Principles, integrity and values

The Victorian Public Sector Commission requires us to publish a register of gifts, benefits and hospitality offered to and accepted by our staff.

Gift register 2023-2024

See the Victorian Public Sector Commission for more information.

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) gives you:

• the right to access documents held by the VRQA
• the right to request that the VRQA amend or remove incorrect or misleading information held about you.

Some documents are not accessible under the FOI Act. These include documents which affect the personal affairs of another person, are commercially confidential, or would undermine law enforcement. Cabinet and some internal working documents are also not available.

Freedom of Information Part II Statement

We make a large amount of information available online. Our Freedom of Information Part II Statement gives an overview of where you can find frequently accessed VRQA information.

For more information, see:

• Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner​
• Freedom of Information Act 1982
• Department of Education — Freedom of Information

Statement 1: Organisation and functions

​​​​​​​The VRQA is the statutory authority established under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006:

• key functions
• leadership and governance
• legislation administered by or relevant to us
• organisational structure
• education and training provider register

Statement 2: Categories of documents

We produce many documents and records. We have developed records management systems and a recordkeeping policy to classify, store, access and manage a broad range of electronic and hard copy documents.

The types of documents that we handle include:

• policy and procedures
• correspondence
• memoranda of understanding
• registers (the register of home schooled children is not for public release )
• authorised officer reports.

School and senior secondary providers

• review reports, report review sheets and working papers (internal working documents − not for public release)
• applications from schools covering initial registration, amendment to registration, exemptions
• applications for registration to deliver an accredited senior secondary or foundation secondary course and registered secondary qualifications covering initial registration or renewal of registration
• applications for registration as an awarding body or renewal of registration

Apprenticeships and traineeships

• apprenticeship or traineeship visit, review and advisory records
• applications for approval to employ a person under a training contract (contain personal information − not for public release)

Vocation education and training

• applications from registered training organisations including initial registration, renewal of registration, extension of scope and payments
• audit reports, report review sheets, working papers (internal working documents − not for public release)

Courses and qualifications

• applications for course accreditation and renewal of registration
• course documentation, including application to register a course or qualification

Complaints

• case files (contain personal information or information submitted confidentially, and may not be for public release under the FOI Act)

Home education

• applications for registration, cancellation of registration (contain personal information − not for public release)

Student exchange programs

• applications for approval to operate a student exchange program including renewal of approval (contain personal information and may not be available for public release under the FOI Act)

Corporate and governance

• budget and finance reports of the VRQA (internal working documents − not for public release)
• delegations
• ministerial directions, letter of instruction, instruments of delegation and associated schedules
• briefing papers to ministers, memorandum to senior executives, background papers (internal working documents − not for public release)
• meeting agendas, agenda papers and confirmed minutes
• VRQA Board, committee and subcommittee agendas, papers and minutes dating from 2007 to the present (not generally available and are subject to specific requests and applied exemptions, consistent with FOI Act).

If you are looking for a specific information, you can search our website.

Statement 3: FOI arrangements

​An FOI request needs to be made in writing and should be accompanied by an application fee of $30.60. Access charges may also apply.

We provide an invoice with bank details to FOI applicants to pay by direct debit and then issue a receipt. You can contact us to pay by card.

We recommend you email your request where possible.

Requests for documents should be addressed to:

Freedom of Information Officer
Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority
Level 4
2 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne Vic 3000

Telephone: (03) 9637 2806
Email: vrqa@education.vic.gov.au.

Statement 4: Publications

We produce a range of publications that can be accessed on the VRQA website.

• e-Newsletter
• trends and statistics
• schedule of fees and charges
• strategic plan
• regulatory approach

Statement 5: Rules, policies and procedures

​Rules, policies and procedures relate to the following areas and regulatory responsibilities:

• legislation and delegations
• school education standards and guidelines 
• VET  standards and guidelines
• home schooling policy and framework
• apprenticeships and traineeships compliance and enforcement framework

Statement 6: Reports produced

​We produce an annual report which is tabled in Parliament each year and contribute to the annual reports of the Department of Education.

To read our annual reports, see:

• annual r​eports

Each year we conduct research into the perceptions of our clients and stakeholders in relation to our services, see:

• client and stakeholder research

A public interest disclosure is a disclosure by a natural person of information that shows or tends to show (information that the person reasonably believes shows or tends to show) improper conduct or detrimental action, as defined in the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 (the Act).

Under the Act, the VRQA is not able to receive a public interest disclosure.

If you wish to make a public interest disclosure about improper conduct or detrimental action on the part of the VRQA, or a VRQA employee or officer, you can make the disclosure to a number of 'receiving entities' including the Victorian Ombudsman, Victoria Police or the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC).

For more information, see:

• Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012
• any of the following 'receiving entities.'