Presentation (20 minutes) – maximum of TWO speakers per presentation TAFE Directors Australia Convention 2026

Next Steps in Self Accreditation and TAFE-Led Course Development (131994)

Elissa McKenzie 1 , Amy Morgan 2 , Aliya F Steed 3
  1. Bendigo Kangan Institute, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
  2. Institute of Applied Technology, TAFE NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. CQUniversity, The Range, QLD, Australia

In this presentation, participants from the ASQA Delegation of Course Accreditation Pilot (DOCAP) will collectively share their insights, learnings and perspectives on next steps in self-accreditation for TAFEs.

Through the DOCAP, all three pilot participants demonstrated that TAFEs have the capability and mechanisms to rapidly develop and accredit courses that are fit-for-purpose for local industries and emerging workforce needs, while also having a national lens.

During the pilot, the participants collaborated on:

  • the internal mechanisms and governance structures to enable self-accreditation
  • capability-building across the participant organisations
  • the partnership and consultation models used

In this presentation, participants will provide a practical and reflective account of how self-accreditation worked in practice:  what was learned, what was challenging and what changes it prompted within their organisations.  They will draw on their collective experience, highlighting similarities and nuances in the approaches that emerged.

Further, the presentation will also explore key findings and implications from the pilot for future steps, including the:

  • potential for self-accreditation to become an ongoing function within TAFE
  • role of Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) in TAFE qualification development and future implications for localised qualifications compared to Training Package development
  • ongoing capability requirements within TAFEs to write and maintain curriculum
  • need for more flexible and innovative curriculum models that drive better localised student and industry outcomes.
  • value of the shared learning and collaborative experience of the DOCAP

Collectively, the pilot demonstrated how TAFEs can take a leading role in designing and accrediting qualifications that are agile, industry-responsive and nationally consistent.  These insights highlight how TAFE innovation and collaboration can strengthen the national VET system and inform future self-accreditation policy and practice across the sector.