The Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board (VETAB) recently issued a guideline for RTOs on Organisational Capacity.

The guideline clarifies how registered providers can:

1. Allocate floor space per student for their premises
2. Apply maximum overseas student numbers per class.

This "Guideline" is part of a set of actions VETAB has taken during the last six months in order to improve quality management systems standards of Registered training Organisation in NSW, and as a respond to the industry needs in this area.

The National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2007 (the National Code 2007) at Standard 14 requires that:

"The staff of registered providers are suitably qualified or experienced in relation to the function they perform for students. The educational resources of registered providers support the delivery of courses to students. The premises of registered providers, including the floor space available for each student, support students to achieve their course outcomes."

Main issues addressed on this "Guideline for RTOs on organizational capacity are as follow:

1. Floor areas in general purposes classrooms must not be less than 2 square metres per student.

Chronology of this issue:

The former National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2001 (the 2001 Code), Clause 18 of Part C, stated that:

"The premises in which the registered provider delivers its CRICOS-registered courses must be adequate for the courses to be provided in terms of space and facilities. Floor areas in general purposes classrooms must not be less than 2 square metres per student if brought into use after 1 July 2001. If brought into use before that date, floor areas in general purposes classrooms must not be less than 1.6 squares metres per student."

The 2001 Code has been superseded by the National Code 2007 which does not prescribe a particular area per student.

VETAB has decided Registered providers should have regard to the historical material, namely the 2 square metres standard, and apply this measure of student space since it is considered appropriate for the delivery of training and assessment to overseas students in New South Wales.

1. The National Code 2007 does not prescribe formal class sizes for vocational education and training. At standard 14.1 the National Code 2007 states only that:

"The registered provider must have and implement policies and procedures to ensure its staffing resources are adequate and have the capabilities as required by the quality assurance framework applying to the course."

However, VETAB decided that Registered providers of courses for overseas students must ensure that delivery and assessments in the theory-based subjects of Training Package qualifications are conducted in maximum class sizes of no more than 30 enrolled students. Exceptions may be allowed provided the learning and assessment strategies allow.