by: Dr Michelle Mosiere

Like chilli and chocolate, blending admissions and marketing information creates a hot morsel for providers seeking to align compliance with operational efficiency.

The Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (HESF) comprises integrated Standards, meaning that it is common for Standards in one Domain or Section to relate to Standards in another.

For example, Section 3.1 Course Design is intrinsically connected to Section 1.4 Learning Outcomes and Assessment. Both sections help TEQSA and providers with self-accrediting authority assess whether a course is coherent, well scaffolded and constructively aligned.

There is an equally compelling marriage between Section 1.1 Admission and 7.2 Information for Prospective and Current Students. Unpacking the Standards more broadly across both Domains reveals multiple overlapping requirements:

In regulatory terms, these overlaps can create multiple compliance shortfalls in that a failure to meet Standard 1.1.1 automatically means an inability to meet paragraph 7.2.2d. The reverse also applies. Documents that meet Standard 1.1.1 will also meet paragraph 7.2.2d, provided the information is accessible in a timely manner.

Overlaps between Domains 1 and 7 extend beyond documentation. Both Domains are easily deconstructed into a checklist that can be used for internal audits and quality-assurance reports to peak institutional bodies. (The same can be said of Sections 1.5 and 3.1.)

DVE undertakes audits against one or more Domains in the HESF. We also audit against National Code requirements and map documentation against regulatory requirements. Contact us via info@dvesolutions.com.au for more information on how this can reduce your regulatory burden.