Good Practice Guide for VET Offshore Delivery

1. Good Practice Guide for VET Offshore Delivery Presentation on behalf of the NQC Moira Schulze & Sue Foster

2. Purpose of the workshop • To outline the findings of NQC policy and research into offshore VET delivery • Quality assurance of offshore VET delivery • Internationalising Australian VET qualifications • To introduce you to the Good practice guide on offshore VET delivery

3. Quality assurance of offshore VET • Offshore VET is growing for both public and private providers • Provides commercial opportunities & financial & reputational risks • This project developed a model for QA of Offshore VET

4. What should drive a system of offshore quality monitoring? • Protect & build reputation and confidence of the Australian VET system • Assure quality and parity of student outcomes and experience • Protect government interests • Protect individual provider reputation & business interests.

5. Characteristics of a ‘transition model’ • Based on accurate data (evidence) • Accurate risk assessment of all providers delivering offshore • Encourage and recognise efforts to monitor, review and continuously improve offshore delivery. • A national, streamlined approach with a single point of coordination & readily understood • Builds on what’s already there.

6. Model for QA of offshore VET 1. Improved information and badging to the offshore market – voluntary membership listing with strong incentives to achieve listing. 2. Compulsory national annual data collection from all public and private providers regarding programs, enrolments and location of offshore delivery. 3. Initial enhanced risk assessment – desktop audit based on enhanced/more detailed guidelines. High, medium and low risk offshore providers identified. 4. Detailed offshore site visits of high risk providers as per enhanced risk guidelines. –strong quality improvement focus, not only AQTF compliance –supplemented by AEI/AUSTRADE offshore intelligence –conducted by experienced specialist national audit team. 5. Results of offshore visits in public domain, as per current AUQA model. 6. Membership / badging informed by site visit results, eg. major noncompliance as a provider.

7. Trial to date – data collection • In 2009 • 105 private providers (2% of all registered private RTOs) • 37 public providers (61% of all Australian TAFE) • 73,271 students • Largely in diplomas • Across 68 countries • Primarily in China (public & private providers) & New Zealand (private providers)

8. Internationalising offshore VET qualifications • Purpose of the policy • Maximise potential for Australian VET qualifications to support global mobility • Preserve the integrity, validity and fitness for purpose of Australian VET qualifications for Australian industry

9. Contextualisation of qualifications & units of competency • May substitute units of competency in a qualification • Within packaging rules • Where it does not distort the vocational integrity or fitness for purpose of the qualification • If consistent with advice in the Training Package on contextualisation • Contextualisation to individual learners or offshore contexts, must retain the integrity of the overall intended outcome of the unit • Must not deliver less than the full requirements of the unit • Can add material provided it does not – undermine vocational integrity, alter the AQF level, diminish the breadth of application of the unit or limit its portability and use.

10. The Good Practice Guide • The model outlines key challenges – risks - good practice in planning and delivering Australian VET qualifications offshore • The Guide is structured around a common set of issues • What is the issue? • The key considerations (for providers) • How are providers dealing with the issue? • Resources available to assist. • Appendix – includes sample resources • Using the Guide – different providers have different experience and issues – it is NOT a recipe

11. Go /No-go Objective 1. Initial Decision Go /No-go Exit strategy APPROACH / PLAN IMPROVEMENT / ACT Preparation 2.Project inception / Business case approval 3.Partner choice / due diligence 4. Business planning 5. Detailed partner contracts & relationship management Quality assurance 17.Monitoring, review & continuous improvement Project Management - Capability DEPLOYMENT / DO Ongoing monitoring & review 18. Project Management Delivery 6.Select appropriate offshore delivery models 7.Set quality requirements for offshore facilities 8. Ensure staff skills & qualifications 9.Student information selection & outcomes 10.English language competency 11. Contextualisation of VET programs 12.Provide learning resources 13.Determine provision of student information & support 14.Document educational leadership, coordination & support capacity Exit strategy RESULTS / CHECK Assessment 15.Assessment & validation 16.Certification Exit strategy

12. Sample of Step 1 • Initial decision: Go / No-go • Should we be involved in offshore delivery? Why? • Do we have a realistic idea of what it will involve? • Are commercial interests balanced by potential for educational quality?

13. Initial Decision: Go / No-Go Initial assessment provider capacity Capacity Provider motivation Proposed partner motivation(s) Initial assessment of investment & returns Preparatory in-country research Initial assessment – provider capacity & standing Initial decision: Go / No-go

14. Appendix 1.1 Self assessment checklist

15. Sample of Step 2 • Project inception & business case approval • Before final decision – identify key risks - Commercial & reputational • Does the proposal have a strategic fit to overall strategic directions? • Does it take account of onshore and offshore regulation, culture, context • Have you conducted a site visit? • Gain approval at highest levels of the organisation

16. Australian Provider Analysis of in-country legal & political context Partner analysis (Macro) Detailed analysis of capacity Initial analysis of commercial viability Australian legal & policy context & decision making Detailed research in-country conditions Analysis of proposed delivery sites & staff Internal strategic fit Project Proposal Approved Proposed Partner Project inception & business case approval

17. Project inception & business case approval • Resources identified • Project inception outline • Business case development & approval model • Challenger TAFE Toolkit templates and guides for: strategic and legal analysis; global analysis; country analysis; RTO capacity analysis; Partner macro analysis; Partner onsite visitor analysis • Austrade contacts • AEI country profiles • Website at http://www.transparency.org.au for information on offshore legislation

18. Other steps: Group activity • Consider the section of the guide : • Summarise the section with the rest of the group • What are the issues and risks being addressed? • What do YOU do or WOULD do? • What else might be useful?

19. Australian Provider Sound BusinessPartnership Established Proposed Partner Provides documented proposal Undertakes detailed due diligence Hosts site visit to assess facilities & establish relationships Requests written proposal Assesses proposal & other documentation Assesses strategic & business ‘fit’ Partner choice & due diligence

20. Training Package or curriculum requirements Facilities & Equipment Assessment Requirements Planning Checklists Simulated environments Work with industry Document in training & assessment strategy Monitor facilities and equipment Quality – Facilities & equipment

21. Skills & Qualifications Staff Skills Capacity Building Models Eligibility Staff selection Staff induction Mentoring Staff exchanges Quality - Staff

22. Quality assurance of assessment Staff capability Workplace assessment Conduct assessment Planning assessment Clear roles Continuous improvement & monitoring Validation Managing assessment Moderation Assessment Quality – assessment and validation

23. Go /No-go Objective 1. Initial Decision Go /No-go Exit strategy APPROACH / PLAN IMPROVEMENT / ACT Preparation 2.Project inception / Business case approval 3.Partner choice / due diligence 4. Business planning 5. Detailed partner contracts & relationship management Quality assurance 17.Monitoring, review & continuous improvement Project Management - Capability DEPLOYMENT / DO Ongoing monitoring & review 18. Project Management Delivery 6.Select appropriate offshore delivery models 7.Set quality requirements for offshore facilities 8. Ensure staff skills & qualifications 9.Student information selection & outcomes 10.English language competency 11. Contextualisation of VET programs 12.Provide learning resources 13.Determine provision of student information & support 14.Document educational leadership, coordination & support capacity Exit strategy RESULTS / CHECK Assessment 15.Assessment & validation 16.Certification Exit strategy