Course accreditation

Accredited courses address skill requirements for industry, enterprises and the community where these are not covered in nationally endorsed training packages. They have the capacity to address changes in skill needs, and the needs of emerging and converging industries and industry sectors, in a responsive manner.

In the vocational education and training system state or territory course accrediting bodies formally recognise these qualifications through the process of accrediting courses in line with the AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses.

What does accreditation mean?

When a course has been accredited it means it is nationally recognised and that a registered training organisation can issue a nationally recognised qualification or statement of attainment following its full or partial completion. Once a course has been accredited, it is listed on the National Training Information Service by the course accrediting body.

Accreditation of a course is confirmation by a course accrediting body that the course:

  • meets industry, enterprise or community needs
  • provides appropriate competency outcomes and a satisfactory basis for assessment
  • meets national quality assurance requirements
  • is aligned to the appropriate level of the Australian Qualifications Framework where it leads to a qualification.

What can and cannot be accredited?

A course leading to an Australian Qualifications Framework qualification or statement of attainment will be accredited if:

  • there is clear evidence that the course meets an identified industry, enterprise, education or community need
  • the course is consistent with the Australian Qualifications Framework
  • the course does not duplicate by title or coverage the outcomes of an endorsed training package qualification
  • the courses meets the design requirements as established in the AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses
  • the course is based on nationally endorsed units of competency where these are available, and where these are not available, the course is based on units of competency developed as part of the course; or modules

(Note: modules may be included where the course developer can establish to the satisfaction of the course accrediting body, prior to development, that it is not possible to develop appropriate competency standards.)

A state or territory course accrediting body will not accredit a course if the intended course:

  • duplicates, by title or coverage, the outcomes of an endorsed training package qualification and/or unit of competency
  • outcomes can be achieved through the contextualisation of a training package qualification and/or unit of competency in accordance with the training package qualification packaging rules and contextualisation advice
  • the course is a sub-set of a training package qualification that could be recognised through one or more statements of attainment
  • includes competencies additional to those in a training package qualification that could be recognised through one or more statements of attainment, in addition to the Australian Qualifications Framework qualification
  • the course is made up of modules comprising learning outcomes and the developer has not demonstrated that competencies cannot be developed.

Applying for accreditation and delivering an accredited course

An organisation or individual responsible for the development of a course must apply to have a course accredited. The course developer does not need to be a registered training organisation. Refer to the AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses for further information.

Once a course has been accredited by a course accrediting body and placed on the National Training Information Service, it will be recognised in all other states and territories without the need for further accreditation in those states and territories.

Only a registered training organisation with the course listed in its scope of registration can deliver and/or assess an accredited course and issue a subsequent qualification or statement of attainment in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework Implementation Handbook.

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