My take on the rapid review of ASQA’s regulatory practices and processes
The Australian Government has in the past week released their rapid review into the Australian Skills Quality Authority’s (ASQA’s) regulatory practices and processes. It outlines the ways in which the Government will work with the vocational education and training (VET) sector, and the stakeholders within it, to produce better regulation in the industry.
I took some time to read through the review, with the main finding being that while the Government believes ASQA’s overarching vision and purpose is appropriate, there are also “significant adjustments” needed to address some key areas of improvement and concern.
Why reviews like this are important
Rapid reviews like this one, spearheaded by the Federal Government, help shape recommendations for specific changes to the regulator in line with best practice governance and engagement. By ensuring fair, transparent and effective regulation, these reviews (most importantly) push for better student outcomes.
While there have been great strides in recent years to improve regulation and quality within the VET industry, there remain systemic issues that can result in poor experiences and results for stakeholders.
This report in particular is quite extensive and includes a number of interesting findings and some strong guidance for ASQA. The section about stakeholder feedback has clearly influenced the recommendations, and the focus on self-assurance and excellence in training outcomes – as well as the modernising of ASQA’s role – are well thought-out.
Specific points of note
The rapid review makes several recommendations, divided into key areas. I was particularly interested in chapter 12, about audit reporting and the recommendation to ensure that reports are clearer and more comprehensive. Confusing reporting has been an ongoing issue, and I’m glad to see that it’s being meaningfully addressed.
Chapter 13, which highlighted supporting ASQA staff to deliver outcomes, was also intriguing – especially the section on ensuring consistency of practice. Their recommended model to implement a program of internal quality assurance is particularly welcome. While ASQA does say that it moderates decisions, I still see too many reports that show inconsistency. The current program is not working.
The shift in focus from ASQA’s role from simply ‘compliance’ to include ‘quality assurance’ is a smart one – and it seems that they’re moving quickly to take up this expanded role. Already, they’ve said that they’ll be developing a new education program to raise awareness of their expectations among stakeholders, as well as contacting RTOs to design new regulatory practices.
Steps forward for the VET industry
I’m also glad to see the expression of interest that ASQA has also released for RTOs to join their new Stakeholder Liaison Group. It will be great to see them work with those in the VET industry to get these recommendations implemented, and some of the systemic issues in the sector finally resolved.
CEO at Sydney City College of Management
4 年Mamta Joshi
Gentleman of leisure
4 年What I particularly liked was that this was a review into ways of improving the regulatory system. Not VET. Not the way in which VET is practiced nor in ways of improving the outcomes training and thereby local and national productivity. Interesting. A little like the police reviewing the way habitually drunken drivers purchase their alcohol with a view to improving road safety. I am afraid that I still cannot grasp the correlation between regulating a training provider's business processes and building a bigger and stronger country. Maybe it is time that there was a review of the way reviews are conducted - and their purpose. That at least might lead to a saving in the costs associated with conducting reviews that appear to say a lot but actually do very little to improve VET.
PEO - Linx Institute & Alpha College of Australia
4 年I read yesterday with interest the whole report too. I think it will take RTO's time for the trust building change management to take affect and ASQA will have to be more generous on that side. However for the success of the VET industry and the results of effective training that come from good RTO's the industry needs to embrace this for a better future of our economy and culture. If you really want something better then you have to believe it and live first so others will follow. Well done Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business for listening and doing something about it. Lets take this move in a positive way and believe the good intentions.