fbpx
TOP
Education

Education Providers

What accreditation does the Australian Physiotherapy Council offer?

The Australian Physiotherapy Council provides accreditation to Australian higher education entry-level physiotherapy programs.

The Council has delegated authority from the Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency (Ahpra) as the only accreditation authority for physiotherapy practitioner programs in Australia.

Throughout the accreditation cycles, the Council evaluates the physiotherapy program and the education provider against the Accreditation Standard. Once an entry-level program has been accredited by the Council, the Physiotherapy Board of Australia (registration body of physiotherapists) will determine whether that program will be included on their ‘approved program’ list.

See here for more detail on the role of the Council and the Physiotherapy Board in accreditation and approval of programs.

What value and benefits does the Council’s accreditation process provide?

The accreditation process involves independent evaluation and quality assurance by the Council’s Accreditation Panel of physiotherapy educators to ensure that the program meets the Accreditation Standard.

By offering accreditation to Australian education providers on behalf of the Physiotherapy Board of Australia, graduates of those approved entry-level programs meet the education requirements to apply for professional registration with the Physiotherapy Board.

How can a university achieve accreditation of its entry-level physiotherapy degree/program?

Programs must address all the key competencies and foundational abilities defined in the Physiotherapy Practice Thresholds – Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, ensuring graduates who can practice safely within an ethical framework, as defined in the Board’s Code of Conduct for Registered Health Practitioners.

How much time is required and what are the costs for education providers to undertake an accreditation process?

The Council’s Accreditation team can provide advice on the accreditation process and estimated required time by university staff to successfully complete the requirements. This will vary from program to program, and therefore is better answered in discussion regarding a specific program.

The current accreditation fees can be found here.

What evidence must an Education Provider present to receive accreditation?

The Guidelines for Accreditation outline the domains, criteria and indicative evidence that will need to be collated and presented for the Council’s Accreditation Panel to review.

An application is made via the Council’s Accreditation Portal. The education provider must explain how the program meets each Accreditation criterion and upload supporting evidence files. Evidence submitted to the Council will be verified during Site Visits by the Accreditation Panel.

The resources provided on the Council’s website and the support and advice from the Council’s Accreditation Team will assist Education Providers to be well informed to undertake the accreditation process.

Important obligations for Education Providers

  1. Conditions
    Conditions are a mandatory reporting obligation imposed on an accredited program to be addressed in a set time frame to enable a criterion of accreditation to be met.
  2. Material Change
    A material change is a change that will or may significantly affect the way the education provider meets the requirements of the Accreditation Standard. Examples of material changes are outlined in the Guidelines for Accreditation and Material Change Policy. Failure to notify the Council of actual or planned changes to an accredited program may jeopardise ongoing compliance of the program with the Accreditation Standard.

Getting in touch

The Council encourages Education Providers to contact our Accreditation Team so we can guide you through the accreditation process and timeline. Please call 1300 528 003 or email accreditation@physiocouncil.com.au and we will get back to you.

INTERNATIONAL PROVIDERS

Learn More

Useful Links

Australia

Policies, Guidelines & Resources

See More News
Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
TOP