Universities Australia provided a submission to the Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee's inquiry into the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Bill(s) 2011.
The Universities Australia position, stated many times publicly, is that we support the establishment of TEQSA as a national regulator and one that takes a proportionate approach to the management of risk. The current pattern of State-level regulation has operated unevenly, and a national body will assist us to project the quality, strength and integrity of the Australian higher education system at home and abroad. To ensure this, we support the national regulator "having teeth", including the power of de-registration.
Over the last three months, Universities Australia representatives have been engaged in regular and intensive discussions with Commonwealth representatives - both from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and with the interim chair and chief executive of TEQSA - regarding the TEQSA legislation. These discussions began at the level of objectives and principles, and then progressed to mechanics and operational matters.
To read Universities Australia's complete submission to the Senate inquiry, please download the PDF below.
