The Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) will prioritise the assessment of graduate diplomas and bridging courses after it released a final standard for the accreditation of education courses and programs.
The revised standard, known as the FPS002 Program & Provider Accreditation Policy, provides guidance to higher education providers and professional associations on the approval requirements for bachelor degrees, graduate diplomas, master’s degrees, bridging courses and credits for the recognition of prior learning related to a relevant professional designation.
FASEA said following the release of the policy it would accept applications for accreditation from education providers and would give priority assessments to applications for graduate diplomas and bridging courses.
“FASEA will assess an initial tranche of graduate diplomas and/or bridging courses pursuant to the requirements in FPS002 Accreditation Policy for education providers who submit an application by 12 April 2019,” the authority said.
“Compliant applications will be assessed within approximately eight weeks of receipt and notification of outcomes will be advised to all education providers at the same time and entered on the FASEA website.”
The policy was first released to the financial services sector in late 2018 and has been further developed through stakeholder consultation and two pilot accreditations conducted at higher education providers.
FASEA chief executive Stephen Glenfield thanked stakeholders, adding: “We look forward to assessing relevant degrees, diplomas and courses to be offered to financial advisers by higher education providers. This will assist financial advisers in satisfying their education requirements under the Corporations Act 2001.”
The list of higher education providers currently listed by FASEA as able to provide bachelor level and postgraduate degrees and equivalent qualifications under the new standard are:
- Australian Catholic University,
- Central Queensland University,
- Charles Sturt University,
- Curtin University,
- Deakin University,
- Financial Services Institute of Australasia,
- Griffith University,
- Kaplan Higher Education,
- La Trobe University,
- Queensland University of Technology,
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,
- Swinburne University of Technology,
- New South Wales Technical and Further Education Commission,
- University of Adelaide,
- University of Canberra,
- University of New England,
- University of New South Wales,
- University of South Australia,
- University of Southern Queensland,
- University of the Sunshine Coast,
- University of Wollongong,
- Victoria University, and
- Western Sydney University.
