The objectives of the AQF are to provide a contemporary and flexible framework that:
- accommodates the diversity of purposes of Australian education and training now and into the future
- contributes to national economic performance by supporting contemporary, relevant and nationally consistent qualification outcomes which build confidence in qualifications
- supports the development and maintenance of pathways which provide access to qualifications and assist people to move easily and readily between different education and training sectors and between those sectors and the labour market
- supports individuals' lifelong learning goals by providing the basis for individuals to progress through education and training and gain recognition for their prior learning and experiences
- underpins national regulatory and quality assurance arrangements for education and training
- supports and enhances the national and international mobility of graduates and workers through increased recognition of the value and comparability of Australian qualifications
- enables the alignment of the AQF with international qualifications frameworks