ASQA Provider Roundtable Communiqué (November 2024)

The Provider Roundtable is ASQA’s primary forum for strategic engagement and consultation with the peak VET, dual sector and English language provider associations on regulatory design, reform and benefits realisation.

Revised Standards for RTOs 

• The meeting discussed ASQA’s work in collaboration with Department of Employment and Workplace Relations DEWR to support transition to the revised Standards for Registered Training Organisations which will come into full regulatory effect from 1 July 2025.
• Standards for RTOs are a core part of a provider’s business practice and central to maintaining and improving quality VET. The Provider Roundtable members recognised a shared agenda and opportunities in supporting the sector to implement revised Standards underpinned by provider diligence and commitment to review and improvement. 
• Members discussed the really important opportunity for providers take a fresh look at current systems policy and practices, to step back and review their operations holistically in the context of the revised standards to ensure they are not just complying but striving for quality outcomes aligned with industry trends and learner needs.
• There was strong interest in the nature of ASQA’s approach and support for the sector by way of practice guidance and education in various formats – guidance, website updates, podcasts, newsletters. 
• ASQA reiterated that its approach was not to ‘catch providers out’ but that Revised Standards were an opportunity for ASQA to build on work over recent years to support the sector in improving its capacity for managing risks to quality and delivering continuous improvement and excellence in training outcomes. 

Service Delivery

• Members received an update on ASQA’s performance against service standards applicable to interactions with regulated entities and applicants for registration. Service Standards set out the level of service that can be expected when dealing with ASQA under normal circumstances. 
• The results were considered in three groups:
  • providers that were current RTOs
  • market entry service standards; and
  • service standards relating to course accreditation. 

ASQA has performed well against Service Standards for RTOs across Quarter 1 of 2024/25 except for the standard relating to time taken to communicate the outcome of an evidence review. 

• The members heard of challenges in meeting targets for processing of applications for market entry and noted some improvements in train for Service Standards taking effect for the remainder of 2024/25. Further information will be available on these changes and will be circulated more widely shortly.
• ASQA committed to share with members a summary report on the 2024 Provider and Course Owner Survey Outcomes which is soon to be published on the ASQA website. The survey is independently run by ORIMA Research and provides important feedback to ASQA on its performance to inform continuous improvement.
• Members received an overview of ASQA’s Digital Transformation Program over the next 12 months, with a particular focus on the key program principles of Human Centred Design and Data Driven Delivery and key program deliverables. The priority was on delivering against the three focus areas of Integrity, Revised RTO Standards, and Service Standards, closely connected to ASQA’s regulatory practice reform. 
• ASQA thanked members for their support in getting over 100 RTO respondents to contribute their experiences to the current ASQA website and design of the new Provider Portal. Engagement will continue across the next 3-6 months.

Integrity 

• The integrity of national qualifications is a shared objective. Employers and the community must have confidence in the integrity of qualifications issued by registered training organisations. Members noted ASQA’s recent “compliance blitz” which involved announced and unannounced provider site visits was quite public and very successful. ASQA referred members to the ASQA annual report for a full account of its actions.
• Members heard that ASQA has received over 3,000 tip offs since the tip off line was established in October 2023. There was interest in the process ASQA applies to determines if a tip off is credible/reliable. Aggregated data from various data holdings and sources is key.
• Whilst ASQA has seen some reductions in complaints about providers over the last 2-3 years, the launch of the tip off line in October 2023 has provided valuable information for ASQA to respond to more egregious behaviour, rather than minor non-compliance.
• Members welcomed greater visibility of our role and regulatory approach, as well as our activities, actions and responses to key risks and emerging VET sector issues via publication of our Regulation Report. 
• Members heard of recent action by ASQA to cancel the registration of Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Luvium Pty Ltd and issuance of notice of intent to cancel qualifications of former students of Luvium, as part of its ongoing work to ensure the integrity of qualifications gained through Australia’s VET sector.

Reform 

• Members heard about two measures ASQA was implementing to deliver on the government’s response to the Australian Universities Accord Final report. ASQA shares regulatory responsibility with TEQSA for more than 60 dual sector providers. ASQA and TEQSA are planning a series of workshops for late 2024 and into 2025 to focus on barriers to more streamlined regulation. This project will produce a dual sector strategy including initiatives to support appropriate consideration of greater harmonisation of regulation and regulatory practices.
• In the six months from November 2024 to the end of May 2025, ASQA is also piloting Delegation of Course Accreditation to a selected number of TAFEs. The pilot will test where this delegation can be implemented in such a way to allow TAFEs greater flexibility and responsiveness to industry needs while still safeguarding the integrity of VET accredited courses.

Next Meeting date 4th February 2025 (to be confirmed).