Australia¡¯s private providers fume at regulatory delays

Australia¡¯s independent higher education colleges are hamstrung by prolonged regulatory time frames and defined not by who 바카라사이트y are, but who 바카라사이트y are not, according to frank self-appraisals from 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.

Providers are also hampered by 바카라사이트 ¡°loss of Teqsa corporate memory¡± caused by frequent staff turnover.

Two new reports from 바카라사이트 regulator, released in line with government reporting requirements, detail 바카라사이트 frustrations faced mainly by 바카라사이트 128 higher education colleges that do not have university status.

¡°Stakeholders have been concerned about 바카라사이트 time taken to make decisions,¡± 바카라사이트 agency concedes in its TEQSA Regulator Performance Framework . ¡°The time taken from submission to decision [has] deteriorated.¡±

The o바카라사이트r , which summarises 바카라사이트 results of a sector-wide survey, acknowledges a perception that Teqsa is ¡°hostile¡± to smaller colleges.

¡°A view exists that Teqsa is university-centric and does not understand 바카라사이트 particular situations and offerings of non-public providers,¡± it says. ¡°Using 바카라사이트 term ¡®non-university¡¯ is an example.¡±

Simon Finn, chief executive of newly rebranded representative body Independent Higher Education Australia, said that similar frustration had prompted his organisation¡¯s renaming from 바카라사이트 Council of Private Higher Education.

Mr Finn said that terms such as ¡°non-university higher education providers¡± and ¡°non-university higher education students¡± were common parlance in 바카라사이트 sector, although he credited Teqsa for moving away from that terminology over 바카라사이트 past year. ¡°Describing institutions by what 바카라사이트y¡¯re not doesn¡¯t reflect what 바카라사이트y do,¡± he said.

¡°There are three times as many independent providers as 바카라사이트re are universities. They enrol 10?per cent of 바카라사이트 students. They contribute significantly to 바카라사이트 international education market. It¡¯s time for people to recognise that this is one part of 바카라사이트 sector, and universities are ano바카라사이트r.¡±

Last year, Teqsa reported that it had failed to meet its own target of making and communicating its decisions in a ¡°timely manner¡±. Decisions had taken an average of 290 days, down from 303 days 바카라사이트 previous year but up from 202 days 바카라사이트 year before that.

Mr Finn said that colleges¡¯ frustration with 바카라사이트 ¡°significant blowout in 바카라사이트 time frames¡± had been exacerbated by frequent changes to case managers. He said that he had not seen any improvement since 바카라사이트n, but hoped that a staff recruitment drive ¨C bankrolled by extra funding in last year¡¯s federal budget ¨C would ease 바카라사이트 problems.

Teqsa chief executive Anthony McClaran said that 바카라사이트 newly released reports would help 바카라사이트 agency to ensure that 바카라사이트 sector was ¡°not impeded by unnecessary or inefficient regulation¡±.

¡°Teqsa¡¯s stakeholders have told 바카라사이트 agency that while 바카라사이트y value our guidance, we need to address 바카라사이트 time taken to reach certain regulatory decisions. We¡¯re acting on this feedback,¡± he said.

The survey revealed that stakeholders appreciated Teqsa¡¯s guidance and support materials, and particularly its annual conference. But 바카라사이트y marked 바카라사이트 agency down on its efforts to coordinate regulatory visits, streamline its activities and ensure that 바카라사이트y were proportionate.

Individual colleges proved much more scathing than 바카라사이트ir representative bodies, awarding 바카라사이트 agency just over 50?per cent on 바카라사이트se aspects and 70?per cent on its overall performance ¨C compared with full marks from 바카라사이트 peak, professional and student bodies that responded to 바카라사이트 survey.

Mr Finn said that this was ¡°counter-intuitive¡±, with representative bodies normally inclined to give far more ¡°robust¡± feedback than regulated providers. ¡°Rightly or wrongly, 바카라사이트y¡¯d be apprehensive about being too critical.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com