Higher Education Standards Framework (HESF)

The Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 are the national standards that the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TESQA) apply for regulatory purposes. Under the TEQSA Act, it is an obligation of registration that all registered higher education providers meet, and continue to meet the Standards of the HES Framework. The HESF aim to:

ensure that the barrier to entry into the higher education sector is set sufficiently high to underpin and protect the quality and reputation of the sector as a whole
establish a baseline for operational quality and integrity from which all providers can continue to build excellence and diversity
an articulation of the expectations for provision of higher education in Australia as a guide to the quality of educational experiences that students should expect, a reference for international comparisons, and a reference for other interested parties, and
a model framework which higher education providers can themselves apply for the internal monitoring, quality assurance and quality improvement of their higher education activities.
set out the requirements that a higher education provider must meet – and continue to meet – in order to be registered by TEQSA to operate in Australia as a provider of higher education.

The standards for higher education are organised into seven major ‘domains’:

HESF Domain 1: Student participation and attainment
HESF Domain 2: Learning environment
HESF Domain 3: Teaching
HESF Domain 4: Research and research training
HESF Domain 5: Institutional quality assurance
HESF Domain 6: Governance and accountability
HESF Domain 7: Representation, information and information management

Additional information

The HESF plays an important role in the planning, development and maintenance of quality course, program and curriculum in the higher education sector. For assistance in how this may apply to your course or program, contact your Director, Learning and Teaching.