Re-registration 15 December 2016

Renewal of registration

Report on renewal of registration and course re-accreditation of Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd

TEQSA has renewed the registration as a higher education provider, under Section 36(1) of the TEQSA Act, of Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd for a period of seven years to 15 December 2023 in the provider category of Higher Education Provider.

TEQSA has, under subsection 32(1) of the TEQSA Act, imposed three conditions on the registration of Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd as a higher education provider.

Condition 1:

By 30 June each year, or until further notice, Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd must provide:

a) Evidence from the Navitas Board demonstrating its continued responsibility to improve student performance. This should include minutes of the Navitas Board to evidence review of quantitative data for the LTM and LTUSC cohorts specifically, and a report from the Navitas Board, detailing its responses and actions arising from student performance data for the year ending 31 December of the previous year.

b) The report should include, but not be limited to, clear identification of sub-optimal student performance, additional strategies and additional human resources allocated to improve student performance. The report should be accompanied by an action plan, with an implementation timeline and measurable targets, through which material improvement of student performance should be achieved throughout the course of registration.

Condition 2:

By 30 June 2017, Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd must provide evidence of a review of its current strategic plan with clearly identified and measurable key performance indicators, particularly those relating to student performance and student feedback. Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd must also provide the minutes which evidence the approval of the revised strategic plan by the Navitas Board and evidence that the strategic plan has been disseminated to all relevant internal and external stakeholders.

Condition 3:

By 31 December 2017, Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd must provide:

a) evidence of the establishment and implementation of a plan for the systematic and cyclical review and update of all policies and procedures relating to its higher education operations

b) evidence that all policies and procedures have been reviewed and updated and formally approved by the LTM Executive; for academic policies, the Academic Board; and, unless the power to approve a particular policy is delegated, the governing body.

TEQSA makes the following observations relating to the decision to renew the registration of Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd:

a) That LTM is reminded of the requirement to have effective mechanisms in place to maintain the academic quality and integrity of all courses offered under the current arrangements between La Trobe University, LTM and LTUSC

b) LTM must ensure that casual staff are fully apprised of the opportunities and support available to them to engage in the full range of professional development activities

c) TEQSA's most recent finalised Risk Assessment addresses the response from LTM. The response, inter alia, identifies the increase in student load of domestic students of 82% for the period 2013 - 2014 and an increase in international students of 29.8% in same period as contributing to the overall high risk to students. The Case Team observes that this represents deterioration from the previous Risk Assessment that identified an overall moderate risk to students. LTM acknowledges that both cohorts have specific needs for pastoral and academic support. LTM is reminded to ensure the need for the continued development of tailored and appropriate student support programs to meet the needs of this varied cohort.

Main Reasons for Decision

As part of the renewal of registration process, TEQSA has assessed the applications submitted by Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd against the Threshold Standards. The scope of the assessment included all its Australian sites.

TEQSA considers that the decision to apply conditions to Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd's registration is consistent with the basic principles for regulation in Part 2 of the TEQSA Act, as Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd is at risk of not complying with a number of the Threshold Standards.

• The broad issues which relate to the Navitas Bundoora Pty Ltd registration include identified risk regarding:

  a) corporate and academic governance

  b) deteriorating student outcomes

  c) issues identified with LTM academic staffing profile

  d) increasing student load

  e) high student/staff ratio and

  f) a high attrition rate.