TEQSA Renewal of Registration

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia’s national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education. TEQSA registers and regulates the operation of all higher education providers in Australia.

ACU’s standing as a Self-Accrediting Authority and Australian University is supervised by TEQSA, in accordance with the Higher Education Standards Framework (HESF), and associated policies and rules.

Recently, TEQSA has taken steps to reduce the regulatory burden on providers, in response to COVID-19. It has done this by extending communication and renewal timeframes, allowing flexibility in aspects of the National Code, and providing guidance notes.

Through our response to COVID-19 and more generally, it’s important the university maintains good records of its activities and decisions to ensure our responses are appropriately documented. Additionally, the effective coordination of advice and information to and from TEQSA underpin our positive approach to risk management and internal assurance processes.

Preparations for renewal

Over the next two years, ACU’s Office of Planning and Strategic Management (OPSM) is supporting the implementation of a comprehensive assurance program to support the university’s Renewal of Registration with TEQSA. This is due to expire in July 2022. Because the renewal affects all aspects of ACU’s operations, it is a collective effort and OPSM will rely on collaboration with many areas across the university to achieve the best possible outcome.

Do you need support or advice?

With significant changes occurring across the sector, the need to seek advice on higher education standards and engage our higher education regulator has become increasingly frequent.

OPSM provides a number of activities and services, including coordinated and centralised liaison services for all matters requiring engagement with TEQSA.

Other services available are:

• Support and advisory services in the interpretation and ongoing compliance with the Higher Education Standards Framework.
• Analysis and advice on the determination of Material Change Notifications, resolution actions and Provider Information Requests.
• Gathering, submission and analysis of information and data in support of the annual TEQSA Risk Assessment Framework.
• Enterprise risk management, internal audit, quality assurance and organisational reviews in line with the ACU Risk Management Policy, Quality Management Policy and Organisational Unit Reviews Policy.
• Coordination, support and advisory services for ACU’s Renewal of Registration with TEQSA as a Higher Education Provider.

OPSM also supports the university’s strategic plan, load planning, data analytics and business intelligence programs.

Further information

If you have any questions, please contact Omer Yezdani at Omer.Yezdani@acu.edu.au. You can access the services above by using the Talk to an Expert form to make a request via Service Central.