• Download the Statement of Regulatory Expectations: Student grievance and complaint mechanisms (PDF, 200 KB)

TEQSA’s regulatory work with the sector, consultations with students and stakeholder roundtables has identified important opportunities to strengthen higher education providers’ student grievance and complaint mechanisms. Amid protests on university campuses, students reported a wide range of challenges, including difficulties accessing grievance and complaint processes and concerns about a lack of transparency in how complaints were handled and progressed. These concerns echo the results from the 2021 National Student Safety Survey¹, indicating that pervasive and persistent issues are still affecting the sector.

This statement should inform the actions that registered higher education providers (providers) and their governing bodies take to assure themselves that they are meeting the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (Threshold Standards) in relation to how they handle student grievances and complaints². Following the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s Better Practice Complaint Handling Guide³, TEQSA understands a complaint to be an implied or express statement of dissatisfaction where a response is sought, reasonable to expect or legally required.

TEQSA’s regulatory expectations are grounded in the provisions of the Threshold Standards, particularly that:

• support offered to students is informed by, and meets the needs of, student cohorts (Standard 2.3.3)
• a provider’s grievance and complaint mechanisms are capable of resolving grievances about any aspect of a student’s experience with the provider, its agents or related parties (Standard 2.4.1)
• all students have opportunities to provide feedback on their educational experiences, which informs institutional monitoring, review and improvement activities (Standard 5.3.5)
• a provider’s governing body exercises competent oversight of, and is accountable for, all of the provider’s operations, including grievance and complaint mechanisms, and wellbeing and safety (Standard 6.1.1)
• a provider can demonstrate, and the governing body assure itself, that it is operating effectively and sustainably. This includes monitoring complaints, allegations of misconduct, breaches of academic integrity, and critical incidents, and taking action to address underlying causes (Standard 6.2.1.j).

TEQSA recognises that providers will meet these expectations in different ways depending on their student cohort, operating environment, and the various legislative requirements under which they operate.

These regulatory expectations apply to all provider grievance and complaint mechanisms that address various aspects of student wellbeing and safety. These include, but are not limited to, grievances and complaints concerning:

• provider decisions and actions that affect students
• student and staff behaviour. 

TEQSA’s regulatory expectations

Student support

1. Student grievance and complaint mechanisms include the following:
   
   1. information about complaint policies and procedures is advertised, clearly written, and easily accessible, including for students with diverse needs
   2. complainants who lodge a formal complaint are provided with clear information concerning:
      
      1. the complaints process, the scope of what the provider can consider, how personal information is handled by the provider, and typical outcomes that may result from the complaint process
      2. a timeline for resolution, including potential factors that may foreseeably and reasonably cause delays
      3. how to access the National Student Ombudsman (NSO) and other available external avenues of complaint resolution.
   3. complainants can:
      
      1. lodge complaints through multiple channels, for example, by phone, email or in-person
      2. make anonymous or confidential complaints, and are informed of how anonymity or confidentiality may impact the investigation, consideration or outcome of their complaint.
   4. student complainants or respondents who require support through a complaint process are referred, or receive provider-facilitated referral where appropriate, to suitable support services
   5. during the formal complaint process, complainants and respondents are provided with updates on the progress of a case at agreed intervals
   6. decisions about formal complaints are promptly communicated to complainants and respondents in writing, subject to relevant privacy obligations, outlining the activities undertaken to manage the complaint, any outcomes of the complaint, the reasons for those outcomes, and further avenues for appeal or review.

Policies

2. Policies and procedures for grievance and complaint handling include the following:
   
   1. clear articulation of what constitutes a ‘complaint’, as distinguishable from other forms of contact providers may receive from students such as enquiries or feedback
   2. clear explanations of how complaints are handled consistently and the principles or processes adopted to ensure complaint handling is effective, consistent and fair
   3. processes for handling sensitive complaints (such as complaints concerning gender-based violence) are person-centred and trauma-informed⁴
   4. protections against the risk of reprisal or victimisation for students or staff raising grievances or complaints
   5. complaints concerning the behaviour of students or staff are assessed against policies that outline relevant matters such as academic and non-academic misconduct, rights of academic freedom and freedom of speech, and wellbeing and safety.

Staffing

3. The provider’s staffing profile for complaints handling includes the following. That:
   
   1. sufficient staff are employed to manage the volume and complexity of complaints the provider typically receives
   2. staff allocated to handle, and those responsible for making decisions about, student grievances and complaints have appropriate training, including in:
      
      1. trauma-informed and person-centred practice
      2. supporting culturally and racially marginalised persons⁵
      3. the provider’s policies and procedures around complaints-handling
      4. if their role requires, administrative decision making.
   3. the early resolution of complaints is supported through triaging and appropriate empowering of staff with responsibilities to handle grievances and complaints
   4. the transfer of complaints casework between staff is minimised
   5. appropriate mitigations and supports are in place to respond to the wellbeing and safety needs of staff handling grievances and complaints and action is taken to address underlying risks. 

Monitoring, review and improvement

4. Monitoring, review and improvement of student grievance and complaint mechanisms are routinely undertaken, including:
   
   1. cyclic review and benchmarking of policies, procedures and complaints-handling training is undertaken to ensure they are fit for purpose and identify opportunities for improvement
   2. students who have engaged with formal complaints services as a complainant or respondent are invited to provide feedback on their experience
   3. the student body is invited to genuinely contribute to reviews and proposed changes to policies and procedures for student grievance and complaint handling. Student feedback is genuinely considered by the governing body and a summary of the provider’s responses to student feedback is provided to students who have engaged in the consultation process
   4. de-identified complaints data (including handling data) is analysed at least once every 6 months to identify themes and opportunities for improvements
   5. identified themes or opportunities for improvement are reviewed by the executive to inform their consideration and responses to key risks and actions
   6. barriers to making complaints are identified and reasonable steps are taken to minimise or remove these barriers.

Governance and accountability

5. Expectations for governance and accountability include the following:
   
   1. a management culture that prioritises and resources complaints handling and values complaint data is promoted, with senior leaders demonstrating a firm commitment to review, design, manage and deliver processes and policies to improve grievance and complaint mechanisms
   2. the governing body assures itself that the provider (and contracted third parties) meet the current expectations and their obligations around student grievance and complaint management and maintaining the wellbeing of staff (including staff involved in complaints-handling)
   3. the governing body reviews a report of de-identified complaints data at least once every 6 months and can assure itself that any underlying causes of identified trends or issues are being adequately addressed. The report of de-identified complaints data reviewed by the governing body should:
      
      1. include analysis of complaint trends, identification of underlying causes, and actions taken to address underlying causes
      2. list the review and improvement activities undertaken related to complaint handling, including identification of areas for improvement, and actions taken to improve service delivery, and clearly identify delegations of authority and accountability.

Application of this statement

This statement of regulatory expectations applies to all higher education providers. TEQSA expects that all providers will actively work to demonstrate self-assurance in line with the expectations.

TEQSA acknowledges that some providers may have additional obligations under the:

• National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018
• Higher Education Support Act 2003
• Higher Education Provider Guidelines 2023

TEQSA’s regulatory approach

TEQSA expects all higher education providers to review their student grievance and complaint mechanisms and implement necessary improvements. As part of their review process, providers should recognise that high or increasing complaint volumes do not necessarily imply systemic problems. For example, increased awareness of a provider’s complaint system will likely result in an increased volume of complaints.

Complaints are a valuable source of information to improve a provider’s operations. Providers should undertake regular and careful examination of complaints data and take appropriate actions to address underlying causes. An effective grievance and complaint mechanism is essential for this process.

As part of any regulatory activity, including re-registration or compliance assessments, TEQSA may require evidence of credible plans and demonstrable progress towards meeting these expectations. Providers must demonstrate that their governing body is maintaining appropriate oversight and assuring itself that the provider is meeting the Threshold Standards with regard to student grievances and complaints. When assessing compliance, TEQSA will also consider information from the National Student Ombudsman.

Annual reporting for Australian Universities

TEQSA expects that providers in the ‘Australian University’ provider category voluntarily publish annual complaints data. This recommendation is separate from the regulatory expectations set out above.

It is recommended that reports be publicly available and published in alignment with the provider’s publication of their annual report. For providers that do not already publish their complaints data, reporting should commence with publishing data for the 2026 calendar year. Care should be taken to ensure appropriate definitions of complaints and enquiries to avoid complaints being classified as enquiries in reported data.

At a minimum, TEQSA recommends that providers publish de-identified reports that set out:

• the total number of complaints received during the reporting period
• the number of each type of complaint, grouped in a transparent and accountable manner
• the number of complaints resolved
• the median timeframe to resolve complaints
• the number of unresolved complaints, including any outstanding complaints from previous reporting periods, and the average time since receipt of outstanding complaints
• the provider’s key performance indicators for managing complex complaints.

TEQSA may consider alternate reporting mechanisms with individual Australian Universities, or for all providers in the ‘Australian University’ provider category, subject to review of providers’ adoption of voluntary reporting.

Depending upon the sector’s response to risks around student grievances and complaints, TEQSA may expand the reporting requirements.

Review

This statement will be reviewed by TEQSA no later than 31 December 2026.

Notes

1. Results - National Student Safety Survey.
2. TEQSA recognises that providers may use the terms ‘grievances’ and ‘complaints’ in different ways, but we expect that providers will demonstrate a distinction between informal and formal complaint processes. For the purposes of this document, providers should also assume that, where relevant, reference to ‘grievance and complaint processes’ or ‘complaint handling processes’ also encompass appeals processes.
3. Better Practice Complaint Handling Guide.
4. A policy or procedure that is ‘person-centred’ aims to ensure a complainant’s needs and preferences are at the centre of decisions made in response to its disclosure. A policy or procedure that is ‘trauma-informed’ applies core principles of safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment, aims to minimise the risk of re-traumatisation of a complainant, and promotes recovery and healing to the greatest extent possible.
5. Persons who are culturally and racially marginalised are those who experience disadvantage because of their ‘cultural background, migration status, race or ethnicity’ (Australian Human Rights Commission: Speaking from experience, 2025, p. 5). Given the diversity of students in Australia’s higher education sector, appropriate training to support culturally and racially marginalised persons needs to be self-determined at the local level by relevant individuals and communities (The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031; Lowitja Institute: Cultural Safety in Australia, 2024).

 

The annual report outlines our activities and performance during each financial year. The TEQSA Act requires that the report is presented to Parliament.

2024-25

TEQSA’s Annual Report for 2024-25 was tabled in Parliament on Friday 3 October 2025.

• Access the annual report on the Australian Government Transparency Portal
• Download PDF version (6.6 MB)

Previous annual reports

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

2020-21

2019-20

2018-19

2017-18

2016-17

2015-16

2014-15

2013-14 

2012-13 

2011-12 

TEQSA confirms that Engineering Institute of Technology Pty Ltd:

1. is registered under the TEQSA Act as an Institute of Higher Education until 29 November 2030
2. has the authority to self-accredit its courses of study at AQF levels 6-9 in the broad field of education 03 Engineering and Related Technologies leading to higher education awards, as a consequence of its successful application to self-accredit courses of study under section 41 of the TEQSA Act.

Please visit the EIT website for a list of courses offered by the institution.

About

We've established a new webinar series to help inform the sector about our regulatory work, quality assurance matters and sector risk.

All TEQSA Talks webinars will also provide opportunities for providers and other stakeholders to ask us questions.

Registrations are required for this free webinar series.

All webinars will be recorded and uploaded to our website.

Register now

TEQSA Talks

Thursday 19 March 2026 from 2:00-3:00pm (AEDT) 
  

• Register your attendance (FREE)

Video recordings and presentation slides

TEQSA Talks #3, 2025: 24 September 2025

TEQSA Talks #2, 2025: 24 July 2025

TEQSA Talks #1, 2025: 20 March 2025

TEQSA Talks #3, 2024: 3 October 2024

TEQSA Talks #2, 2024: 4 July 2024

• Presentation slides - update from Dr Mary Russell, TEQSA CEO (PDF, 220 KB)

TEQSA Talks #1, 2024: 17 April 2024

TEQSA Commission

Our Commissioners are appointed by the Commonwealth Minister for Education based on their expertise in higher education quality assurance and regulatory practice. Commissioners are responsible for making regulatory decisions, setting strategic directions, monitoring risk in the sector and deciding on matters relating to the development of our quality assurance and regulatory functions. The Commissioners are TEQSA's accountable authority.

TEQSA's Commissioners also inform the higher education sector about our work and the responsibilities of higher education providers under the Australian Government’s regulatory system. Our Commissioners are:

Professor Kerri-Lee Krause (Chief Commissioner)

Professor Krause, former Vice-Chancellor and President of Avondale University, commenced as TEQSA’s Chief Commissioner on 7 April 2025.   Professor Krause brings extensive higher education leadership and knowledge to TEQSA, with more than 30 years’ experience in public universities and independent institutions. The current chair of the Higher Education Standards Panel (until 7 April 2025), her leadership has focused on systemic institutional turnaround strategies through enhancing the quality of university learning, teaching and student experiences, particularly among diverse student cohorts. An Honorary Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for the Study of Higher Education, Professor Krause’s most recent book, Learner-centred leadership in higher education, is a practical guide on strategic higher education leadership practices with learners at the heart.   Most recently, as Vice-Chancellor of Avondale University, Kerri-Lee successfully led Avondale’s transition from University College to University, applying lessons learned over many years of leading sector-level quality enhancement and university-wide organisational renewal and strategic improvement. Other executive leadership roles have included Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic at Western Sydney University and La Trobe University and Provost at Victoria University where she led the introduction of the block model curriculum initiative and workforce renewal spanning the higher education and TAFE sectors. As Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Melbourne, she led the Student Life executive portfolio, partnering with students, heads of student residential halls and colleagues across the University to enhance the quality of student engagement, safety and wellbeing.   Her previous sector leadership includes four years as elected Chair of the Universities Australia Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) group and non-Executive Director on numerous boards. She led the national admissions transparency of higher education strategic priority on behalf of the Higher Education Standards Panel from 2017 to 2025. Professor Krause is internationally recognised for her contributions to higher education policy research and practice, including research on the evolving nature of higher education curricula, learners, academic work and implications for leadership, quality, standards and university governance.

Adrienne Nieuwenhuis (Commissioner)

Prior to her appointment to TEQSA, Adrienne held senior positions at the University of South Australia, most recently as the Director of the Office of Vice Chancellor, and in state government as the Director Quality, Tertiary Education, Science and Research in the South Australian Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology. While in this role, Adrienne worked closely with the Australian Government in the establishment of the national regulatory systems for both higher education and VET.   Adrienne was an inaugural member of the Higher Education Standards Panel (2011–14) and the National Skills Standards Council (2011–13). She was reappointed to the Higher Education Standards Panel for a further three-year term in 2018.    Adrienne also has extensive experience across the tertiary education sector, including membership of the South Australian Skills Commission (2013–2025) and member of the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (2019–2022). In 2022 she was appointed to the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Advisory Council and in 2024 was appointed to the Commonwealth’s Initial Teacher Education Quality Assurance Oversight Board.    Adrienne has over 30 years’ experience in tertiary education, regulation, and public administration, management and governance. She has been a member of various state and federal committees and working parties associated with both VET and higher education and public policy.    In recognition of her contributions to tertiary education Adrienne was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 South Australian Training Awards.    Adrienne holds an honours degree in science and a master’s degree in tertiary education policy and administration.

Emeritus Professor Elizabeth More AM, MAICD (Commissioner)

Professor More was appointed to the TEQSA Commission in February 2025.   Prior to her appointment to the TEQSA Commission, Professor More held a number of senior academic and leadership roles in higher education. Most recently, Elizabeth has been Chair of the Academic Board of the SP Jain School of Global Management, Board Chair of Nexus Education, and on the Council and Academic Board of Kings Own Institute. Previously, she was the Chief Academic Advisor/Director of Research at Study Group and a member of its senior leadership team. She has also served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Macquarie and Canberra universities and Director of the Macquarie University Graduate School of Management (MGSM), Managing Director of MGSM Pty Ltd; Chair of the Academic Senate at Macquarie University; Foundation Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business at the Australian Catholic University; Professor of Management and MBA and Research Director at MGSM; and Academic Director of Macquarie University’s city campus. She was also the Dean of the Faculty of Business, Management and Wellness, incorporating the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) School of Business and the Australasian College of Health and Wellness.   A past president of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management, and of the Australian Communication Association, Elizabeth also has extensive experience in governance, and consulting to both private and public sector organisations. Before becoming a university academic, she worked as a classical ballet dancer in theatre and television, and in the advertising industry.   In addition to being a member of the 2019 Australian Qualifications Framework review panel, Professor More has been on the editorial boards of the Journal of Global Responsibility, Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, Australian Journal of Communication, Journal of Communication Management, Journal of International Communication, Knowledge and Process Management, and the Journal of Corporation Transformation.   Professor More’s academic achievements were acknowledged in the Queen’s Birthday 2005 Honours List, when she received the award of Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to education, particularly in the fields of communication, management and organisational change. Her most recent research presentations and publications have been focused on change management in the non-profit sector, highlighting the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Her latest publication with co-editors Associate Professor David Rosenbaum and Mark Orr, Journeys through the Disability and Mental Health Nonprofit Sector – The Theory and Practice of Leadership, will be published in April 2025 by Springer UK. Her academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (UNSW), Graduate Diploma in Management (Central Queensland University), Masters of Commercial Law (Deakin University), and a PhD (UNSW).   Her recent work in the nonprofit sector has been as Chair of Flourish Australia, a Director of the Symphony for Life Foundation, and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ NFP Chairs’ Forum.

Stephen Somogyi (Commissioner)

Steve Somogyi was appointed a TEQSA Commissioner in November 2021. He has extensive global experience in the financial services, health care, higher education and prudential regulation sectors and has chaired boards and audit and risk committees.   Steve served as the Chief Operating Officer at RMIT University for 10 years from July 2006 until July 2016. He then became a Strategic Adviser to Monash University, Victoria University, the University of Melbourne, the University of Adelaide, Siemens, Queensland Investment Corporation and Energy Trade.   He has chaired complex projects including the Queen Street Precinct project to improve student experience for Victoria University. He also helped create the Net Zero Program for Monash to achieve energy savings and zero net carbon emissions by 2030 and developed a strategic approach to the Higher Education and Health Care sectors for the Siemens Smart Cities Business Unit.   He was a member of the Expert Review Group for the Australian Council for Educational Research.   Steve has held a range of senior roles in government and industry at the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Trowbridge Consulting, Mayne Nickless, Bonlac Foods, IOOF and the CPI Group. He worked at National Mutual for 27 years and ended his career there as Chief Finance Executive and Chief Actuary.   His work on boards includes serving as a Commission Member of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission, former Chair of Guild Group, Director of UniSuper including Chair of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee, former Chair of Higher Ed Services, Chair of Course-Loop and former Director of Study Loans.   Earning a Master of Science in High Energy Physics from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Science in Management (Sloan Fellow) from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Steve is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia, of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and of the Financial Services Institute of Australia.

Chief Executive Officer

Dr Mary Russell, CEO

Dr Mary Russell is CEO at TEQSA. She was appointed to the role in May 2024, having led TEQSA as acting CEO since June 2023.   Mary joined TEQSA as the Executive Director of Regulatory Operations in 2022. In this role she led the regulatory teams which manage higher education provider registration, course accreditation, compliance and regulatory risk assessments.   Before joining TEQSA, Mary was Assistant Ombudsman for Dispute Resolution at the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. She held executive roles at the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) for six years, including as State Manager for Victoria, National Manager of Notifications and National Manager of Regulatory Risk Strategy. While at AHPRA, she led the development and implementation of a risk-based approach to managing concerns about the performance and conduct of health practitioners.   Mary has served as chair and member of regulatory boards, concurrently with roles as a health practitioner and a tertiary educator. She has extensive experience of university teaching, curriculum development and delivery, and has completed her PhD in Health Sciences.

Executive Leadership Team

The Commission is supported by an Executive Leadership Team (ELT) comprising the Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director of Regulatory Operations and senior managers. ELT is responsible for the management of our regulatory business, corporate processes and people.

Organisation structure

Audit and Risk Committee

We have established an Audit and Risk Committee in compliance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and PGPA Rule.

• View the Audit and Risk Committee Charter

Higher Education Standards Panel

The Higher Education Standards Panel (HESP) is an expert statutory advisory body, established under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), with responsibility related to the standards for delivery of higher education in Australia.

HESP is independent of TEQSA.

• Learn more about HESP (external website)
   

To report cyber incidents, please contact the responsible body below. Other reporting obligations may apply in your jurisdiction. It is the responsibility of providers to ensure they are aware of, and meeting, their reporting requirements with state and territory cyber security agencies. 

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Notifiable Data Breach scheme

An institution that is covered by the Privacy Act 1988 needs to notify the OAIC if a data breach has occurred, along with any individuals who may be at risk of serious harm.

Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)

Single Reporting Portal

Under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 and the Cyber Security Act 2024 it is mandatory for a university to report certain cyber incidents to the ASD.

Other cybercrimes, cyber security incidents or vulnerabilities can be reported to the Australian Cyber Security Centre within the ASD.

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)

Material change notification

Providers need to notify TEQSA of incidents where there is a significant data breach and the provider may be at risk of not meeting its obligations under the Threshold Standards.