Professionalization of quality assurance in Australia’s non-self accrediting higher education providers

Australia has had a well-established quality audit system for universities since the establishment of the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) in 2000. The inclusion of the non-self-accrediting (non-university) higher education providers (NSA-HEPs) in these national auditing activities since 2006 has brought about considerable professionalization of Quality Assurance (QA)in that sector. Three aspects of this professionalization are evident. The first is the inclusion of these institutions in the national audit schedule, bringing a consistent and co-ordinated approach to audit, and ready public availability of audit results and themes. The second is the improved professional development of managers from the NSA-HEPs through workshops, guidelines and audit training and participation. While these two aspects have been predominantly driven from AUQA, the third response is from the sector itself to undertake its own improvement, through a key benchmarkingstudy initiated by one of the sector organizations.It is clearly evident that the professionalization of the NSA-HEP sector has not only resulted from the professionalism of AUQA but has itself further stimulated the professionalization of the agency,as demonstrated by the appointment of specialist staff. It is anticipated that this professionalization of quality assurance will spread further from higher education to other sectors of post-secondary education. The imminent formation of a new agency, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), will further develop an integrated and professionalized approach to qualityassurance across all of Australian tertiary education, including the vocational sector.