Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
TEQSA
30 July 2011 – present
The national regulator and quality assurance agency for higher education, which registers higher education providers, accredits courses for providers without self-accrediting authority and assesses them against the Higher Education Standards Framework.
How it came into existence
Established on 30 July 2011 as a statutory agency under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011, following establishment work by an interim TEQSA within the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. It replaced the Australian Universities Quality Agency in quality assurance and, when its regulatory powers commenced on 29 January 2012, took over higher education provider registration from the state and territory accreditation authorities.
- Quality assurance of universities and other higher education providers
- Reporting on the quality of Australian higher education
AUQA was a ministerial council company, so there was no legal continuity; it was dissolved in 2011, closing by January 2012, and TEQSA took on former AUQA staff.
- Higher education regulatory reform and the establishment work of the interim TEQSA
Legislation: Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011; Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2011
Changes during its life
- 14 December 2011Moved with tertiary education to the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education portfolio.
- 29 January 2012Its regulatory functions commenced, replacing state and territory registration of higher education providers with national registration.
- 25 March 2013Became part of the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education portfolio.
- 18 September 2013Moved to the Department of Education portfolio.
- 23 December 2014Became part of the Department of Education and Training portfolio.
- 29 May 2019Became part of the Department of Education portfolio.
- 1 February 2020Became part of the Department of Education, Skills and Employment portfolio.
- 1 July 2022Became part of the Department of Education portfolio.
- Took over functions from Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education · 29 January 2012
- Registration of higher education providers on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)
TEQSA became the ESOS agency for higher education providers when its regulatory powers commenced.
Main functions
- Registration and re-registration of higher education providers
- Accreditation of courses offered by non-self-accrediting providers
- Assessment of providers against the Higher Education Standards Framework
- Quality assessments of the higher education sector
- Registration of higher education and English language providers for overseas students under the ESOS framework
- Action against academic cheating services
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of Education.
- Type of body
- Non-corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Education
- Accountable authority
- The Commissioners – Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 section 132(3)(b)
- ABN
- 50 658 250 012
Lineage
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Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))
Government records and websites
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.