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.
On 4 August 2026, ASQA held a full member meeting of the Provider Reference Group (PRG), bringing together representatives from across the vocational education and training (VET) sector to discuss emerging regulatory issues and inform ASQA's ongoing education, engagement and communications activities.
The meeting was chaired by Director, Transformation and Reform, Katerina Lawler. It was also attended by ASQA's Deputy CEO, Vidoshi Jana, along with members of the Policy and Education team. The meeting provided an opportunity for PRG members to share insights on current sector challenges and opportunities to strengthen quality outcomes across the VET sector. Discussions reflected the breadth of expertise across the group and reinforced the PRG's role in providing practical sector insights to help inform ASQA's work.
The meeting opened with a review of actions arising from the inaugural PRG meeting. Members discussed arrangements for future meetings and the establishment of 3 PRG sub-groups focused on tertiary harmonisation and reducing regulatory burden, regulatory risk priorities, and artificial intelligence (AI) considerations and academic integrity. Members expressed support for the sub-group structure and its role in facilitating more targeted discussions beyond full member meetings.
ASQA’s Deputy CEO provided an update on several significant developments since the previous meeting. This includes implementation of ASQA's revised regulatory approach and cost recovery model, the publication of the 2026-27 Regulatory Risk Priorities, the release of ASQA's Principles for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence and ongoing work with government on key sector reforms. Members discussed the importance of good governance as a foundation for effective decision-making, risk management and continuous improvement, and considered opportunities to strengthen information sharing and collaboration across the VET regulatory system.
Members welcomed updates on work underway to refresh the Quality Indicator surveys and expand information and sharing arrangements with State and Territory Training Authorities. Discussion highlighted the value of stronger collaboration across regulatory bodies to support earlier identification of emerging risks.
A key focus of the meeting was ASQA's 2026-27 Regulatory Risk Priorities. Members discussed a range of emerging risks and sector developments relevant to the priorities, including the growing influence of AI, cybersecurity risks, qualification integrity, governance maturity, employer engagement in training, and the impact of regulatory and training package reform across the sector. Members expressed the need for practical education and guidance to support providers in understanding both the opportunities and risks associated with emerging technologies, while maintaining training quality, assessment integrity and student protections.
Discussion also considered the role that students, employers and industry play in creating and influencing market conditions, and reducing opportunities for poor practice. Members highlighted the value of educating students and employers about quality training practices and indicators of genuine delivery to support informed decision making and strengthen confidence in the VET sector. Members also reflected on the importance of promoting the value of VET and communicating the sector's contribution to workforce capability, productivity and economic outcomes.
ASQA sought feedback on a proposed education, engagement and communications approach to support implementation of the 2026-27 Regulatory Risk Priorities and other key programs of work. Members shared perspectives on how ASQA can best support providers in addressing the priorities, including the types of information, resources and guidance that would be most valuable to the sector.
Members highlighted the importance of practical and accessible resources that support providers to apply regulatory expectations within their own contexts. Discussion included the value of self-assurance tools, case studies, targeted guidance for governance and cybersecurity considerations, and resources that can be used by organisational leaders to support discussion and decision making within their own governance structures.
The meeting concluded with a discussion about improving provider communications, website functionality and notifications, and arrangements for the 2027 face-to-face PRG meeting.
We thank PRG members for their ongoing engagement, expertise and constructive feedback. The insights shared during the meeting will help inform ASQA's education, engagement and regulatory activities as we continue to support quality outcomes, accountability and a future-focused VET sector.