ANAO report on TEQSA's regulation of higher education
TEQSA welcomes the Australian National Audit Office’s performance audit report on its regulation of higher education.
Findings
The ANAO audit report found that TEQSA’s regulatory activities were effective or largely effective in all but one element of the audit. These findings confirm that TEQSA is meeting its purpose under the TEQSA Act to regulate higher education according to the principles of regulatory necessity, risk and proportionality.
Importantly, the overwhelming success of the Australian higher education sector since TEQSA’s regulatory functions commenced in 2011-2012, provides strong evidence of the effectiveness of the agency’s work to protect student interests, and safeguard the quality and reputation of Australian higher education.
Recommendations
TEQSA accepts all five recommendations, in relation to its compliance and enforcement activities, and notes that work was already underway or planned to make improvements in these areas. This includes strengthening TEQSA’s existing compliance monitoring framework, improvements to the planning of compliance assessments, and ensuring the timely assessment of material submitted by providers.
TEQSA has also implemented processes for consistent handling of material change notifications and reporting of compliance activity, with a full regulatory operations report to be published in July 2020.
“As a relatively new agency, TEQSA welcomes its first performance audit report by the Australian National Audit Office, and its findings and recommendations,” said Professor Nick Saunders, TEQSA Chief Commissioner.
“We recognise there is more work to be done, and TEQSA is committed to continuing to work with the sector to protect student interests and the world class quality and reputation of Australian higher education.”
“TEQSA would like to thank the ANAO audit team for their work and the diligent, constructive and professional manner in which the audit was conducted.”