On Thursday, 14 May 2026, ASQA held the inaugural meeting of the Provider Reference Group (PRG), bringing together a diverse group of sector representatives to provide strategic input into our regulatory, education and engagement activities.
The meeting was chaired by Director, Policy and Education (P&E), Melinda Cox and attended by members of the P&E team along with ASQA’s Deputy CEO, Vidoshi Jana.
The PRG has been established to draw on the expertise and experience of providers across the vocational education and training (VET) sector, supporting ASQA to strengthen our regulatory approach and ensure it remains responsive to emerging risks and sector needs.
The meeting commenced with introductions from members, who shared their roles, areas of expertise, and key priorities for participation in the PRG. This highlighted the depth and breadth of experience across the group and established a strong foundation for collaborative engagement.
ASQA provided an overview of the role and objectives of the PRG, including how the group will operate and how member insights will inform our work. The discussion considered the importance of practical, targeted engagement and considered approaches to support effective collaboration, including the use of sub-groups and out-of-session engagement.
Acting Executive Director, Integrity and Compliance, Greg Simmons, provided an overview of findings from ASQA’s 2026 environmental scan, highlighting key themes and risks across the sector. These insights will inform ASQA’s 2026-27 regulatory risk priorities and future focus areas.
Members discussed a range of related issues, including the importance of targeted education and guidance to support providers in the use of artificial intelligence (AI), how ASQA’s work addressing non-genuine providers is informing registration processes, and providers’ responsibilities in supporting students affected by registration cancellations arising from poor practice. Members also discussed how ASQA’s responds to quality concerns, including circumstances where regulatory responses other than cancellations may be appropriate.
Members discussed the draft principles for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI), noting that the principles do not introduce new obligations but align with providers’ existing requirements, including those under the 2025 Standards. The discussion reflected the growing use of AI in the VET sector and the importance of clear, practical guidance to support providers in managing associated risks while maintaining quality and integrity.
ASQA shared insights from the 2026 ASQA Sector Workshops. Survey results indicated that providers viewed the principle relating to maintaining human oversight and accountability as the easiest principle to meet. Conversely, the principle on ensuring that AI systems and tools manage information securely and in accordance with existing privacy, data protection and record keeping obligations was identified as the most challenging to meet. To support ongoing discussion and deeper engagement on AI-related issues, we proposed the establishment of a PRG sub-group focused on AI.
The meeting concluded with a discussion of next steps, including future meeting arrangements and opportunities for ongoing engagement. Members expressed a strong commitment to contributing to the PRG and supporting its role in informing ASQA’s work.
We look forward to working with PRG members to leverage their expertise and insights to support a transparent, proportionate and effective regulatory approach. Thank you to all members for their valuable contributions and commitment to strengthening quality outcomes for students across the VET sector.