Re-accreditation 18 December 2023

Provider: The Institute of Creative Arts & Technology Pty Ltd. (formerly Macleay College Pty Ltd)

Course: Bachelor of Business (Accounting)

Renewal of course accreditation

Report on renewal of accreditation of 2 higher education courses of study offered by The Institute of Creative Arts and Technology Pty Ltd

On 18 December 2023, a delegate of TEQSA:

  • renewed, under section 56 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), the accreditation of the following course offered by The Institute of Creative Arts and Technology Pty Ltd (ICAT), for a period of 3 years until 18 December 2026:
    • Bachelor of Business (Accounting).
  • imposed, under section 53 of the TEQSA Act, 2 conditions on the renewal of accreditation of the Bachelor of Business (Accounting).

Condition 1: Staffing

By 31 December of each year (commencing in 2024), ICAT will provide to TEQSA the following evidence for the Bachelor of Business (Accounting):

  1. Updated position descriptions for each role relating to the delivery of the course.
  2. The most recent version of ICAT's Professional Equivalency Policy.
  3. The most recent version of ICAT's Equivalence Mapping Framework.
  4. A staffing matrix for all staff with responsibilities for academic oversight and those with teaching and supervisory roles for the Bachelor Business (Accounting) course or units of study which will include:
    1. Full name and position title.
    2. Employment status (sessional/permanent) and FTE equivalent of employment.
    3. Specific units they have taught and/or over which they have had academic oversight. If the staff member's qualifications and previous roles are not clearly linked to the disciplines of business and/or accounting, include an indication as to how the qualifications and expertise are relevant to the units delivered by the staff member.
    4. Whether the staff member meets the AQF+1 requirement. For each staff member who does not hold a qualification in a relevant discipline at least one level higher than is awarded for the course, evidence of equivalent relevant academic or professional or practice-based experience and expertise must be provided, as well as a clear basis upon which the Academic Board supports the basis upon which it has made the decision to award academic equivalence in accordance with ICAT's Equivalence Mapping Framework.
    5. Itemisation of recent scholarly engagement in the field, including scholarly activities, research, and advances in practice.
    6. Itemisation of recent engagement in pedagogy related to contemporary teaching, learning and assessment principles.
    7. For each staff member who does not fully meet the requirements of Standard 3.2.3, evidence to demonstrate they have their teaching guided and overseen by staff who meet the standard.
    8. A CV for each staff member included in the matrix submitted in part (d) above. The CV must clearly detail all formal qualifications, when the qualifications were awarded, and clearly outline each staff member's professional experience or practice-based experience and expertise.
    9. Evidence that budgeting has allowed for all permanent and sessional staff members to provide 2 hours of student consultation time per week.

Condition 2: Course Review

By 31 December of each year (commencing in 2024), provide the following evidence to TEQSA for the Bachelor of Business (Accounting):

  1. Evidence of regular interim monitoring of the quality of teaching, student progress, and the overall delivery of units within the course.
  2. Evidence of regular review and improvement activities, which include external referencing of the success of student cohorts against comparable courses of study, including the following:
    1. An analysis of progression, attrition, and completion rates for each delivery location.
    2. An analysis of the results of moderation activities of assessment methods and grading for selected course units.
  3. Meeting minutes of the relevant governing bodies and committees for the previous 12 months, which record detailed consideration and deliberation of the above matters. The minutes must contain a clear record of the following:
    1. The identification and consideration of any deficiencies relating to the matters outlined in parts (a) and (b) above.
    2. Targeted action items and proposed completion dates to address any deficiencies identified.
    3. Monitoring of the implementation of all actions taken since 1 January 2024, including an analysis of the success thus far of all actions either completed or under way.

Main reasons for the decision

TEQSA made these decisions in light of risks that the course submitted for renewal of accreditation by ICAT may not meet, or continue to meet, the following provisions of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (HES Framework):

  1. Section 3.2 of Part A, in relation to ensuring that:
    1. The staffing complement for the course is sufficient to meet the educational, academic support and administrative needs of student cohorts undertaking the course.
    2. The academic staffing profile for the course provides the level and extent of academic oversight and teaching capacity needed to lead students in intellectual inquiry suited to the nature and level of the expected learning outcomes.
    3. Staff with responsibilities for academic oversight and those with teaching and supervisory roles in the course or units of study are equipped for their roles, including having knowledge of contemporary developments in the relevant discipline or field, which is informed by continuing scholarship or research or advances in practice.
    4. Staff with responsibilities for academic oversight and teaching have skills in contemporary teaching, learning and assessment principles relevant to the discipline, their role and the needs of particular student cohorts.
    5. Staff with responsibilities for academic oversight and those with teaching and supervisory responsibilities have a qualification in the relevant discipline at least one level higher than is awarded for the course, or equivalent relevant academic or professional or practice-based experience and expertise.
    6. Staff members who do not fully meet the requirements of Paragraph 3.2.3c have their teaching guided and overseen by staff who do meet those requirements.
    7. Teaching staff are accessible to students seeking individual assistance with their studies at a level consistent with the learning needs of the student cohort.
  2. Section 5.1 of Part A, in relation to ensuring that:
    1. The course is re-approved by the relevant governing bodies only when the course continues to meet the applicable Standards of the HES Framework.
    2. The course is re-approved only when the resources required to deliver the course as approved will be available when needed.
  3. Section 5.3 of Part A, in relation to ensuring that:
    1. A comprehensive review of the course is informed and supported by regular interim monitoring of the quality of teaching, student progress, and the overall delivery of units within the course.
    2. ICAT's course review and improvement activities are informed and supported by regular external referencing, including external referencing of the success of student cohorts against comparable courses of study.

Application to withdraw conditions

In accordance with section 53 of the TEQSA Act, TEQSA may vary or revoke a condition imposed on the accreditation of a higher education course of study, either on its own initiative, or upon application by the provider for variation or revocation.