Key considerations for providers preparing a self-assurance report (renewal of course accreditation)

The self-assurance report is an opportunity for you to articulate and evidence the effectiveness of your systems of self-assurance as they relate to your operational context and the renewal of course accreditation application, thereby demonstrating how you have assured yourself of ongoing compliance with the requirements of the HES Framework.

Outcomes of your self-assurance activities should be used to demonstrate your capacity to identify, mitigate and manage risks to the course, to identify and action opportunities for improvement and monitor and evaluate your success. This narrative should contextualise key changes made to the course over the last period of accreditation.

To assist you in preparing your self-assurance report and application, TEQSA has compiled the following list of key considerations relevant to renewal of course accreditation. This is not a definitive list and is intended to support providers in considering (and subsequently demonstrating consideration of) relevant factors and potential areas of risk that may apply to this application type.

TEQSA recommends that you give regard to the key considerations relevant to your specific context, noting that this is expected to vary from application to application.

Course monitoring and review
  • Scope, depth and types of course monitoring and analysis is suited to provider scale
  • Student performance is monitored and reviewed consistently over time, and specifically considers and compares outcomes across identified student cohorts, sub-groups and third-party delivery
  • Monitoring of academic integrity breaches includes identification and analysis of student cohorts and sub-groups
  • Developments in the field of education, including revisions to professional accreditation or industry requirements, are routinely monitored to ensure the currency of course content and design
  • Objects and processes employed for external referencing of the course and student performance are tenable and credible.

TEQSA recommends that providers consider our guidance notes on monitoring and analysis of student performance and academic monitoring, review and improvement.
Quality assurance
  • Third party or transnational delivery arrangements are regularly monitored and reviewed to assure quality and parity of student experience and supervision, the integrity of the higher education qualification being awarded, and ongoing compliance with the Threshold Standards
  • Monitoring and analysis activities are used to develop a sound understanding of student performance, and create an evidence base to enhance student outcomes at the course and institutional level – including improvements to admissions criteria, and approaches to course design, teaching, supervision, learning and academic support
  • Analysis of student performance assures quality outcomes by testing and validating a provider’s capacity to predict risks for identified groups of students and evaluate control measures, and to support the identification and management of previously unpredicted or unmitigated risks
  • Internal quality assurance mechanisms consider individual provider and key sector risks and implement controls that are suited to the identified risk and the course being delivered
  • Internal course review and reapproval processes are rigorous, and where applicable demonstrate consideration and implementation of actions stemming from independent external reviews.

TEQSA recommends that providers consider our guidance notes on academic quality assurance, delivery with other parties and academic and research integrity.

TEQSA further recommends that providers consider our good practice note on addressing contract cheating to safeguard academic integrity, and TEQSA’s resources on artificial intelligence.

In preparing your self-assurance report you are also expected to self-identify and address any significant risks or opportunities for improvement specific to your individual circumstances. These may include, but not be limited to risks associated with:

  • your regulatory and compliance history, including management of course conditions, voluntary undertakings, and any other adverse outcomes from recent regulatory assessments undertaken by TEQSA
  • observations and recommendations made by TEQSA about areas for improvement to support quality enhancement
  • areas of high or heightened risk identified by TEQSA in our annual Provider Risk Assessments (e.g. attrition rates, progression rate, senior academic leaders)
  • recent significant changes, including changes to senior leadership, ownership, third-party arrangements, courses, or organisational structure, or significant events, including media reporting or public attention surrounding an issue at your organisation
  • issues identified by other government and regulatory bodies (ASQA, the Department of Home Affairs, etc), or professional accreditation bodies.

Further information

For more information or assistance when applying for renewal of course accreditation, please contact the Courses team at assessments@teqsa.gov.au.

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