The Government Accreditation Authorities are responsible for:
- in the Schools sector, the accreditation of qualifications and approval/ registration of providers
- in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector, the accreditation of qualifications and approval/registration of providers (including by delegation to the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR] regarding national Training Package accreditation processes), and
- in the Higher Education sector, the accreditation of qualifications and registration of non self-accrediting institutions, the authorisation of certain institutions other than universities to accredit their own courses, approval of overseas institutions, and the establishment of new universities (including university colleges and specialised universities).
The AQF guidelines and qualifications titles for the Schools, Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education qualifications reflect advice from, and are used by, these government authorities (noting local variations in titles in the Schools sector).
Accreditation takes place against the nationally agreed characteristics of learning outcomes for each of the national qualifications, which are set out in detailed guidelines in the latest edition of the AQF Implementation Handbook.
Contact details for each of the State or Territory Accreditation Authorities are listed below.
Australian Capital Territory
Schools: ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies Contact Tel: 02 6205 7181
VET and Higher Education: Accreditation and Registration Council, Contact: Chris Whitton Tel: 02 6205 7091
New South Wales
Schools: Office of the Board of Studies NSW Contact Tel: 02 9367 8111
VET: Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board Contact: VETAB Reception Tel: 02 9244 5335
Higher Education: Department of Education and Training, Higher Education Quality and Regulation Contact: Paul Sheehan Tel: 02 9561 1152
Northern Territory
Schools: Department of Employment Education and Training Contact Tel: 08 8999 5767 Fax: 08 8999 5795
VET: Department of Employment Education and Training Contact: Rodney Cryer Tel: 08 8901 1339
Higher Education: Department of Employment Education and Training Contact: Liz Pearse Tel: 08 8901 1311
Queensland
Schools: Queensland Studies Authority Tel: 07 3864 0299
VET: Department of Education, Training and the Arts Contact: Dale Johnson Tel: 07 3404 3586
Higher Education: Department of Education, Training and the Arts Contact: Helen Lawrance Tel: 07 3237 1172
South Australia
Schools: SACE Board of South Australia Tel: 08 8372 7400
VET: Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology Quality and Tertiary Education Policy Directorate Contact Tel: 08 8226 3065
Higher Education: Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology Quality and Tertiary Education Policy Directorate Contact Tel: 08 8226 3065
Tasmania
All sectors: Tasmanian Qualifications Authority Contact: Manager Operations Tel: 03 6233 6364 Email: reception@tqa.tas.gov.au
Victoria
Schools: Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority Contact: Ellen Young Tel: 03 9651 3803
VET: Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority Contact: qar@edumail.vic.gov.au
Higher Education: Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority Contact: Jennie Wong Tel: 03 9651 3223 or Jan Wilson Tel: 03 9651 3212
Western Australia
Schools: Curriculum Council of Western Australia Tel: 08 9273 6300
VET: Training Accreditation Council Western Australia Contact: Karen Smith Tel: 08 9441 1915 or Karen.Smith@des.wa.gov.au
Higher Education: Department of Education Services Contact: Brad Viney Tel: 08 9441 1961 or Brad.Viney@des.wa.gov.au