Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

TERTIARY EDUCATION QUALITY AND STANDARDS AGENCY ACT 2011

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

           Long Title

   PART 1--INTRODUCTION

           Division 1--Preliminary

   1.      Short title  
   2.      Commencement  

           Division 2--Objects and simplified outline

   3.      Objects  
   4.      Simplified outline  

           Division 3--Definitions

   5.      Definitions  
   6.      Meaning of regulated higher education award  
   7.      Meaning of vacancy  
   7A.     Fit and proper person  

           Division 4--Act excludes State and Territory higher education laws

   9.      Act excludes State and Territory higher education laws  

           Division 5--General application of this Act

   10.     Crown to be bound  
   11.     Application to external Territories and outside Australia  
   12.     Geographical jurisdiction of offences  

   PART 2--BASIC--PRINCIPLES FOR REGULATION

   13.     Basic principles for regulation  
   14.      Principle of regulatory necessity  
   15.     Principle of reflecting risk  
   16.     Principle of proportionate regulation  
   17.      Application to authorised officers  

   PART 3--REGISTRATION

           Division 1--Applying for registration

   18.     Applying for registration  
   19.     Preliminary assessment of application  
   20.     Substantive assessment of application  
   21.     Registration  
   22.     TEQSA to notify applicant of decision about registration  
   23.     Commencement and duration of registration  

           Division 2--Conditions of registration

   24.     Complying with conditions  
   25.     Condition--accredited course  
   25A.    Condition--fit and proper person  
   26.     Condition--courses to be provided consistently with the Threshold Standards  
   26A.    Condition--compliance with the tuition protection requirements  
   26B.    Guidelines  
   26C.    Condition--registered higher education provider charge must be paid  
   27.     Condition--financial information must be provided  
   28.     Condition--other information must be provided  
   29.     Condition--notifying TEQSA of material changes  
   30.     Condition--record keeping  
   31.     Condition--cooperation  
   32.     Other conditions  
   33.     Conditions about authority to self - accredit  
   34.     TEQSA to notify provider of decision to impose, vary or revoke a condition  

           Division 3--Renewing registration

   35.     Applying to renew registration  
   36.     Renewing registration  
   37.     TEQSA to notify provider of decision about renewal  

           Division 3A--Extension of registration period

   37A.    Extension of registration period  

           Division 4--Changing provider registration category

   38.     Changing provider registration category  
   39.     Consultation--change relates to use of "university"  
   40.     TEQSA to notify provider of decision  

           Division 5--Applying to self-accredit

   41.     Applying to self - accredit courses of study  
   42.     TEQSA to notify provider of decision  

           Division 6--Withdrawing registration

   43.     Withdrawing registration  
   44.     TEQSA to notify provider of decision about withdrawal  

   PART 4--ACCREDITATION--OF COURSES OF STUDY

           Division 1--Accrediting courses of study

   45.     Who can accredit courses of study  

           Division 2--Applying for accreditation

   46.     Applying for accreditation  
   47.     Preliminary assessment of application  
   48.     Substantive assessment of application  
   49.     Accreditation of course of study  
   50.     TEQSA to notify provider of decision about accreditation  
   51.     Commencement and duration of accreditation  

           Division 3--Conditions of accreditation

   52.     Complying with conditions  
   53.     Conditions  
   54.     TEQSA to notify provider of decision to impose, vary or revoke a condition  

           Division 4--Renewing accreditation

   55.     Applying to renew accreditation  
   56.     Renewing accreditation  
   57.     TEQSA to notify provider of decision about renewal  

           Division 5--Extension of accreditation period

   57A.    Extension of accreditation period  

   PART 5--HIGHER--EDUCATION STANDARDS FRAMEWORK

           Division 1--Higher Education Standards Framework

   58.     Making the Higher Education Standards Framework  

           Division 2--Compliance with the Framework

   59.     Compliance assessments  
   59A.    Quality of research  
   60.     Quality (including thematic) assessments  
   61.     Accreditation assessments  
   62.     Matters relevant to assessments  

   PART 5A--TUITION--PROTECTION

           Division 1--Preliminary

   62A.    What this Part is about  
   62B.    Application of this Part  
   62C.    When a provider defaults in relation to a student  

           Division 2--Tuition Protection

              Subdivision A--Obligations of defaulting providers

   62D.    Providers must give notice of default to Higher Education Tuition Protection Director  
   62E.    Providers must give notice of default to affected students  
   62F.    Obligations on providers in case of default  
   62G.    Failure to discharge obligations  
   62H.    Providers to notify of outcome of discharge of obligations  

              Subdivision B--Role of the Higher Education Tuition Protection Director

   62J.    Student placement service  
   62K.    When payments must be made from the Higher Education Tuition Protection Fund  
   62L.    Consequences of payments being made from the Higher Education Tuition Protection Fund  
   62M.    Notification obligations for payments made from the Higher Education Tuition Protection Fund  

              Subdivision C--Obligations on replacement providers

   62N.    Obligations of providers to provide information about replacement courses  
   62P.    Obligations of replacement providers  
   62Q.    Obligations of replacement providers regarding enrolment information  

              Subdivision D--Miscellaneous

   62R.    Arrangements for payments between providers  
   62S.    Other tuition protection information must be provided  
   62T.    Right to refund may be cancelled etc. without compensation  
   62U.    Continuing application of Part to certain persons  

   PART 6--INFORMATION--GATHERING AND AUTHORISED OFFICERS

           Division 1--Requiring people to give information etc.

   63.     Requiring certain persons to give information etc.  
   64.     Contravening requirement to give information etc.  
   65.     Copying documents--compensation  
   66.     TEQSA may retain documents and things  
   67.     Returning documents or things produced  
   68.     Disposal if cannot be returned  
   69.     Self - incrimination  

           Division 7--Authorised officers

   94.     Authorised officers  

   PART 7--ENFORCEMENT

           Division 1A--Simplified outline

   97.     Simplified outline of this Part  

           Division 1--Administrative sanctions

              Subdivision A--Sanctions

   98.     Provider is non - compliant  
   99.     Sanctions about accredited course  
   100.    Shortening period of registration  
   101.    Cancelling registration  
   101A.   TEQSA to notify provider of decision to impose sanction  

              Subdivision B--Other matters

   102.    Automatic cancellation if provider wound up  
   103.    Seeking registration after cancellation  

           Division 2--Offences and civil penalty provisions

   105.    Offering a regulated higher education award if unregistered  
   106.    Representing offer of a regulated higher education award if unregistered  
   107.    Offering an award without a course of study  
   108.    Regulated entity represents itself as university  
   109.    Falsely representing entity as a registered higher education provider  
   110.    Falsely representing that entity provides a course of study leading to a regulated higher education award  
   111.    Falsely representing course of study is accredited  
   112.    Providing an unaccredited course of study  
   113.    Breach of condition of registration  
   114.    Breach of condition of accreditation  
   114A.   Prohibition on providing etc. academic cheating services  
   114B.   Prohibition on advertising academic cheating services  
   114C.   Additional operation of sections 114A and 114B  

           Division 3--Monitoring

   115.    Monitoring powers  

           Division 4--Investigation

   116.    Investigation powers  

           Division 5--Civil penalty provisions

   117.    Civil penalty provisions  

           Division 6--Infringement notices

   118.    Infringement notices  

           Division 7--Enforceable undertakings

   119.    Enforceable undertakings  

           Division 8--Injunctions

   127.    Injunctions--general  
   127A.   Injunctions relating to online locations that facilitate provision of, or advertising of, academic cheating services  

   PART 8--TERTIARY--EDUCATION QUALITY AND STANDARDS AGENCY

           Division 1--Establishment, functions and powers of TEQSA

   132.    Establishment  
   133.    Constitution  
   134.    Functions and powers  
   135.    Independence of TEQSA  
   136.    Minister may give directions to TEQSA  
   137.    TEQSA has privileges and immunities of the Crown  

           Division 2--Appointment of Commissioners

   138.    Appointment  
   139.    Term of appointment  
   140.    Remuneration and allowances  
   141.    Leave of absence  
   142.    Outside employment  
   143.    Disclosure of interests to the Minister  
   144.    Other terms and conditions  
   145.    Resignation  
   146.    Termination of appointment  
   147.    Acting appointments  

           Division 3--TEQSA procedures

              Subdivision A--Meetings

   148.    Times and places of meetings  
   149.    Conduct of meetings  
   150.    Disclosure of interests  

              Subdivision B--Decisions without meetings

   151.    Decisions without meetings  
   152.    Record of decisions  

           Division 4--Chief Executive Officer

              Subdivision A--Office and functions of the Chief Executive Officer

   153.    Chief Executive Officer  
   154.    Functions and powers of the Chief Executive Officer  

              Subdivision B--Appointment of the Chief Executive Officer

   154A.   Appointment of the Chief Executive Officer  
   154B.   Period of appointment for the Chief Executive Officer  
   154C.   Acting appointments  

              Subdivision C--Terms and conditions for the Chief Executive Officer

   154D.   Remuneration and allowances  
   154E.   Leave of absence  
   154F.   Outside employment  
   154G.   Disclosure of interests to the Minister  
   154H.   Resignation  
   154J.   Termination of appointment  
   154K.   Other terms and conditions  

              Subdivision D--Delegation

   154L.   Delegation by the Chief Executive Officer  

              Subdivision E--Directions by Minister

   155.    Minister may give directions to Chief Executive Officer  

              Subdivision F--Other matters

   155A.   Chief Executive Officer not subject to direction by TEQSA on certain matters  

           Division 5--Staff

   156.    Staff  
   157.    Staff to be made available to TEQSA  

           Division 6--Fees

   158.    Fees  

           Division 7--Planning

   160.    Approving corporate plans  
   161.    Varying corporate plans  

   PART 9--HIGHER--EDUCATION STANDARDS PANEL

           Division 1--Establishment and functions

   166.    Establishment  
   167.    Constitution  
   168.    Functions  
   169.    Panel has privileges and immunities of the Crown  

           Division 2--Appointment of Panel members

   170.    Appointment  
   171.    Term of appointment  
   172.    Remuneration and allowances  
   173.    Leave of absence  
   174.    Outside employment  
   175.    Disclosure of interests to the Minister  
   176.    Other terms and conditions  
   177.    Resignation  
   178.    Termination of appointment  
   179.    Acting appointments  

           Division 3--Panel meetings

   180.    Holding meetings  
   181.    Quorum  
   182.    Procedure of meetings  

   PART 10--ADMINISTRATIVE--LAW MATTERS

           Division 1--Review of decisions

              Subdivision A--Review of TEQSA decisions

   183.    Reviewable decisions of TEQSA  
   184.    Applying for internal review of reviewable decisions made by delegates of TEQSA  
   185.    Internal review by TEQSA  
   186.    Deadline for internal review  
   187.    Review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal  

              Subdivision B--Review of tuition protection decisions

   187A.   Reviewable decisions relating to tuition protection  
   187B.   Reviewer of decisions  
   187C.   Reviewer may reconsider reviewable decisions  
   187D.   Reconsideration of reviewable decisions on request  
   187E.   AAT review of reviewable decisions  

           Division 2--Management of higher education information

              Subdivision A--Restriction on disclosure or use of information

   188.    Offence of unauthorised disclosure or use of information  

              Subdivision B--Information sharing

   189.    Disclosing information about breaches of regulatory requirements  
   190.    Disclosing information about proposed cancellations of registration  
   191.    Disclosing information to Tertiary Admission Centres  
   192.    Disclosing information to the Minister and Department  
   193.    Disclosing information to professional bodies etc.  
   194.    Disclosing information to certain government bodies etc.  
   195.    Disclosing information under international cooperative arrangements  
   195A.   Disclosing information to other persons  
   195B.   Disclosing information to complainants  
   196.    Disclosing information to the public  
   197.    Information about national security  

              Subdivision C--Higher education student records

   197AA.  Higher education student records to be provided to TEQSA  
   197AB.  TEQSA may request higher education student records  
   197AC.  Provision of higher education student records to another registered higher education provider  
   197AD.  TEQSA's management of higher education student records  
   197AE.  Compensation  

           Division 3--Management of academic cheating services information

   197A.   Offence of unauthorised disclosure or use of academic cheating services information  
   197B.   Authorised disclosure and use of academic cheating services information  
   197C.   Obtaining academic cheating services information  
   197D.   Information about national security  

   PART 11--NATIONAL--REGISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION PROVIDERS

   198.    National Register of Higher Education Providers  

   PART 12--MISCELLANEOUS

   199.    Delegation by TEQSA  
   201.    Delegates must comply with directions  
   201A.   Delegation by Secretary  
   201B.   Delegation by the Minister  
   202.    Protection from criminal or civil actions  
   203.    Review of impact of Act  
   203A.   Review of operation of tuition protection  
   204.    Guidelines  
   204A.   Use of Australian domain names with the word "university" etc.  
   205.    Regulations