Quality assurance audits in technical and further education

Abstract

This paper describes five steps involved in conducting quality assurance audits and recommends their use in technical and further education (TAFE). It considers that quality audits could be applied to course design, learning, teaching and assessment, student enrolment and support services and management. It emphasizes the fact that there are various check-points in the process of delivering training and they must be audited not only to ensure credibility, but also to confirm the TAFE system as a primary provider of the skilled workforce. Quality audits reflect the current and future needs and expectations of stakeholders. They could encompass a combination of compliance, effectiveness and efficiency audits in the context of inputs, processes and outcomes in TAFE. In describing the five essential steps, the paper emphasizes that, in today's competitive training market, the quality audits are a way of ensuring the relevance of vocational training. It is postulated that unless quality audits become integrate...