This instrument is the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund) Guidelines 2024.

This instrument commences the day after this instrument is registered.

3 Authority

This instrument is made under section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

4 Schedules

Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022

1 In section 4 (definitions)
Insert:

Accreditation Standards and Procedures means the Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures developed by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (as that document was in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Strong Beginnings Fund) Guidelines 2024 were made).

Core content means the core content listed in Schedule 2 of Addendum: Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures developed by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (as that document was in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Strong Beginnings Fund) Guidelines 2024 were made).

ITE means initial teacher education.

ITE course means an accredited course of study in ITE that is recognised by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership under the Accreditation Standards and Procedures.

Teacher Regulatory Authority means any one of the following State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authorities that is responsible for the registration of qualified teachers and for accrediting ITE courses under the Accreditation Standards and Procedures:

(i) Australian Capital Territory Teacher Quality Institute;

(ii) New South Wales Education Standards Authority;

(iii) Queensland College of Teachers;

(iv) Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory;

(v) Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia;

(vi) Teachers Registration Board of South Australia;

(vii) Teachers Registration Board of Tasmania; and

(viii) Victorian Institute of Teaching.

2 After Part 8

Insert:

Part 8A—Grants to assure and enhance the quality of Australia’s higher education sector —Strong Beginnings Fund

Division 1—Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund

63A Program objectives

(1) The Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund is specified as a program for the purpose of assuring and enhancing the quality of Australia’s higher education sector, under subitem 11(a) of the table in subsection 41-10(1) of the Act.

(2) The objective of the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund is to improve the quality of ITE courses by supporting higher education providers to ensure their ITE courses align with core content described in the Accreditation Standards and Procedures.

63B Extra conditions of eligibility

A Table A provider or a specified body corporate in section 67 is eligible to receive a grant under the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund if:

(a) the Table A provider or the specified body corporate delivers ITE courses; and

(b) the grant application includes evidence of the number of ITE courses delivered by the Table A provider or the specified body corporate as at 31 October 2023.

63C Grants to be made in respect of a year

(1) Grants under the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund are made in respect of a year.

(2) The amount, being a part of the amount referred to in section 41‑45 of the Act, that will be spent on the program in 2024 is $4.635 million.

Note: Under section 41-20 of the Act, grants are subject to approval by the Minister.

63D Method by which the amount of grants under the program are determined for a provider

The grant amount for a higher education provider under the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund is $15,000 per ITE course.

63E Conditions that apply to grants

(1) Providers must use the grant to:

(a) review their ITE courses and make changes necessary to include core content; and

(b) have their ITE courses reaccredited under the Accreditation Standards and Procedures by 31 December 2025 or a date stipulated by their Teacher Regulatory Authority in accordance with their state or territory legislative frameworks.

(2) Providers in receipt of a grant under the Strong Beginnings (Transition) Fund are required to report by 31 December 2025 in the format requested by the Department.

(3) These reports must include the following information:

(a) evidence from the Teacher Regulatory Authority in the provider’s state or territory that the provider has met the requirements of the Accreditation Standards and Procedures with respect to core content; or

(b) if the provider has not met the requirements of the Accreditation Standards and Procedures, the report must include:

(i) reasons for why the core content has not been implemented into the ITE course; and

(ii) a project plan, in the format requested by the Department, detailing how the provider will implement core content and the timeframe in which the core content will be implemented.

3 After paragraph 67(d)

Insert:

(e) Alphacrusis University College Limited;

(f) ACPE Limited (known as The Australian College of Physical Education);

(g) Christian Heritage College;

(h) Eastern College Australia Limited;

(i) Excelsia College;

(j) Holmesglen Institute;

(k) Melbourne Polytechnic;

(l) Montessori World Educational Institute Australia Inc;

(m) Tabor College Inc;

(n) Avondale University.