VRQA Board meetings are held 6 times a year. An outline of what is discussed in VRQA Board meetings is published after each meeting.
2025
The Board met on 6 February 2025. Attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne), at 200 Victoria Parade. This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
The Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People attended the meeting to discuss with the Board the implementation of the Child Safe Standards and assessment of providers creating child safe cultures and implementing policies and procedures into practice.
The Board discussed the VRQA 2024 Client and Stakeholder Research and approved the publication of the 2024 Client and Stakeholder Satisfaction Research Report on the VRQA website. The Board noted the opportunity to improve the VRQA’s communication, guidance and engagement across all regulated sectors in response to client and stakeholders’ feedback. The Board expressed their thanks to the clients and stakeholders that provided their valuable feedback.
The Board met on 3 April 2025. Attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne), at 200 Victoria Parade. This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
Members considered and approved revised charters and 2025 workplans for the three Board subcommittees – Audit and Risk Management Committee, Schools and Students Compliance and Quality Subcommittee, and Apprenticeships and Skills Compliance and Quality Subcommittee.
The Board discussed the VRQA’s regulation of school boarding premises, particularly the safety and wellbeing of students. The Board noted regulation of school boarding premises commenced in 2021 and the VRQA has now completed reviews of most school boarding premises to ensure they comply with the minimum standards, including the Child Safe Standards. In light of recent events, the Board noted that the VRQA will undertake analysis of reviews completed to date to identify trends and emerging risks.
The Board also approved the updated VRQA Risk Framework and the updated VRQA Strategic Risk Register.
Members discussed current legal and regulatory matters.
The Board met on 12 June 2025 for its annual planning day and board meeting. This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
The Board welcomed special guests including Tony Bates, A/Secretary, Department of Education and Lill Healy, Deputy Secretary, Higher Education and Skills, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions to the planning session to gain their perspectives on current Government priorities and expectations.
The Board reflected on the achievement of its 6 strategic priorities in the 2022–25 VRQA Strategic Plan and considered emerging risks and opportunities relevant to development of a new strategic plan. The new strategic plan will be developed once the new Statement of Expectations is received from Ministers.
Members considered and approved the report of the Audit and Risk Management Committee including further work on the strategic risk framework.
Management briefed members on a range of legal and regulatory matters.
The Board met on 7 August, with a mixture of in-person and remote attendees. In person attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne). This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
Members noted matters considered at the recent meetings of the Schools and Students Compliance and Quality Board Subcommittee and the Apprenticeships and Skills Compliance and Quality Board Subcommittee.
The Board discussed key governance, annual and corporate reporting matters including CEO performance, the 2024–25 VRQA Report of Operations, and the annual Child Safe Standards monitoring data to be provided to the Commission for Children and Young People.
Management briefed members on a range of legal and regulatory matters.
The Board met on 9 October, with a mixture of in-person and remote attendees. In-person attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne). This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
Members noted matters considered at the recent meetings of the Audit and Risk Management Committee. The Board noted that the VRQA Annual Report 2024–25 and the signing of the VRQA Financial Management Act Compliance Attestation was approved out-of-session. The Annual Report was submitted to VAGO, and the VRQA has received its closing report and an unmodified audit opinion dated 16 September 2025.
The Chair led discussion by the Board of the Victorian Government Rapid Child Safety Review and implications for the school sector.
Proposed Board and Subcommittee meeting dates for 2026 were distributed.
The Board discussed key governance, financial, enforcement and annual and corporate reporting matters. Management briefed members on a range of legal and regulatory matters.
The Board met on 4 December, with a mixture of in-person and remote attendees. In-person attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne). This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
The Board welcomed Ms Annie Tinney who commenced as Deputy Chief Executive Officer Schools on 25 November 2025.
The Board discussed progress and key achievements against the strategic priorities of the VRQA 2022–25 Strategic Plan and the November 2022 Statement of Ministerial Expectations.
Members noted matters considered at the recent Schools and Students Compliance and Quality Subcommittee meeting, including the Review Body annual compliance reports from the Department of Education and Victorian Catholic Education Authority Ltd. The Board noted the VRQA continues to assure Review Body performance through the VRQA Review Body Assurance Program to ensure Review Bodies are meeting their obligations and assuring the compliance of their schools.
The Board approved the Financial Authorisation Policy, updated Risk Register and Risk Appetite Statements as recommended by the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
A new Apprenticeship Field Services Risk and Triage Process and the Training and Skills Division Engagement Strategy recommended by the Apprenticeships and Skills Compliance and Quality Subcommittee were also approved by the Board.
The Board also discussed current legal, financial and regulatory matters (including enforcement), and a report of activity conducted under delegation for September and October.
2024
The Board met on 8 February 2024, with a mixture of in-person and remote attendees. In-person attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne), at the Monash Conference Centre. This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
The Board approved publication of the 2023 Client and Stakeholder Research Report in full.
Members discussed in detail results from participants in the three school sectors (Catholic, government and independent) and the expanded apprentice, trainee and employer component of the 2023 report.
Members congratulated staff for generally high satisfaction and effectiveness results and discussed plans for the annual stakeholder breakfast event to be held in May 2024. The Board discussed other ways to increase their visibility to duty holders, with an action to review the current Board calendar of events.
The Board discussed potential apprenticeship regulation education, channels and branding options for the VRQA and noted that reforms to better serve Victoria’s apprentices and trainees are under consideration by the Apprenticeship Taskforce.
VRQA staff provided an update on work done to register schools that recently opened for the 2024 school year. Members asked that the Board's appreciation be passed on to relevant staff.
VRQA staff briefed members on a range of legal and regulatory matters.
The Board met on 4 April 2024, with a mixture of in-person and remote attendees. In-person attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne), at 35 Collins Street. This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
Members considered and approved revised charters and 2024 workplans for the three Board subcommittees (Audit and Risk Management, Compliance and Quality, Vocational Education and Training).
The Chair, Apprenticeship Taskforce, provided a presentation to the Board.
The Board approved:
- the draft VRQA-Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Memorandum of Understanding, subject to final amendments.
- further reforms to the VRQA Vocational Education and Training Course Accreditation process
The Board discussed the recent publication of the BuildUP Report on Women Apprentices in the Building and Construction industry.
VRQA staff briefed members on a range of legal and regulatory matters.
The Board met on 6 June 2024 for its annual planning day and Board meeting. The meeting was held on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne), at the RACV Club, 501 Bourke St. This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
The Board welcomed special guest Ms Stefanie Veal, who commences as Chief Executive Officer on 17 June 2024.
Ms Veal provided an overview of her previous work as VRQA Deputy CEO and her recent experience as Chief Education and Integrity Officer at the Victorian Catholic Education Authority.
At the annual planning day session, Board members discussed in detail current and emerging risks and ideas to increase the VRQA’s effectiveness across its major regulatory sectors – schools, apprenticeships and traineeships, home schooling, and vocational education and training.
At the regular Board meeting, members discussed school regulatory matters and actions to identify and address possible cases of unregistered schools.
Members considered and approved the report of the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Management briefed members on a range of legal and regulatory matters.
The Board met on 1 August 2024, with a mixture of in-person and remote attendees. In-person attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne). This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
Members noted matters considered at the recent meetings of the Compliance and Quality Board Subcommittee and Apprenticeships and Skills Compliance and Quality Board Subcommittee.
The Secretary, Department of Education attended and engaged in discussion with members about priorities for the next 12 months, the VRQA’s role in supporting government directions across the sectors it regulates, and opportunities for the department and VRQA to work together to improve student safety and outcomes.
The Board discussed key governance, annual and corporate reporting matters including CEO performance, the 2023–24 VRQA Report of Operations, and the annual Child Safe Standards monitoring data to be provided to the Commission for Children and Young People.
The Board met on 3 October 2024, with a mixture of in-person and remote attendees. In-person attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne), at 35 Collins Street. This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
Members noted matters considered at the recent meeting of the Audit and Risk Management Committee. The Board approved the VRQA Annual Report 2023–24 and the signing of the VRQA Financial Management Act Compliance Attestation through an out-of-session process. The Annual Report was submitted to VAGO, and the VRQA has received its closing report and an unmodified audit opinion dated 23 September 2024
2025 Board and Subcommittee proposed meeting dates were distributed.
The Chief Financial Officer, Department of Education attended and engaged in discussion with members about the portfolio’s financial arrangements and governance under the Financial Management Act 1994.
The Deputy Secretary and Executive Director, Skills & Employment, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions along with the A/Assistant Deputy Secretary, Senior Secondary Pathways Reform Taskforce, Department of Education (DE) attended the meeting for a discussion with members on the Apprenticeships Taskforce Report and government response. The Board noted the timelines for recommendations relating to regulatory reforms.
Members also discussed outcomes of its Board Planning Day, legal and regulatory matters, and the Delegations Report for July and August.
The results of the Victorian Public Sector (VPS) People Matter Survey results for 2024 were noted.
The Board met on 5 December 2024. Attendees met on Wurundjeri lands in Naarm (Melbourne), at 200 Victoria Parade. This communiqué highlights key discussions and considerations from the meeting.
The Board welcomed Ms Sonia Rivalland who commenced as Deputy Chief Executive Officer Schools on 2 December 2024.
The Board reviewed and discussed progress against the 6 strategic priorities of the VRQA 2022–25 Strategic Plan and the November 2022 Statement of Ministerial Expectations.
Members noted matters considered at the recent meetings of the Schools and Students Compliance and Quality Subcommittee, Apprenticeships and Skills Compliance and Quality Subcommittee, and the Audit and Risk Management Committee including the annual Risk Workshop.
Final Board and Subcommittee meeting dates for 2025 were approved.
The Board also discussed current legal and regulatory matters, and a report of activity conducted under delegation for September and October.
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