ASQA – the Australian Skills and Quality Authority. The national regulator for Australia’s vocational education and training sector. ASQA regulates courses and training providers to ensure nationally approved quality standards are met. https://www.asqa.gov.au/
AQF – the Australian Qualifications Framework. The AQF is the national policy for regulated qualifications in Australian education and training. It incorporates the qualifications from each education and training sector into a single comprehensive national qualifications framework. The AQF was introduced in 1995 to underpin the national system of qualifications in Australia encompassing higher education, vocational education and training and schools. https://www.aqf.edu.au/
Higher Education. Australia’s higher education system is made up of universities and other institutions that play a critical role in fuelling innovation, driving productivity and giving students the skills they need for future success through qualifications and degrees. The Australian Government supports higher education through policies, funding and programs. https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-0
RTO – Registered Training Organisation. Training providers registered by ASQA (or, in some cases, a state regulator) to deliver vocational education and training services. RTOs are recognised as providers of quality-assured and nationally recognised training and qualifications. There are currently around 5000 RTOs in Australia. A complete list of RTOs is maintained at training.gov.au, the authoritative national register of the VET sector in Australia. https://www.asqa.gov.au/about/australias-vet-sector/about-rtos
VET – Vocational Education and Training. Vocational education and training enables students to gain qualifications for all types of employment, and specific skills to help them in the workplace. The providers of VET include technical and further education (TAFE) institutes, adult and community education providers and agricultural colleges, as well as private providers, community organisations, industry skill centres, and commercial and enterprise training providers. In addition, some universities and schools provide VET. https://www.asqa.gov.au/about/australias-vet-sector