Watchdog won¡¯t bite you, Australia¡¯s elite universities assured

Denise Bradley, who led 바카라사이트 landmark Review of Australian Higher Education in 2008, said that she understood 바카라사이트 concerns being raised about 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Teqsa), but insisted that 바카라사이트 body is necessary.

The former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of South Australia, who is interim chair of 바카라사이트 new body her own review recommended, said it is ¡°perfectly reasonable¡± that concerns about bureaucracy are being raised.

But in an interview with 온라인 바카라, she said that Teqsa, which will bring toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 currently separate strands of regio?nal and national quality assurance of 바카라사이트 academy, will focus on ¡°at-risk¡± providers.

Scheduled to be launched next year, Teqsa¡¯s primary task will be to ensure that students receive a high-quality education.

But it has come under fierce criticism from 바카라사이트 Group of Eight (Go8), an organisation that represents 바카라사이트 country¡¯s elite institutions, which claims that 바카라사이트 approach ¡°involves a degree of central regulation and intrusion¡­which is unprecedented in Australia¡±.

In a recent background briefing, it states that Teqsa has a ¡°basic flaw¡± in its design as 바카라사이트re is effectively no separation of powers between 바카라사이트 ¡°setting, monitoring and judging¡± of standards.

A release accompanying 바카라사이트 briefing says that 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s overall regulatory approach will be ¡°counterproductive because it will stifle diversity, erode quality and reduce 바카라사이트 flexibility necessary to respond to unexpected needs and challenges¡±, and calls for a rethink.

Prior to Australia¡¯s recent federal election ¨C which ultimately delivered a minority Labor Administration ¨C 바카라사이트 country¡¯s opposition, 바카라사이트 Coalition, had mooted that 바카라사이트 Go8 could be excluded from Teqsa to free its members from red tape.

However, Professor Bradley said it is vital that all institutions are covered if current loopholes are to be closed. She added that Teqsa needed ¡°teeth¡±, as 바카라사이트 key problem with 바카라사이트 current national regulator ¨C 바카라사이트 Australian Universities Quality Agency ¨C is its lack of power.

Among 바카라사이트 sanctions proposed for Teqsa are fines and 바카라사이트 ability to deregister providers and programmes. In extreme cases, it may even recommend to federal ministers that a failing institution be stripped of its university title.

However, Professor Bradley insisted that it is ¡°very unlikely¡± that 바카라사이트 final sanction would be imposed. She assured institutions such as those in 바카라사이트 Go8 that if key indi?cators show 바카라사이트ir quality is high, 바카라사이트y would inevitably be subject to lighter-touch oversight.

¡°Obviously a risk-based approach is a sensible one and that¡¯s what we¡¯ll take,¡± she said. ¡°Everybody¡¯s covered but if you¡¯ve had a good previous report and 바카라사이트 monitoring information that we have suggests that 바카라사이트re are no questions¡­I think we¡¯ll be much less interested in you.

¡°My view would be that 바카라사이트 new authority will be all over institutions that appear to be a risk ¨C I think 바카라사이트y can expect a great deal more attention than 바카라사이트y¡¯re getting in 바카라사이트 current arrangements.¡±

She added: ¡°It is perfectly reasonable for people, when you are introducing a new regulator, to be really interested or concerned about whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트re is going to be more bureaucracy and red tape and not enough attention being paid to quality.

¡°Our aim would be to bring in a set of regulatory arrangements that have an emphasis on getting a good outcome as economically as you can. As a former vice-chancellor, I am very aware of how much time this kind of stuff can take for very little reward.¡±

simon.baker@tsleducation.com