ACT Accreditation and Registration Council

The ACT Accreditation and Registration Council (the Council) is the statutory authority established under the Training and Tertiary Education Act 2003 to provide advice to the Minister for Education and Training on tertiary education in the ACT, specifically the registration of tertiary education providers and accreditation of tertiary courses. Members of the Council are appointed by the Minister for Education and Training. The Council has established the Higher Education Committee (HEC) to provide it with advice on higher education matters. The ACT Education and Training Directorate manages regulatory operations for the Council and provides Secretariat support to the Council and its HEC.

Prior to the establishment of the national VET regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the Council was responsible for the registration of VET and higher education providers in the ACT, the accreditation of VET and higher education courses in the ACT and the quality assurance of VET and higher education in the ACT. Since the introduction of national regulation for VET on 1 July 2011, a number of ARC’s responsibilities have transferred to ASQA. However, ARC has retained responsibility for the registration of non self-accrediting higher education providers and the accreditation of higher education courses in the ACT.

It is anticipated the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) will assume national regulation of higher education from 1 January 2012. The Council will maintain its regulatory functions for higher education until 31 December 2011 or until TEQSA assume these functions.