Deciding on suitable quality frameworks, standards and indicators The establishment of effective regulatory and quality assurance frameworks for VET systems is based on decisions made by policy-makers, regulators and accreditation agencies about what it is they want to achieve. From these they develop the standards, which are often known as quality standards, against which compliance will be judged. Quality is also judged using traditional systems of inspection, whereby visit delivery sites and evaluate ‘inspectors’ the extent to which providers are meeting expectations. These systems often have specific requirements for initial or continuing registration or accreditation. The specific requirements are generally set out in quality standards, objectives or criteria. Standards-based systems, as well as those based on objectives and criteria, require that regulators have a clear idea of the intentions of the standards and objectives, and that they ensure that these are clearly communicated to and understood by those implementing them. Some general concepts The Best practice regulation handbook (Australian Office of Best Practice Regulation 2007) provides some useful guidelines for those wishing to develop the standards that will facilitate compliance as well as provide opportunities for continuous improvement. This handbook suggests that the first important task is to decide whether standards should be voluntary or regulatory. It notes that voluntary standards or guidelines are developed by non-government agencies, while regulatory standards are protected in legislation. Voluntary standards can sometimes be built into regulatory standards or are used as regulatory standards. In VET we see the use of both voluntary and regulatory standards, voluntary standards being used at the registered training organisation level to implement arrangements for their own administration and human resources management. Regulatory standards are prescribed by government agencies, including the National VET Regulator, or in Victoria and Western Australia by state-based regulators under the AQTF 2010 standards. Notably, the behaviour of regulators and those to be regulated is not only driven by specific industry standards but a raft of other regulating influences. The handbook (Australian Office of Best Practice Regulation 2007) also that it is important for systems to decide whether standards will be based: on certain principles and written up in terms’ (principles-based standards); on performance outcomes ‘general (performance-based standards); or whether they will be more directive (prescriptive standards). Standards based on principles state the objectives it is hoped will be achieved but leave the organisation to put in place strategies to achieve these objectives. The effectiveness of such standards depends on the extent to which the organisation is committed to implementing strategies to achieve these objectives and has the wellbeing of its workers, clients and stakeholders at heart. An example of a standard based on principles
Deciding on suitable quality frameworks, standards and indicators The establishment of effective regulatory and quality assurance frameworks for VET systems is based on decisions made by policy-makers, regulators and accreditation agencies about what it is they want to achieve. From these they develop the standards, which are often known as quality standards, against which compliance will be judged. Quality is also judged using traditional systems of inspection, whereby ‘inspectors’ visit delivery sites and evaluate the extent to which providers are meeting expectations. These systems often have specific requirements for initial or continuing registration or accreditation. The specific requirements are generally set out in quality standards, objectives or criteria. Standards-based systems, as well as those based on objectives and criteria, require that regulators have a clear idea of the intentions of the standards and objectives, and that they ensure that these are clearly communicated to and understood by those implementing them. Some general concepts The Best practice regulation handbook (Australian Office of Best Practice Regulation 2007) provides some useful guidelines for those wishing to develop the standards that will facilitate compliance as well as provide opportunities for continuous improvement. This handbook suggests that the first important task is to decide whether standards should be voluntary or regulatory. It notes that voluntary standards or guidelines are developed by non-government agencies, while regulatory standards are protected in legislation. Voluntary standards can sometimes be built into regulatory standards or are used as regulatory standards. In VET we see the use of both voluntary and regulatory standards, voluntary standards being used at the registered training organisation level to implement arrangements for their own administration and human resources management. Regulatory standards are prescribed by government agencies, including the National VET Regulator, or in Victoria and Western Australia by state-based regulators under the AQTF 2010 standards. Notably, the behaviour of regulators and those to be regulated is not only driven by specific industry standards but a raft of other regulating influences. The handbook (Australian Office of Best Practice Regulation 2007) also that it is important for systems to decide whether standards will be based: on certain principles and written up in ‘general terms’ (principles-based standards); on performance outcomes (performance-based standards); or whether they will be more directive (prescriptive standards). Standards based on principles state the objectives it is hoped will be achieved but leave the organisation to put in place strategies to achieve these objectives. The effectiveness of such standards depends on the extent to which the organisation is committed to implementing strategies to achieve these objectives and has the wellbeing of its workers, clients and stakeholders at heart. An example of a standard based on principles
regulating-and-quality-assuring-vet-2806.docx