October 31, 2025
Consultation on Modernising and Strengthening TEQSA’s Powers: IRU Submission
Key points
- The IRU supports the crucial role of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), to ensure continued high-quality higher education for Australia. We support continued focus on “proportionate, risk-based regulation” and the need for a fit-for-purpose national regulator to help achieve the ambitious goals of the Universities Accord.
- Recent changes to the policy and regulatory framework for higher education have made an already complex system even more complex. We agree that it is important to examine TEQSA’s role and powers, and its alignment with other agencies within the system.
- This should not be done in isolation. Any changes to TEQSA’s powers and enabling legislation must be examined side-by-side with the detail of the proposed legislation and powers for the new Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC). There is a real risk of duplication and a lack of clarity between the two agencies. It will also be necessary as part of this to examine—and update where necessary—the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards).
- The core role of TEQSA should be to regulate against the agreed Threshold Standards, allowing for the “diversity and institutional autonomy of higher education providers”. ATEC should identify systemic issues and drive performance improvement and more meaningful mission-based compacts through its core role as system steward.
- There is an urgent need to review the regulatory framework and load across the higher education system—including the important role of State and Territory governments—and to take immediate action to remove duplication and overlap. This load and duplication is disproportionately impacting smaller universities. The IRU recommends that the ATEC should lead a regulatory “deep dive” as proposed by the Treasurer and that this should be completed before any changes are made to
TEQSA’s legislation and powers.
Read the full submission here.
