The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) have issued a Joint Sector Alert regarding practices associated with overseas student transfers.
To read the joint alert in full, please click here.
The Joint Alert makes it clear that both regulators are concerned about the possible prevalence of arrangements that may circumvent the ban on education agent commissions for onshore transfers. Both regulators have also expressed concern about the oversight of education agent behaviour by providers, as well as about recruitment practices, and governance controls. The Joint Alert makes it clear that activity and behaviour within the sector that is inconsistent with the intent of current regulatory settings may trigger compliance action where providers are not meeting relevant regulatory requirements.
ITECA supports measures that strengthen integrity and transparency across the tertiary education sector and encourages Members to review the Alert in full and to carefully consider the expectations it sets out, particularly in relation to agent management, risk oversight, reporting practices and governance frameworks.
ITECA further encourages members to ensure that their internal controls align with regulatory requirements and to proactively manage compliance risks in this area to ensure they maintain compliance with all relevant regulatory settings.
Further Information —
If you have any questions regarding the above, please contact the ITECA team at [email protected].