Consultation to strengthen the university regulator's powers

The Government is consulting on how we strengthen the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) to lift governance across universities.

We’re releasing a consultation paper today that asks what new tools TEQSA needs to make sure universities are meeting student, staff and community expectations.

TEQSA’s powers haven’t really changed since it was created in 2011.

There have been major changes to the sector in that time and governance issues across the sector have recently come under scrutiny.

The paper focuses on four areas:

• a regulatory system that puts students first
• a modern regulator with powers to address emerging and systemic challenges
• opportunities to streamline regulation for universities and other higher education providers, so they can focus on teaching and learning, and
• a system that supports a joined up tertiary education system to help more Australians get the skills and qualifications they need.

Responses to the consultation paper should be submitted to teqsalr@education.gov.au by 5pm on Friday 17 October 2025.

This is about working together to make universities better and the tertiary sector ready for the challenges ahead.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

“If you don’t think there are challenges in university governance, you’ve been living under a rock. 

“TEQSA’s powers haven’t really changed since it was created almost 15 years ago.

“TEQSA needs better tools to act when there are issues at our unis and it needs to be able to respond to systemic risks, not just individual compliance.

“At the moment TEQSA has a sledgehammer and a feather, and not much in-between.

“This is about modernising and strengthening TEQSA to help ensure universities are meeting the standards students, staff and the community expect.”