General information
Introduction
To offer higher education in Queensland, the institution must be established or recognised by legislation as a university, have the higher education course accredited by the Minister for Education and Training, or be authorised by the Minister to operate in Queensland. In each case, the process involves an independent review of the institution and its proposed higher education courses to assure the public and the higher education community that they meet or exceed the stated criteria of educational quality and are equivalent in standard to the higher education offered by existing institutions.
Most higher education in the State is delivered by universities, which are authorised by individual university legislation to be the accrediting authority for the higher education awards that they confer. A number of non self-accrediting higher education institutions and overseas institutions are also authorised by the State to offer higher education courses and confer higher education awards in Queensland.
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Approving authority
The Minister for Education and Training, the Honourable Geoff Wilson MP, is responsible for protecting the use of the term 'university' and for recommending to the Queensland Parliament, bodies to be authorised to operate in the State as universities. The Minister is also responsible for authorising the operation of overseas higher education institutions in Queensland, for protecting the use of higher education award titles and for accrediting higher education courses offered by institutions other than universities.
The Queensland Office of Higher Education manages the executive support to assist the Minister in the role of approving authority. For further information about the approval process, contact:
General Enquiries
Tel: +61 7 3237 0390
Fax: +61 7 3237 1444
Email: accred.OFFICEHE@deta.qld.gov.au
Leigh Elliott - Manager Quality Assurance, Regulation and Corporate Relations
Tel:+61 7 3237 1172
Fax: +61 7 3237 1444
Email: leigh.elliott@deta.qld.gov.au
Elissa Greer - Senior Regulatory Officer
Tel:+61 7 3237 0127
Fax: +61 7 3237 1444
Email: elissa.greer@deta.qld.gov.au
Justine O'Regan - Senior Regulatory Officer
Tel:+61 7 3237 0392
Fax: +61 7 3237 1444
Email: justine.oregan@deta.qld.gov.au
Lauren Machin - Senior Regulatory Officer
Tel:+61 7 3405 8549
Fax: +61 7 3237 1444
Email: lauren.machin@deta.qld.gov.au
Penny Harrison - Quality Assurance Officer
Tel:+61 7 3237 0107
Fax: +61 7 3237 1444
Email: penny.harrison@deta.qld.gov.au
Philipa Duthie - Administration Officer
Tel:+61 7 3237 0390
Fax: +61 7 3237 1444
Email: philipa.duthie@deta.qld.gov.au
Approval legislation
The Higher Education (General Provisions) Act 2008 and the Higher Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2008 set out the Minister's approval responsibilities.
Copies of the Act and the Regulation may be obtained from the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel. A copy of the Act and the Regulation may also be obtained by contacting the Office of Higher Education.
The legislation contains significant penalties for using the term 'university' and protected higher education award titles without the Minister's authorisation.
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Approval process
Approval processes are based on the principle of assurance of academic quality through independent peer review. Leading academics, practitioners and industry professionals, meeting as a course/university assessment panel, participate in an evaluation of a proposed university or higher education course in order to make a recommendation to the Minister about approval.
This process provides assurance to the public that higher education awards in Queensland are consistent with national standards.
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Fees
Fees are payable for higher education approval processes under the legislation and are detailed in the Regulation. Fees are set to recover partial costs of approval processes.
For applications for accreditation of courses offered by non self-accrediting higher education institutions, and approval for overseas higher education institutions to operate in Queensland, there is an application fee which must accompany the application. In addition, there is an examination fee per course, payable when the assessment process commences. The amount of this fee varies, depending on the level of the course proposed, and the type of application.
Please refer to the Higher Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2008. 
Review of approval decisions
A person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Minister in relation to a higher education approval matter may appeal against the decision to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).
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National context
All States and Territories of Australia have developed criteria and procedures on which higher education approval processes are based. These are in accordance with National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes, which are designed to ensure consistent criteria and standards for higher education approval processes across Australia. The National Protocols are a key element in the national quality framework for higher education.
A copy of the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes may be obtained from the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs web site.
Another key element of the national quality assurance framework for higher education is the Australian Universities Quality Agency , which has the primary role of carrying out quality audits of Australian universities and State accreditation agencies.
In 2001, the Agency carried out an audit of the accreditation functions of the Queensland Office of Higher Education. The audit was a trial for the Agency to test its processes and procedures. The audit process was rigorous nonetheless, and produced a report, Report of an Audit of the Accreditation Function of the Queensland Office of Higher Education (new window) 154k 
, containing a series of commendations and recommendations.
The Office has undergone a scheduled audit by AUQA in 2005. The Report of an Audit of Queensland Department of Education and the Arts Higher Education Approvals Function (new window) 179k has now been published. As a result of the audit the Queensland Office of Higher Education submitted a Progress Report (new window) 65k 
to AUQA in October 2007 in response to the recommendations and affirmations from the audit.
Bulletins
The Higher Education Approvals and Regulation Team periodically distributes an information bulletin to keep higher education institutions updated on relevant initiatives, changes and general issues affecting the higher education sector. The most recent bulletins can be found below:
Bulletin - July 2009 (new window) 68k
Bulletin - November 2008 (new window) 55k
Bulletin - August 2008 (new window) 52k
Bulletin - May 2008 (new window) 56k
Bulletin - November 2007 (new window) 53k
Bulletin - September 2007 (new window) 62k
Bulletin - March 2006 (new window) 57k
Staff Profiles
Elissa Greer - Elissa joined the team in October 2006, coming from a generalist HR role in the Department of Public Works. Prior to joining the government, Elissa held a number of corporate roles in private recruitment and administration, beginning her career in a not-for-profit organisation delivering behavioural change modification programs for the long-term unemployed. Elissa holds a Bachelor of Behavioural Science majoring in psychology, and in 2008 won a departmental scholarship to study a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management, which she is halfway through. Outside of work, Elissa has caught the travel bug after living in London for 18 months, and tries to visit her friends in Europe every two years. Her other interests include singing, reading and spending time with family and friends.
Justine O 'Regan - Justine is currently a Senior Quality Assurance and Regulation Officer. She joined the OHE in May 2007. Prior to this, she worked on undergraduate degree programs in Education at Queensland University of Technology, as well as being the Education Faculty 's Equity Project Officer. Justine 's career in education began with teaching English as a Second Language to newly arrived migrants and to overseas students in Australia. Over the years, she has enjoyed travelling, including two stints in France - the first time as an au pair and the second as an assistante in a high school in Avignon. She holds a Master of Arts and a PhD. Her PhD thesis used case study methodology to analyse the goal of internationalisation in two Australian universities.
Lauren Machin - Lauren holds qualifications in a Bachelor of Arts (Literary Studies and Ancient History/ History) and a Bachelor of Education (Secondary). After teaching in both Australia and England, Lauren joined the Department of Education and Training in 2007 with the Events team. In 2008 Lauren worked as a Policy Officer in the CRICOS unit and joined the Office of Higher Education (OHE) in May 2009 as a Senior Regulatory Officer. Lauren is currently undertaking further studies and enjoys photography, reading and entertaining in her spare time.
Penny Harrison - Penny joined the Office of Higher Education (OHE) in April 2006. Penny came from a hospitality background where she worked in a number of Brisbane hotels and resorts as a Housekeeping Manager. After working for 11 years in the hospitality industry Penny decided it was time for a career change which is when she started with the OHE as the Administration Officer. After one year as the Administration Officer, Penny was given the opportunity to act in the Senior Administration Officer position. Penny was in this role for six months before moving to a newly created position of Quality Assurance Officer. Penny has an Associate Diploma in Business (Hospitality).
Philipa Duthie - Philipa has been with the Office of Higher Education since March 2009. After completing a BA (Hons) in Literary Studies, Philipa went on to work in various research roles at the University of Queensland. In 2008 she was selected as the postgraduate convener of EMSAH 'S WIP Conference, a role which led to further conference work within the school. Philipa has held a number of administrative roles in the Queensland Government, primarily in the Department of Justice. A full time mum, she recently put her PhD in Victorian Literature on hold to complete a Master of Communication (PR and Professional Communication).
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