Third-Party arrangements apply to situations where a registered higher education provider works with a third party to offer a course that lead to an Australian higher education award. For VU Sydney, Victoria University (VU) is the registered Higher Education Provider and the third party arranged to deliver programs is Education Centre of Australia (ECA).
In the model adopted by VU for the Sydney Campus, VU has the responsibility to oversee the operation, with the Campus Director and Principal being a VU employee. ECA and VU both contribute inputs. The students are VU students and the campus is regarded as a VU campus.
The arrangement provides benefits for both organisations. From a quality perspective, having a program delivered in an alternative environment compels the registered provider to ensure that the programs and processes are sufficiently robust to support the 3rd party. For the third-party provider, there is an opportunity to refine and develop professional practices in line with the expectations of a university.
While third party arrangements can be challenging, the resolution of those challenges generally leads to improved performance for both parties. Further, through solid governance procedures, the oversight of the third party’s outcomes, provides the University with opportunities to benchmark and drive improvements in outcomes for all students.
This paper will address some of the strengths and challenges that lead to improvements in quality and standards in a third-party arrangement.