Regulating and Quality-Assuring VET: International Developments. Research Report

The opening-up of the market for education and training, including vocational education and training (VET), has increased the importance of regulation and quality assurance mechanisms in ensuring the integrity of qualifications. This report investigates approaches to the regulation and quality assurance of vocational education and training in a number of countries: New Zealand, selected European member states (Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom), Canada (province of Ontario) and two accrediting agencies in the United States. The insights gained from this investigation into the practices applied overseas could be used to inform the development of VET regulatory and quality assurance approaches in Australia. Two appendices include: (1) a list of each standard in the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) framework and the items they cover; and (2) tables documenting: Industry skills councils and industry covered as at June 2015; New Zealand industry training organisations, by industry sector, 2014; and Sector skills councils and sector skills bodies, by industry sector coverage in the United Kingdom.