How the Council’s new Accreditation Standards are setting a high benchmark for quality physiotherapy education, innovation and workforce readiness.
With changing educational requirements and increasing workforce demands, the release of our new Accreditation Standards plays an important role in upholding physiotherapy standards and supporting the future physiotherapy workforce.
The Council upholds and advances educational quality through robust accreditation of entry-level physiotherapy programs. Our outcomes-based Accreditation Standards encourage innovation in curriculum development and improves flexibility to accommodate a broader range of training settings, including supporting students in rural and regional settings.
By maintaining rigorous standards, the Council not only assures the public of quality education but also supports Australian universities in continuous improvement and innovation.
Introducing the new Accreditation Standards
The new Accreditation Standards are designed to align educational programmes with current and anticipated community and workforce needs. These standards promote cultural safety, streamline processes to reduce duplication with other regulatory bodies, and increase emphasis on outcomes that matter to both physiotherapy graduates and healthcare employers.
Profession led review and collaboration
The development of the new Accreditation Standards involved a review process led by the physiotherapy profession, with extensive consultation among stakeholders from both the public and education sectors. Each stage reflected the Council’s strong commitment to transparency, rigour, and responsiveness to the healthcare sector’s needs.
Addressing workforce needs
The Accreditation Standards are fundamentally designed to address the evolving needs of the healthcare workforce.
Australian universities teaching physiotherapy are increasingly called upon to equip graduates with skills and knowledge that directly translate to real-world contexts. Physiotherapy accreditation ensures that educational programmes are rigorously aligned with workforce requirements, thereby equipping graduates to succeed in evolving and multifaceted professional environments.
The new standards come into effect from 2026, and the Council will be working closely with education partners during the transition. We encourage all education professionals and stakeholders to engage with the new Accreditation Standards.
You can read the new standards and keep your physiotherapy program at the forefront of educational quality and workforce readiness.