Standard 14 - Staff Capability, Educational Resources and Premises

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Staff Capability

Educational Resources

Premises

The staff of registered providers are suitably qualified or experienced in relation to the functions they perform for students. The educational resources of registered providers support the delivery of courses to students. The premises of registered providers, including the floor space available for each student, support students to achieve their course outcomes.

This standard ensures providers have suitable staff, educational resources and premises to educate overseas students. The provision of staff and services are to accord with existing quality assurance frameworks that apply to the course or, where none exist, providers must have appropriate policies and procedures of their own.

Key requirements

The staff of registered providers are suitably qualified or experienced in relation to the functions they perform for students.
The educational resources of registered providers support the appropriate delivery of courses to students.
The suitability of staffing, educational resources and provider premises will be determined in accordance with applicable quality assurance frameworks.
If no quality framework applies to staffing resources, providers must have, and use, documented policies and processes for: recruitment, induction, performance assessment and ongoing development of staff who recruit or work with overseas students.
If no quality framework applies to education resources, providers must have adequate resources to deliver the registered course to the students enrolled.
The provider must notify the designated authority and enrolled students of any intention to relocate premises at least 20 working days before the relocation.

What’s new?

Requirements for staffing (including those involved in the recruitment, delivery of education or client services to students), educational resources and provider premises are now linked to appropriate quality assurance frameworks, where these exist.
Education resources are specified to include facilities, equipment, learning and library resources, and premises.
The provider now has 20 working days in which to notify the designated authority of a change in premises, rather than three weeks. This is consistent with other references to timeframes throughout the National Code 2007.

Compliance tips

For a provider to show it is complying with Standard 14, it may need some of the following as evidence:

implemented policies and procedures for the staffing and education resources required by the applicable quality assurance framework.

evidence of the implementation of the provider’s own staffing policies and procedures, where a course or provider is not subject to an appropriate quality assurance framework. Policies and procedures are required for the recruitment, induction, performance assessment and ongoing development of staff involved with the recruitment or delivery of education or client services to overseas students.

adequate education resources and premises to deliver the course, where the course or provider is not subject to an appropriate quality assurance framework.

copy of the written notification to the designated authority and any enrolled students where there is an intention to relocate premises at least 20 working days before the relocation. Notification to students would include those accepted students of the provider who have not yet commenced studying, but have been granted a student visa.

What does this standard involve?

14.1 The registered provider must have and implement policies and procedures to ensure its staffing resources are adequate and have the capabilities as required by the quality assurance framework applying to the course. Where the course provided by the registered provider is not subject to an appropriate quality assurance framework, the registered provider must have and implement appropriate documented policies and processes for the recruitment, induction, performance assessment and ongoing development of members of staff involved with the recruitment or delivery of education or client services to students.

Examples of appropriate quality assurance frameworks include, but are not limited to:

Should no quality framework apply to staffing resources, providers must have and implement appropriate documented policies and processes for the recruitment, induction, performance assessment and ongoing development of staff responsible for recruiting or working with overseas students.

14.2 The registered provider must have adequate education resources, including facilities, equipment, learning and library resources and premises as required by the quality assurance framework applying to the course. Where the course provided by the registered provider is not subject to an appropriate quality assurance framework, the registered provider must ensure it has adequate education resources, including facilities, equipment, learning and library resources, and premises, including ownership or tenancy arrangements for the premises, as are needed to deliver the registered course to the students enrolled with the registered provider.

The types of resources to be provided are clarified and relate to facilities, equipment, learning and library resources and premises.

Providers must ensure that the resources and premises are sufficient to support students to achieve their course outcomes.

14.3 The registered provider must notify the designated authority and the students enrolled with the registered provider of any intention to relocate premises (including the head office and campus locations) at least 20 working days before the relocation.

The timeframe to notify the designated authority and enrolled students is 20 working days. Previously timeframes were referred to in weeks rather than working days. Defining time frames by working days has been changed throughout the National Code 2007.

All students who have been issued a CoE to study the designated course (whether they have arrived in the country or not) should be notified of the intention to relocate premises.

Common questions and answers

Staff Capability

Q What are the quality assurance frameworks applying to courses in the different sectors?

A
Schools - The schools sector includes government and non-government institutions. Non-government schools must meet the criteria established by legislation in the relevant state or territory in order to be registered. Registration requirements can vary across states and territories, but all requirements focus on the essential elements of appropriate facilities, teaching staff, courses of study and numbers of students.

A statutory body in each state and territory has responsibility for issuing and assuring the quality of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) school qualification. The AQF was developed under instruction from the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) and is a key national policy instrument to protect the quality of Australian education and training.

English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) - The majority of ELICOS colleges and their courses are accredited by the National ELT Accreditation Scheme Limited (NEAS Australia). NEAS Australia sets standards for class sizes, the professional qualifications of teachers, curriculum, teaching methods and materials. NEAS accreditation is voluntary except within NSW.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) - VET quality arrangements are known as the National Training Framework, which comprise the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) and endorsed national industry Training Packages.

The AQTF has national standards for the registration and auditing of training organisations and accreditation of courses. They apply to all training organisations delivering and assessing nationally recognised training, and issuing national qualifications and to registering/course accrediting bodies that audit and register these training organisations.

Higher Education - Courses leading to Australian higher education qualifications can be offered by both self-accrediting and non self-accrediting institutions. Non self-accrediting institutions must have their courses approved by state and territory accrediting authorities. The National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes (National Protocols) and supporting legislation are a key element of the national quality assurance framework for higher education. The sector is also protected by independent audits of self-accrediting institutions and accrediting authorities by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA).

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. The current set of National Protocols remain in force until then.

Educational Resources

Q What is meant by ‘adequate’ resources in 14.2?

A
The provider must have and maintain such educational resources, including facilities, equipment and learning and library resources, as are needed to deliver the registered courses to overseas students enrolled with the provider. The resources will assist the overseas student to achieve a satisfactory outcome in the course in which he or she is enrolled.

Providers must have the facilities to deliver the courses they offer. This includes staff, facilities equipment, training and assessment materials required to provide the training. It also includes assessment services within the provider’s scope of registration and scale of operations to accommodate student numbers, student needs, delivery methods and assessment requirements.

The facilities and resources needed for particular courses are a matter of judgement for providers, with reference to the quality assurance framework and the requirements of designated authorities.

A provider may show that it has ‘adequate’ resources in a number of ways, such as:

checklists of equipment and facilities available and current enrolment numbers in the various classes. This may include the number of computers available, language laboratories, library materials, teacher resources and numbers of students needing to use each facility.

evidence of appropriate materials and resources including materials appropriate for online delivery.

information from student surveys reflecting the adequacy of facilities and equipment and satisfaction with teaching programmes.

procedures or strategies to continuously monitor the adequacy of current facilities and equipment and identify future requirements for the scope of courses offered.

Q

Under Standard 14.2 is it mandatory for RTO’s to have library resources for students? Standard 14.2 states the registered provider should have adequate training facilities including library resources as required by the quality assurance framework. The training packages we deliver do not require a library as part of the resources for the students. Must we get one to be compliant?

A

(Applies only to Victorian providers) The Victorian Qualifications Authority states that if the delivery relates to a VET qualification, the AQTF 2007 Essential Standards for Registration requires staff, facilities, equipment and training and assessment materials to be consistent with the requirements of the Training Package or accredited course.

The AQTF Essential Standards also apply to the RTO’s training and assessment strategies and require the RTO to ensure learners receive training, assessment and support services that meet their individual needs.

There is no fixed requirement for library resources under the Essential Standards. It depends on the specific qualifications being delivered and whether the Essential Standards are being met in an appropriate fashion. Anyone auditing the RTO would expect to see appropriate and adequate resources for delivery of the qualifications and be available to the students.

The key words under the National Code Standard 14.2 are ‘as required by the quality assurance framework applying to the course’. If the RTO meets the above requirements then they would be meeting the requirements of the National Code 2007.

Premises

Q

Could you please provide any reference/s in the ESOS Act that stipulate how many 'square metres per student' is required?

A

The National Code 2001 Section C paragraph 18 stipulated an amount for student space and facilities. While the National Code 2007 no longer states the details of what is required, providers must still ensure that their resources and premises are sufficient to support students to achieve their course outcomes.

Providers must comply with Standard 14.2 of the National Code 2007. The National Code Explanatory Guide has further details.

Connections

Standard

National Code

ESOS Act

Other

14

Part C

Information

Further information about this Standard is available from:

http://aei.gov.au/ESOS

http://www.immi.gov.au

or send your questions to: esosmailbox@deewr.gov.au

Last Modified: Tuesday, 2 June 2008

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Standard 14 - Staff Capability, Educational Resources and Premises

Q	What are the quality assurance frameworks applying to courses in the different sectors?
A	Schools - The schools sector includes government and non-government institutions. Non-government schools must meet the criteria established by legislation in the relevant state or territory in order to be registered. Registration requirements can vary across states and territories, but all requirements focus on the essential elements of appropriate facilities, teaching staff, courses of study and numbers of students. A statutory body in each state and territory has responsibility for issuing and assuring the quality of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) school qualification. The AQF was developed under instruction from the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) and is a key national policy instrument to protect the quality of Australian education and training. English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) - The majority of ELICOS colleges and their courses are accredited by the National ELT Accreditation Scheme Limited (NEAS Australia). NEAS Australia sets standards for class sizes, the professional qualifications of teachers, curriculum, teaching methods and materials. NEAS accreditation is voluntary except within NSW. Vocational Education and Training (VET) - VET quality arrangements are known as the National Training Framework, which comprise the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) and endorsed national industry Training Packages. The AQTF has national standards for the registration and auditing of training organisations and accreditation of courses. They apply to all training organisations delivering and assessing nationally recognised training, and issuing national qualifications and to registering/course accrediting bodies that audit and register these training organisations. Higher Education - Courses leading to Australian higher education qualifications can be offered by both self-accrediting and non self-accrediting institutions. Non self-accrediting institutions must have their courses approved by state and territory accrediting authorities. The National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes (National Protocols) and supporting legislation are a key element of the national quality assurance framework for higher education. The sector is also protected by independent audits of self-accrediting institutions and accrediting authorities by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA). 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. The current set of National Protocols remain in force until then.
Educational Resources
Q	What is meant by ‘adequate’ resources in 14.2?
A	The provider must have and maintain such educational resources, including facilities, equipment and learning and library resources, as are needed to deliver the registered courses to overseas students enrolled with the provider. The resources will assist the overseas student to achieve a satisfactory outcome in the course in which he or she is enrolled. Providers must have the facilities to deliver the courses they offer. This includes staff, facilities equipment, training and assessment materials required to provide the training. It also includes assessment services within the provider’s scope of registration and scale of operations to accommodate student numbers, student needs, delivery methods and assessment requirements. The facilities and resources needed for particular courses are a matter of judgement for providers, with reference to the quality assurance framework and the requirements of designated authorities. A provider may show that it has ‘adequate’ resources in a number of ways, such as: checklists of equipment and facilities available and current enrolment numbers in the various classes. This may include the number of computers available, language laboratories, library materials, teacher resources and numbers of students needing to use each facility. evidence of appropriate materials and resources including materials appropriate for online delivery. information from student surveys reflecting the adequacy of facilities and equipment and satisfaction with teaching programmes. procedures or strategies to continuously monitor the adequacy of current facilities and equipment and identify future requirements for the scope of courses offered.