A revised Higher Education Standards Framework legislative instrument was made by the Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham in October 2015 and came into effect from 1 January 2017.
The revised standards follow a comprehensive review of the initial (2011) standards by the Higher Education Standards Panel. The Panel consulted widely with universities, other higher education providers and state and territory governments on the updates. The new standards received strong support from higher education stakeholders and have been endorsed by the states and territories and by TEQSA. A contextual overview of the Higher Education Standards Framework is available on the TEQSA website.
The 2015 standards legislative instrument is available for download from the Australian Government Federal Register of Legislation website.
Higher Education Standards Panel advice
The Higher Education Standards Panel provided advice (below) in December 2014 to the Australian Government Minister for Education and Training on making and varying the Higher Education Standards Framework, which the Minister is currently considering. Under section 58(3) of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011, the Minister is required to undertake consultation with the state and territory Ministers responsible for higher education, with TEQSA and with the Australian Government Minister responsible for research in relation to the Panel's advice.
Downloads
- Final Proposed Higher Education Standards Framework - Advice to the Minister - December 2014
- Advice from the Higher Education Standards Panel to TEQSA regarding the application of the Higher Education Standards Framework for regulatory purposes - December 2014
Background information:
- Comparison of the ESOS National Code 2007 Parts C & D with the revised Framework - December 2014
- Comparison of Part A (Standards for Higher Education) of the revised Higher Education Standards Framework with requirements of the current Framework - December 2014
- Comparison of Part B (Criteria for Higher Education Providers) of the revised Higher Education Standards Framework with requirements of the current Framework - December 2014
- Elements of the current Higher Education Standards Framework that are not covered by the revised Framework - December 2014