TEQSA Asks Australia to Improve the Level of English Language Skill for Admission

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) highlights Australian admissions improvement areas of English proficiency.

Higher education institutions in Australia criticized for admitting international students without appropriate knowledge of English language skills reflects negatively on the standard of Australian higher education and its graduates.

TEQSA renews concerns on English proficiency

TEQSA concluded in a report, admitting International students without suitable levels of English language skills has volunteered significant work to improve admission and governance policies.

However, there is no evidence of extensive systematic failure

concerning English language admission standards, the report noted the number of areas for improvement following reports that overseas students did not have high enough criteria of English to benefit.

TEQSA shared a case study of ten compliance assessments, identifying an additional four universities at possible risk of non-compliance for closer consideration on top of the six institutions that were classified in media broadcasting.

In 2019, Australia’s National Tertiary Education Union suggested higher education institutions not admit international students who are expected to cope during their studies due to the low English proficiency.

Earlier in May 2020, TEQSA released a statement detailing English waivers.

English waivers are usually case-by-case admittances decisions that take place outside the provider’s documented English requirements in its admittances policy or course conditions. Still, some providers may spell out the conditions for an ‘English waiver’ in their admission policies or course requirements.

Effective frameworks to protect International students studying in the country.

Simon Birmingham, former education and training minister in 2017, announced a set of ELICOS benchmarks to ensure that students get the English language skills they need for higher education in Australia.

TEQSA in its report, also highlighted effective frameworks to protect International students studying in the country.

The regulator also notified that the higher education standards framework ensures that students have the academic preparation and proficiency in English that is required for their intended study.

The National Code of Practice to providers of education and training overseas have even more perspective requirements to clarify the conditions for acceptance into a course to prospective overseas students before accepting them for enrolment. This involves the minimum level of English language proficiency.

TEQSA noted in the compliance document that the standards are collectively studied and implemented to ensure that students have every opportunity to succeed in their studies.

However, the report mentioned the universal use of other forms of test that satisfies the institution’s limited visibility of a provider’s credentials to ensure compliance with English language requirements, and some providers had not evaluated or benchmarked their admissions practices for a significant period.

Providers selected other forms of testing to include variation, waivers, and equivalence and revealed they were unable to precisely express the reason they were satisfied that a student had achieved English language requirements.

TEQSA said that there was an apparent lack of evidence to prove student performance reporting was being used to monitor, test, and adjust policy, including admissions policy.

TEQSA also added that some ruling groups lacked oversight of admittances practices and could not be sure that admissions policies and procedures were being implemented consistently.

With routinely reviewing, benchmarking, and improving admissions practices, providers can learn what policies are efficient in accomplishing their intent and notify decision making regarding what needs adapting to ensure student success.

TEQSA explained that we paid close attention to the providers’ documented policies and procedures to conclude whether they were planned to enable admitted students to have the academic preparation and proficiency in the English language or see whether these policies and procedures were performed appropriately and consistently.

TEQSA initiatives to support international students amid the Covid 19

Amid Covid-19, TEQSA lessened the administrative burden of regulation on providers through many initiatives, including extensions to registration and course accreditation periods, online delivery flexibility, and relaxing material change notification requirements.

TEQSA also highlighted many ambitions for 2021, as it continues to support the sector as it adapts to the disruptions of Covid-19.

The regulator also highlighted potential Covid risk areas

including provider closure, student wellbeing, and admission practices.

The Higher Education Integrity Unit, in June 2020, announced that the country will focus on sector risks, such as commercial contract cheating, as well as integrity threats applicable to higher education, including cybersecurity, international interference, and research integrity.