Accreditation 05 February 2014

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of 3 higher education courses of study offered by Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE

TEQSA has determined, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act), to grant accreditation of the following higher education courses of study offered by Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE for a period of seven years until 5 February 2021:

• Master of Creative Industries
• Graduate Diploma of Creative Industries
• Graduate Certificate of Creative Industries

TEQSA has, under subsection 53(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed six conditions on the accreditation of the above courses of study. Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE must:

Condition 1:

Prior to commencement of delivery of the above courses of study, and by no later than 31 March 2014, NMIT will provide TEQSA with an explanation of how it will determine five years relevant employment experience is appropriate as an alternate entry pathway into the programs.

Condition 2:

Prior to commencement of delivery of the above courses of study, and by no later than 31 March 2014, NMIT will provide TEQSA with the basis on which it would assess for admission into the courses, a candidate with no Bachelor, or higher level, qualification.

Condition 3:

Prior to commencement of delivery of the above courses of study, and by no later than 31 March 2014, NMIT will provide TEQSA with a policy setting out NMIT's approach to determining the "equivalent" professional experience of academic staff teaching at the Masters level who do not possess Australian Qualification Framework level 10 qualifications.

Condition 4:

Prior to commencement of delivery of the above courses of study, and by no later than 31 March 2014, NMIT will provide TEQSA with a plan for the development of approaches to teaching and learning, scholarship and academic leadership to demonstrate support for professional development for any staff teaching an award which leads to an award at level 8 or 9 of the Australian Qualification Framework.

Condition 5:

NMIT provide TEQSA with details of actual library acquisition and expenditure for the above courses of study on an annual basis with the first update to be provided on 1 July 2014 and the final update to be provided on 1 July 2016.

Condition 6:

After two full time cohorts of students have completed the above courses of study, and by no later than 1 July 2016, NMIT provides TEQSA with a report, undertaken by an independent external reviewer(s) on:

a) the alignment of the above courses of study with the Australian Qualification Framework level 9 descriptors

b) the appropriateness of assessment tasks for each of the above courses of study and its units in providing opportunities for students to demonstrate achievement of the courses' learning outcomes

c) the role of the Centre of Creative Industries Innovation and Knowledge in developing the knowledge and skills of students to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship at the Australian Qualification Framework level 9.

The report to TEQSA should include recommendations and management responses to each of the report's recommendations.

Background to Decision

Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE submitted an application for accreditation of three courses of study under Part 4 of the TEQSA Act. Subsection 45(4) of the TEQSA Act requires a registered higher education provider who is not authorised to self-accredit the course of study to apply to TEQSA for accreditation. Subsection 49(6) enables TEQSA to grant accreditation of a course of study for a period not exceeding seven years.

Main Reasons for the Decision

TEQSA has determined that the three higher education courses of study submitted by Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE for accreditation comply with the Provider Course Accreditation Standards. The course accreditation covers delivery at all Australian sites.

TEQSA considers that the decision to apply conditions to Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE'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 Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE is at risk of not complying with a number of the Threshold Standards. TEQSA considers that the risks of non-compliance with the Threshold Standards involve a number of matters that may affect Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE's capacity to manage and deliver its higher education awards.

• The broad issues which relate to the Master of Creative Industries, the Graduate Diploma of Creative Industries and the Graduate Certificate of Creative Industries include ensuring:

  a) the courses are aligned with the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) levels 8 and 9 descriptors

  b) admission criteria are appropriate for courses at the AQF levels 8 and 9

  c) academic staff who do not have a qualification one AQF level above the level of the course they are teaching have equivalent experience to teach the courses

  d) academic staff who will teach the courses receive appropriate teaching and learning, scholarship and professional development support

  e) Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE's library is equipped with text books, journals and other study materials appropriate to support the above courses of study

In accordance with subsections 53(2) and 53(3) of the TEQSA Act, TEQSA may vary or revoke a condition imposed on the registration of a higher education provider, either on its own initiative, or upon application by the provider for variation or revocation.