Universities Australia has responded to the consultation paper on the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011.

Our recommendations include:

• Preserve Core Regulatory Principles:  Ensure all reforms to the TEQSA Act uphold the principles of necessity, risk-based decision-making, and proportionality to maintain a fair and effective regulatory environment.
• Clarify and Coordinate Regulatory Roles: Clearly define the roles of TEQSA, ATEC, NSO, and other agencies to avoid duplication, reduce compliance burden, and promote regulatory coherence.
• Undertake an Independent Review of the Regulatory Framework: Commission a comprehensive review of the TEQSA Act and related powers to identify overlaps and gaps and ensure alignment with broader sector reforms.
• Enable Proactive Risk Management: Strengthen TEQSA’s capacity to identify and respond to systemic risks using sector-wide data, shifting from cyclical compliance checks to targeted interventions.
• Streamline Regulatory Processes: Simplify and consolidate regulatory requirements to minimise administrative burden and support universities’ core teaching, learning, and research functions.