

Danielle Wood, Chair, Productivity Commission

Minister’s address

The Hon Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education

Session 2

Panel: Tertiary harmonisation – setting a new course to benefit Australia

Chair: Dr Sam McAuliffe, Acting Assistant Director, Policy and Research, TEQSA

Panelists:

• Adrienne Nieuwenhuis, Acting Chief Commissioner, TEQSA
• David Turvey, Executive Director, Jobs and Skills Australia
• Christina Bolger, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Australian Skills Quality Authority
• David Coltman, Chief Executive, TAFE SA and Deputy Board Chair, TAFE Directors Australia

Panel: Uniting perspectives – fostering governance excellence to embrace challenges

Chair: Professor Kerri-Lee Krause, Chair, Higher Education Standards Panel 

Panelists:

• Peggy O’Neal AO, Chancellor, RMIT University and former President of the Richmond Football Club
• Mark Rigotti MAICD, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Australian Institute of Company Directors
• The Hon John Brumby AO, Chancellor, La Trobe University and former Premier of Victoria

Session 3

Panel: Navigating challenges and change on the road to self-assurance – provider case studies

Chair: Dr Mary Russell, Chief Executive Officer, TEQSA

Panelists:

• Professor Taryn Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education), Macquarie University
• Professor Maggie Kappelhoff, Provost, Sydney College of Divinity

Panel: Exploring perspectives of the real student experience

Chair: Professor Braden Hill, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Equity and Indigenous), Edith Cowan University

Panelists:

• Ngaire Bogemann, President, National Union of Students and 3rd year arts student
• Lisa Bolton, Director, QILT Research and Strategy, Social Research Centre
• Kathleen Nelly, Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success advisory board member and student
• Professor Kylie Readman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students), University of Technology Sydney

Session 4

Presentation: TEQSA priorities and looking ahead

Dr Mary Russell, Chief Executive Officer, TEQSA

Panel: Climbing the next mountain – a view from the peaks 

Chair: Adrienne Nieuwenhuis, Acting Chief Commissioner, TEQSA

Panelists:

• Luke Sheehy, Chief Executive Officer, Universities Australia
• Dr David Perry, Chair, Independent Higher Education Australia
• Jenny Dodd, Chief Executive Officer, TAFE Directors Australia

Closing keynote: The Australian Universities Accord – Transforming big ideas into real-world reform

Tony Cook PSM, Secretary, Department of Education and Chair, Implementation Advisory Committee

Conference close

Professor Braden Hill, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Equity and Indigenous), Edith Cowan University

TEQSA has released our updated Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS), which outlines our fees and charges for regulatory activity from 1 January 2025.

This updated version of the CRIS has changed how the annual Registered Higher Education Provider (RHEP) charge is calculated.

Where it is possible to do so, the RHEP charge will be reduced for smaller providers, while increasing costs for larger providers that are responsible for a greater proportion of TEQSA’s sector-wide compliance activities. This change ensures these compliance activities and updates to our enquiries management and provider liaison approach are fairly recovered.

We expect to send RHEP charge invoices to providers in February 2025.

Read more

• the updated CRIS
• frequently asked questions

On 28 November, TEQSA launched the toolkit, Gen AI strategies for Australian higher education: Emerging practice, during a webinar. Thank you to everyone who attended. Since launching, the toolkit has been downloaded more than 4,000 times.

This toolkit is the first resource TEQSA has published which was informed by the Request for information: Addressing the risk of artificial intelligence, issued to all registered providers in June 2024.

To further support providers, TEQSA has published questions and answers from the webinar. These are offered to help providers further understand TEQSA’s rationale and approach to supporting the sector in managing the risk generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) poses to award integrity.