ASQA Update - February 2022
Welcome to the February edition of the ASQA Update
In our first ASQA Update of 2022, I would like to acknowledge the ongoing and changing nature of the challenges for providers, students, and the wider community as COVID-19 continues to impact the nation. I am looking forward to continuing to engage with the sector, including the Provider Roundtable and Stakeholder Liaison Group in coming weeks, to ensure we have a contemporary understanding of the current challenges and ways in which ASQA can continue to provide relevant guidance and support as the new term begins and many providers also look to welcome international students back onshore.
With our focus on engagement in mind, we begin the year with a variety of engagement and consultations underway. Engagement has commenced to co-design a model for self-assurance to support ongoing quality performance and continuous improvement against the Standards for RTOs. We are also seeking feedback on ASQA’s proposed fees and charges which will give effect to the Australian Government decision that ASQA implement full cost recovery from 1 July 2022.
The proposed fees for 2022-23 reflect the significant system improvements we have made over the past 18 months. We have also factored in relevant feedback provided on full cost recovery in the first round of consultation in 2019 to deliver more efficient, effective, transparent, and accountable regulation. You can read more about what this means for our proposed fees in the article below, and if you haven’t already, provide your feedback before consultation closes on 9 February 2022. Later this month, we will update all stakeholders on the feedback received and how this has been considered and reflected in the final Cost Recovery Impact Statement (CRIS).
I would also like to thank those that took the time to inform our recent engagement to better understand the experience and challenges of Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) providers when working with education agents. Your feedback is invaluable in informing our assessment of risk, our education and guidance for the sector and the application of regulatory tools.
In this Update, we also share more about ongoing and emerging risks we are monitoring across the sector and a mental health support for VET providers. In the months ahead, we look forward to continuing to share more information and resources with you in our continuing ‘Spotlight On’ series.
Wishing you all a productive beginning of term and I look forward to continuing to work together to ensure quality VET in the months ahead.
Stay safe and well,
In this edition
- Consultation on fees and charges closing 9 February
- Supporting provider self-assurance
- Actions following VET delivered to secondary school students scoping study
- Temporary changes to student visas
- Concerns about academic cheating
- Updated provider resources
- Sharing good practice
- Mental health aid for VET providers
and more