Regulatory processes

ASQA applies a risk management approach to assessing applications. The majority of applications to renew or change an RTO’s scope of registration are approved following a risk assessment. If ASQA’s Initial Assessment and Referral team determines the application warrants further regulatory scrutiny, the application will be referred to a Quality Assessment team who may elect to conduct a site performance assessment (audit) or to approve the application.

The NVR and ESOS Acts provide for sanctions of increasing severity—starting from written directions and additional conditions on registration through to suspending or cancelling a provider’s registration. ASQA applies these powers and sanctions with proportion, rigour, fairness and consistency.

In making these determinations, ASQA considers a range of factors related to the provider, the outcome of the specific activity and systemic risk issues that are relevant to the provider (for example, specific courses of concern). These factors are considered together when determining an appropriate response.