The regulator’s “compliance assessment” of the university’s international student performance is delayed, again

In May 2019 ABC TV’s Four Corners included allegations about student standards at Murdoch U in a programme about international education in Australia. The university strenuously rejected them but regulator Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency undertook a “compliance assessment.”

The university responded to TEQSA’s inquiries and in October the agency told CMM it was considering that.

Which is where things sat, and sat. In December, the agency was still considering the university’s response but expected the matter would conclude in the first quarter of 2020 (CMM December 11 2019). By January the expectation was a report would go to the TEQSA commissioners in mid-February (CMM January 20).

If it did, whatever they thought about it is unknown – and will stay that way for a while.

“Due to TEQSA’s wide-ranging response to support the higher education sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, this compliance assessment has been delayed. We now anticipate this concluding in the third quarter of 2020. Any publications by TEQSA at the conclusion of the compliance assessment will be informed by the findings, in line with our policies,” the agency tells CMM.

Separately, Murdoch U is up for renewal of its registration by TEQSA. It’s existing seven years runs to July 18. But this is flexible, TEQSA says that according to its act, “the provider’s registration is taken to continue until TEQSA decides whether to renew the provider’s registration.”