Higher Education Sector - How it Works

Higher Education in Australia is legislated under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA). Information related to the implementation of the Act and its amendments can be found at http://www.backingaustraliasfuture.gov.au/

DEST has published "Administrative Information for Providers" to provide guidance to Higher Education providers on the practical implementation of HESA.

The Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a unified system of thirteen national qualifications across the three educational sectors:

• schools;
• vocational education and training institutions (TAFE colleges and registered training organisations); and
• the higher education providers (mainly universities).

Higher Education Providers

A Higher Education provider may be "self- accrediting" or "non-self-accrediting" for the AQF award course it offers.

Self- Accrediting Higher Education Providers

All 36 public universities (including ECU) are self-accrediting for their awards. These universities, plus the Australian Catholic University and Australian Maritime College are also known as the 38 "Table A providers", defined under HESA.

In addition, two private universities (University of Notre Dame and Bond University) and the Melbourne College of Divinity ("Table B providers") are also self-accrediting.

The Bachelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education and the Australian Film Television and Radio School make up the full list of 43 self-accrediting Higher Education providers.

Non-Self- Accrediting Higher Education Providers

A non-self-accrediting institution must be registered as a Higher Education provider and must have its Higher Education awards accredited.

Each state / territory is responsible for assessing and granting registration and accreditation. A register of providers: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Register can be found at http://www.aqf.edu.au/register.htm#university

The National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes

The protocol for assessing an institution seeking registration as a Higher Education provider and accreditation of its awards is contained in the National Protocol for Higher Education Approval Processes, a revised form of which were approved in July 2006 by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA).

The revised National Protocols also regulate the operation of overseas universities in Australia (offering their own courses or AQF awards) and contain a number of provisions for the recognition of new universities and for other types of higher education institutions in Australia.

This diversification of the Higher Education sector includes the introduction of:

• specialist universities, with courses (including research masters and doctorates) and research activity, in one or two fields of study only;
• university colleges for new universities when first established, with research and research training in one field; and
• additional self- accrediting institutions other than universities.

The revised National Protocols are due to be implemented from 31 December 2007 pending legislative change in the Commonwealth and all the states and territories.