August 21, 2015

ESOS amendments go in the right direction

The IRU largely supports the proposed changes to the ESOS legislation, which Christopher Pyne, Minister for Education and Training, released on 7 July 2015 as set out in the exposure drafts:

• Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015
• Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015

The proposed changes are largely focused at updating the ESOS Act to reflect changes in the quality assurance arrangements through the creation of TEQSA and ASQA. In themselves the proposals are useful, if essentially technical, but they avoid the critical issue about the relationship of ESOS to general quality assurance arrangements, which have been transformed since ESOS was last overhauled.

The IRU submission focuses on three areas:

1. The relationship between ESOS and general quality assurance
2. Improving the risk management associated with the Tuition Protection Service 3. Streamlining the ESOS Act to reflect changes in quality assurance arrangements and reducing unnecessary red tape

Read more in the attached PDF.