Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of two higher education courses of study offered by TAFE SA

On 27 June 2018, the Commission:

• Revoked, under section 185 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), the reviewable decision made by a delegate of TEQSA to reject the application by TAFE SA for accreditation of the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and the Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship.
• Accredited, under section 49 of the TEQSA Act, the following courses offered by TAFE SA, for a period of four years from the date of decision:

1. Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship
2. Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship

• Imposed, under section 53 of the TEQSA Act, two conditions on the accreditation of the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and the Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship offered by TAFE SA.

Condition 1: Workforce Plan

TAFE SA must not enrol students in or commence delivery of the course until TEQSA notifies the provider that TEQSA is satisfied that TAFE SA has a suitable workforce plan for the course(s) which specifies:

1. the names of academic leaders and unit coordinators for each unit in the course;
2. the qualifications and relevant professional experience held by those staff members;
3. whether those staff members teach at another higher education provider or registered training organisation;
4. if a staff member does not hold a qualification in a relevant discipline at least one AQF level above the course in which they are teaching, details of the basis on which TAFE SA determined that the staff member holds professional experience equivalent to such a qualification; and
5. the scholarly activity or research undertaken in the preceding calendar year and any funding support provided by TAFE SA towards that activity.

Condition 2: Staffing arrangements and scholarly activity

By 31 March 2019 and each year thereafter, TAFE SA must provide to TEQSA:

1. A report which includes a list of all academic staff engaged to teach into the course of study, and for each staff member, the nature of their appointment (i.e. casual, fixed term or continuing including fraction where applicable), the units taught, the scholarly or research activities undertaken in the preceding calendar year and any funding support provided by TAFE SA towards that activity.
2. Evidence by way of meeting minutes that the report has been considered by the relevant TAFE SA governing bodies which includes any action in response.

Main reasons for the decision

TEQSA made these decisions in light of risks that the courses submitted by TAFE SA may not meet, or continue to meet, standard 3.2.3 in Part A of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015.

TEQSA's assessment considered TAFE SA's arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites.

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of two higher education courses of study offered by TAFE SA

On 27 June 2018, the Commission:

• Revoked, under section 185 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), the reviewable decision made by a delegate of TEQSA to reject the application by TAFE SA for accreditation of the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and the Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship.
• Accredited, under section 49 of the TEQSA Act, the following courses offered by TAFE SA, for a period of four years from the date of decision:

1. Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship
2. Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship

• Imposed, under section 53 of the TEQSA Act, two conditions on the accreditation of the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and the Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship offered by TAFE SA.

Condition 1: Workforce Plan

TAFE SA must not enrol students in or commence delivery of the course until TEQSA notifies the provider that TEQSA is satisfied that TAFE SA has a suitable workforce plan for the course(s) which specifies:

1. the names of academic leaders and unit coordinators for each unit in the course;
2. the qualifications and relevant professional experience held by those staff members;
3. whether those staff members teach at another higher education provider or registered training organisation;
4. if a staff member does not hold a qualification in a relevant discipline at least one AQF level above the course in which they are teaching, details of the basis on which TAFE SA determined that the staff member holds professional experience equivalent to such a qualification; and
5. the scholarly activity or research undertaken in the preceding calendar year and any funding support provided by TAFE SA towards that activity.

Condition 2: Staffing arrangements and scholarly activity

By 31 March 2019 and each year thereafter, TAFE SA must provide to TEQSA:

1. A report which includes a list of all academic staff engaged to teach into the course of study, and for each staff member, the nature of their appointment (i.e. casual, fixed term or continuing including fraction where applicable), the units taught, the scholarly or research activities undertaken in the preceding calendar year and any funding support provided by TAFE SA towards that activity.
2. Evidence by way of meeting minutes that the report has been considered by the relevant TAFE SA governing bodies which includes any action in response.

Main reasons for the decision

TEQSA made these decisions in light of risks that the courses submitted by TAFE SA may not meet, or continue to meet, standard 3.2.3 in Part A of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015.

TEQSA's assessment considered TAFE SA's arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites.

Revocation of registration conditions

Report on revocation of conditions imposed on the registration of the Academy of Design Australia Ltd (trading as LCI Melbourne)

On 9 August 2018 a delegate of TEQSA revoked, under section 32 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), Conditions 3 and 4 imposed on the registration of the Academy of Design Australia Ltd (refer Public Report of 31 August 2017).

Main reasons for the decision

TEQSA made this decision on the basis that the conditions have been met.

Registration

Report on registration of Leaders Institute Pty Ltd

TEQSA has agreed to orders made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) under which Leaders Institute Pty Ltd (Leaders Institute) is registered pursuant to section 21 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act) for a period of five years until 13 January 2023 in the provider category of Higher Education Provider.

The AAT orders also provide for the accreditation of the Bachelor of Accounting and the Bachelor of Agribusiness courses to be offered by Leaders Institute, pursuant to section 49 of the TEQSA Act, and for two conditions to be imposed on Leaders Institute's registration pursuant to section 32 of the TEQSA Act. A copy of the conditions is available at Attachment 1.

Background

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

TEQSA considered Leaders Institute's application and provided two draft assessment reports with details of the assessment of Leaders Institute's applications by the responsible assessment team. TEQSA's Commission considered Leaders Institute's response to the draft reports and made a decision to reject Leaders Institute's application for registration on 13 October 2017 on the basis that it was not satisfied that Leaders Institute met the Threshold Standards.

Leaders Institute applied for review of TEQSA's decision in the AAT. In the course of the proceedings, Leaders Institute made submissions and provided further information and evidence about the matters raised in TEQSA's decisions.

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 Leaders Institute's applications.

Main reasons for the decision

After reviewing the further material submitted by Leaders Institute, TEQSA was satisfied that Leaders Institute meets the Threshold Standards. However, TEQSA considered that there remained a number of risks related to Leaders Institute's capacity to meet the Threshold Standards in the future.

On this basis, TEQSA agreed that it was appropriate to substitute TEQSA's initial rejection of the applications with decisions to register Leaders Institute for a period until 13 January 2023, to accredit Leaders Institute's Bachelor of Accounting and Bachelor of Agribusiness courses for the same period, and to impose a number of conditions on Leaders Institute's registration.

The conditions are designed to address the need for Leaders Institute to:

1. Develop a proposed framework for supporting, and collating and reporting on information about the scholarly activities of its academic staff (Standard 3.2.3)
2. Report on the steps it takes to ensure that its academic staff are active in scholarship, which informs their teaching (Standard 3.2.3)
3. Provide annual staff scholarship profiles, which document the activities and/or memberships that have scholarly or professional relevance to the individual staff members' roles at Leaders (Standard 3.2.3).

TEQSA is satisfied that these conditions will provide an appropriate framework for TEQSA to oversee Leaders Institute's approach to dealing with these issues.

Attachment 1

Pursuant to subsection 42C(2) of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, the Tribunal:

2. substitutes a decision, pursuant to section 43(1)(c) of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, that:

(e) imposes the following conditions on the registration of the applicant, pursuant to subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act:

(i) until 31 August 2020, Leaders must provide TEQSA with a report, not later than 2 weeks prior to the commencement of each teaching period for its higher education courses which, in relation to each staff member at each location proposed to teach one or more units in a Leaders higher education course, describes;

1. the staff member's full name;
2. the staff member's highest qualification in the discipline of the course(s) that they will teach or assess;
3. the unit(s) that the staff member is proposed to teach or assess;
4. if the staff member does not hold a qualification that is at least one AQF level higher than that of the course that they will teach or assess, the basis on which Leaders has exercised professional judgement about whether the staff member has sufficient professional experience;

(ii) Leaders must

1. by 31 August 2018, provide TEQSA with a proposed framework for supporting, and collating and reporting on information about, the scholarly activities of its academic staff. The framework must take account of TEQSA's Guidance Note: Scholarship and include a description of the steps taken by Leaders to ensure that its academic staff are active in scholarship which informs their teaching;
2. by 31 August 2019, and by 31 August 2020, submit a complete set of staff scholarship profiles for the preceding twelve months that:

1. have been completed by each individual academic staff member who is required to be active in scholarship;
2. describe each staff member's scholarly activities;
3. include only activities or memberships which have scholarly or professional relevance to the individual's role with Leaders.

Registration

Report on registration of Leaders Institute Pty Ltd

TEQSA has agreed to orders made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) under which Leaders Institute Pty Ltd (Leaders Institute) is registered pursuant to section 21 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act) for a period of five years until 13 January 2023 in the provider category of Higher Education Provider.

The AAT orders also provide for the accreditation of the Bachelor of Accounting and the Bachelor of Agribusiness courses to be offered by Leaders Institute, pursuant to section 49 of the TEQSA Act, and for two conditions to be imposed on Leaders Institute's registration pursuant to section 32 of the TEQSA Act. A copy of the conditions is available at Attachment 1.

Background

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

TEQSA considered Leaders Institute's application and provided two draft assessment reports with details of the assessment of Leaders Institute's applications by the responsible assessment team. TEQSA's Commission considered Leaders Institute's response to the draft reports and made a decision to reject Leaders Institute's application for registration on 13 October 2017 on the basis that it was not satisfied that Leaders Institute met the Threshold Standards.

Leaders Institute applied for review of TEQSA's decision in the AAT. In the course of the proceedings, Leaders Institute made submissions and provided further information and evidence about the matters raised in TEQSA's decisions.

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 Leaders Institute's applications.

Main reasons for the decision

After reviewing the further material submitted by Leaders Institute, TEQSA was satisfied that Leaders Institute meets the Threshold Standards. However, TEQSA considered that there remained a number of risks related to Leaders Institute's capacity to meet the Threshold Standards in the future.

On this basis, TEQSA agreed that it was appropriate to substitute TEQSA's initial rejection of the applications with decisions to register Leaders Institute for a period until 13 January 2023, to accredit Leaders Institute's Bachelor of Accounting and Bachelor of Agribusiness courses for the same period, and to impose a number of conditions on Leaders Institute's registration.

The conditions are designed to address the need for Leaders Institute to:

1. Develop a proposed framework for supporting, and collating and reporting on information about the scholarly activities of its academic staff (Standard 3.2.3)
2. Report on the steps it takes to ensure that its academic staff are active in scholarship, which informs their teaching (Standard 3.2.3)
3. Provide annual staff scholarship profiles, which document the activities and/or memberships that have scholarly or professional relevance to the individual staff members' roles at Leaders (Standard 3.2.3).

TEQSA is satisfied that these conditions will provide an appropriate framework for TEQSA to oversee Leaders Institute's approach to dealing with these issues.

Attachment 1

Pursuant to subsection 42C(2) of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, the Tribunal:

2. substitutes a decision, pursuant to section 43(1)(c) of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, that:

(e) imposes the following conditions on the registration of the applicant, pursuant to subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act:

(i) until 31 August 2020, Leaders must provide TEQSA with a report, not later than 2 weeks prior to the commencement of each teaching period for its higher education courses which, in relation to each staff member at each location proposed to teach one or more units in a Leaders higher education course, describes;

1. the staff member's full name;
2. the staff member's highest qualification in the discipline of the course(s) that they will teach or assess;
3. the unit(s) that the staff member is proposed to teach or assess;
4. if the staff member does not hold a qualification that is at least one AQF level higher than that of the course that they will teach or assess, the basis on which Leaders has exercised professional judgement about whether the staff member has sufficient professional experience;

(ii) Leaders must

1. by 31 August 2018, provide TEQSA with a proposed framework for supporting, and collating and reporting on information about, the scholarly activities of its academic staff. The framework must take account of TEQSA's Guidance Note: Scholarship and include a description of the steps taken by Leaders to ensure that its academic staff are active in scholarship which informs their teaching;
2. by 31 August 2019, and by 31 August 2020, submit a complete set of staff scholarship profiles for the preceding twelve months that:

1. have been completed by each individual academic staff member who is required to be active in scholarship;
2. describe each staff member's scholarly activities;
3. include only activities or memberships which have scholarly or professional relevance to the individual's role with Leaders.

Registration

Report on registration of Leaders Institute Pty Ltd

TEQSA has agreed to orders made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) under which Leaders Institute Pty Ltd (Leaders Institute) is registered pursuant to section 21 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act) for a period of five years until 13 January 2023 in the provider category of Higher Education Provider.

The AAT orders also provide for the accreditation of the Bachelor of Accounting and the Bachelor of Agribusiness courses to be offered by Leaders Institute, pursuant to section 49 of the TEQSA Act, and for two conditions to be imposed on Leaders Institute's registration pursuant to section 32 of the TEQSA Act. A copy of the conditions is available at Attachment 1.

Background

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

TEQSA considered Leaders Institute's application and provided two draft assessment reports with details of the assessment of Leaders Institute's applications by the responsible assessment team. TEQSA's Commission considered Leaders Institute's response to the draft reports and made a decision to reject Leaders Institute's application for registration on 13 October 2017 on the basis that it was not satisfied that Leaders Institute met the Threshold Standards.

Leaders Institute applied for review of TEQSA's decision in the AAT. In the course of the proceedings, Leaders Institute made submissions and provided further information and evidence about the matters raised in TEQSA's decisions.

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 Leaders Institute's applications.

Main reasons for the decision

After reviewing the further material submitted by Leaders Institute, TEQSA was satisfied that Leaders Institute meets the Threshold Standards. However, TEQSA considered that there remained a number of risks related to Leaders Institute's capacity to meet the Threshold Standards in the future.

On this basis, TEQSA agreed that it was appropriate to substitute TEQSA's initial rejection of the applications with decisions to register Leaders Institute for a period until 13 January 2023, to accredit Leaders Institute's Bachelor of Accounting and Bachelor of Agribusiness courses for the same period, and to impose a number of conditions on Leaders Institute's registration.

The conditions are designed to address the need for Leaders Institute to:

1. Develop a proposed framework for supporting, and collating and reporting on information about the scholarly activities of its academic staff (Standard 3.2.3)
2. Report on the steps it takes to ensure that its academic staff are active in scholarship, which informs their teaching (Standard 3.2.3)
3. Provide annual staff scholarship profiles, which document the activities and/or memberships that have scholarly or professional relevance to the individual staff members' roles at Leaders (Standard 3.2.3).

TEQSA is satisfied that these conditions will provide an appropriate framework for TEQSA to oversee Leaders Institute's approach to dealing with these issues.

Attachment 1

Pursuant to subsection 42C(2) of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, the Tribunal:

2. substitutes a decision, pursuant to section 43(1)(c) of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, that:

(e) imposes the following conditions on the registration of the applicant, pursuant to subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act:

(i) until 31 August 2020, Leaders must provide TEQSA with a report, not later than 2 weeks prior to the commencement of each teaching period for its higher education courses which, in relation to each staff member at each location proposed to teach one or more units in a Leaders higher education course, describes;

1. the staff member's full name;
2. the staff member's highest qualification in the discipline of the course(s) that they will teach or assess;
3. the unit(s) that the staff member is proposed to teach or assess;
4. if the staff member does not hold a qualification that is at least one AQF level higher than that of the course that they will teach or assess, the basis on which Leaders has exercised professional judgement about whether the staff member has sufficient professional experience;

(ii) Leaders must

1. by 31 August 2018, provide TEQSA with a proposed framework for supporting, and collating and reporting on information about, the scholarly activities of its academic staff. The framework must take account of TEQSA's Guidance Note: Scholarship and include a description of the steps taken by Leaders to ensure that its academic staff are active in scholarship which informs their teaching;
2. by 31 August 2019, and by 31 August 2020, submit a complete set of staff scholarship profiles for the preceding twelve months that:

1. have been completed by each individual academic staff member who is required to be active in scholarship;
2. describe each staff member's scholarly activities;
3. include only activities or memberships which have scholarly or professional relevance to the individual's role with Leaders.

Revocation of registration condition

Report on the revocation of a condition imposed on the registration of the Australian College of the Arts Pty Ltd

On 3 July 2018 TEQSA revoked, under Section 32 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), Condition 1 on the registration of the Australian College of the Arts Pty Ltd (refer public report of 19 January 2017).

Main reasons for the decision

TEQSA made these decisions on the basis that it was satisfied that the condition has been met.

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of six higher education courses of study offered by Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd

On 25 July 2018, TEQSA:

• accredited, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), the following courses offered by Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd, for a period of seven years until 25 July 2025:
  • Master of Engineering (Civil: Structural)
  • Graduate Diploma of Engineering (Civil: Structural)
  • Master of Engineering (Chemical and Process)
  • Graduate Diploma of Engineering (Chemical and Process)
  • Master of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure)
  • Graduate Diploma of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure).
• imposed, under section 53 of the TEQSA Act, one condition on the accreditation of the Master of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure).

Condition 1: Assurance that the course meets the relevant Australian Qualifications Framework standard

Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd must not enrol students in or commence delivery of the Master of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure) until TEQSA notifies the provider that TEQSA is satisfied that the course of study incorporates relevant course content including theoretical frameworks and research findings to ensure that the course meets the specifications of level 9 of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and so enables graduates to analyse critically and reflect on complex rail technology problems.

Main reasons for the decision

TEQSA made this decision in light of the risk that courses submitted by Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd may not meet, or continue to meet, the following provisions of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2011:

1. Master of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure): Provider Course Accreditation Standard (PCAS) 1.1 and 1.3, in relation to the content of the course.

TEQSA's assessment considered Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd's arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites.

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of six higher education courses of study offered by Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd

On 25 July 2018, TEQSA:

• accredited, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), the following courses offered by Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd, for a period of seven years until 25 July 2025:
  • Master of Engineering (Civil: Structural)
  • Graduate Diploma of Engineering (Civil: Structural)
  • Master of Engineering (Chemical and Process)
  • Graduate Diploma of Engineering (Chemical and Process)
  • Master of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure)
  • Graduate Diploma of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure).
• imposed, under section 53 of the TEQSA Act, one condition on the accreditation of the Master of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure).

Condition 1: Assurance that the course meets the relevant Australian Qualifications Framework standard

Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd must not enrol students in or commence delivery of the Master of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure) until TEQSA notifies the provider that TEQSA is satisfied that the course of study incorporates relevant course content including theoretical frameworks and research findings to ensure that the course meets the specifications of level 9 of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and so enables graduates to analyse critically and reflect on complex rail technology problems.

Main reasons for the decision

TEQSA made this decision in light of the risk that courses submitted by Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd may not meet, or continue to meet, the following provisions of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2011:

1. Master of Engineering (Civil: Railway Infrastructure): Provider Course Accreditation Standard (PCAS) 1.1 and 1.3, in relation to the content of the course.

TEQSA's assessment considered Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd's arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites.