The Australian Skills and Quality Authority’s Annual Report for the 2020–21 financial year has been tabled in the Australian Parliament. A record of ASQA’s activities and performance for the preceding financial year is contained inside this report, which is available online.

The Australian Government continues to provide nationally consistent, risk-based regulation of vocational education and training (VET) in 2020–21, with the goal of contributing to an informed, high-quality VET sector that serves the needs of the country.

ASQA mentioned that they would like to maintain their regulatory focus despite working through a comprehensive agency reform program, undergoing an audit by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO), and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key highlights and comparison to the previous year

1. ASQA established a new regulatory operating model:
   • Implemented 8 Rapid Review recommendations and commenced work on a further 13
   • Implemented key changes to performance assessment (audit) methodology
   • Established separate teams responsible for performance assessment, and managing findings of non-compliance
   • Introduced agreements to rectify
   • Established internal review team
   • Introduced new internal quality assurance activities
   • Improved data and intelligence reports
2. Completed 937 audits (54% of completed audits identified non-compliance) and accredited 112 courses
3. ASQA issued 45 sanctions to suspend a provider’s registration. 5 Sanctions to amend scope of registration and 16 sanctions to cancel the registration in full.
4. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal affirmed almost 80% of the matters that proceeded to a hearing and a decision.
5. The Commonwealth Director of Public Proceducations (CDPP) on behalf of ASQA undertook three (3) criminal prosecutions.
6. Managed a 52% increase in provider registration applications, 238 new provider registrations, 213 registration renewals (with a 13% rejection rate) and 6136 applications for change in scope of registration.
7. ASQA conducted 23 targeted audits of training providers delivering and assessing the Training and Education Training Package or AVI50419. Of these, 19 have been closed and completed and 8 were found compliant at audit, 11 have been identified as non-compliant, of these, 3 were found compliant after rectification and 6 were found non-compliant at the time of assessment and were not offered rectification and 2 were found non-compliant after rectification.
8. ASQA received 881 complaints, 610 reports related to non-compliance with the majority 54% in the category ‘training, assessment or study support’ and the main source was students with 42%.
9. Initial applications for registrations increased to 57% from 54% (2019-2020 period) and 36% (2018-2019 period).

You can read more at www.asqa.gov.au/