VET & TAFE
campusreview.com.au
Reforms
and new
ideas:
Part 2
More proposals for tertiary system
reforms of AQF levels 5–6.
By Craig Fowler
I
n the first part of this feature, we looked at two proposals for
reforming the tertiary education system. In this final instalment,
we consider five more suggestions to help point policy in the
right direction.
PROPOSAL 3: Consistent with TEQSA’s policies for highest
quality non-university HE providers to earn self-accreditation,
allow the same privilege for highest quality VET providers of
proven governance and performance by application to ASQA,
but only for VET AQF 5–6 courses.
As an option and a further quality safeguard, VET providers
might be given periods of ‘provisional self-accreditation’ such
that they will also have to earn their right to ‘self-assessment’ of
such courses, in the interim requiring independent third-party
assessments.
Proposals 1–3 set up HE and VET providers on a ‘level playing
field’, that is like privileges of educational autonomy, but (for VET
providers) only at AQF 5–6 levels. It gives ideally VET providers
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alternatives and greater self-driven adroitness in constructing
courses better suited to fast evolving industry and student needs.
The option of using VET AQF 5–6 training package qualifications
remains if they wish in meeting student/industry needs. For
universities and their related colleges, there is no change and
course self-accreditation remains.
PROPOSAL 4: Unify the funding and financing of AQF 5–6
qualifications.
The present legislated VSL course list would remain. All AQF 5–6
courses (both VET and HE) accredited by means above would also
be approved under the revised legislation for student loans, each
funded at levels in accord with evidenced costs in HE and VET
sectors and a broad field of education clusters.
This establishes a single Commonwealth AQF 5–6 financing
regime for both HE and VET AQF qualifications. Instead of VET
Student Loans, create Tertiary AQF 5–6 [HE/VET] Student Loans.
Besides the present legislated VET diplomas, the Commonwealth
would in addition legislate for approval of AQF 5–6 qualifications,
either from universities or HE/VET providers approved by TEQSA/
ASQA as ‘self-accrediting’, as well as from non-self-accrediting
HE/VET providers where their specific courses are approved by
TEQSA/ASQA.
The quantum for loans would be set as now by fields of
education clusters and in accord with evidenced HE and VET
institutional costs (that is, no a priori assumption of same
institutional costs across sectors and funding equality). There
would be uniformly consistent HELP rules for students, including
consistency in any loan fees.