New Zealand approved changes to the regulation of the teaching workforce, including moving responsibility for setting teacher standards and initial teacher education criteria to the Secretary for Education. The Teaching Council’s role is also refocused around child safety, quality assurance, monitoring, and individual professional decisions.
New Zealand approved governance changes to the Teaching Council, including reducing the Council from 13 members to between 7 and 9 members. Members will be appointed by the Minister, with at least three required to have education-sector experience.
New Zealand approved updates to curriculum regulatory settings, including regular rolling reviews of curriculum areas. Schools will also provide parents with better information about the health curriculum, replacing the previous requirement to consult on how health education is delivered.
New Zealand approved clearer statutory roles for the Ministry of Education and the Education Review Office when responding to schools of serious concern. The change is intended to clarify responsibilities during intervention and oversight.
Australia’s Skills and Workforce Ministerial Council endorsed the 2026 National TAFE Network Annual Workplan. The plan includes 17 projects across all jurisdictions, focused on recognition of skills, workforce transitions, learner readiness and completion, and access for cohorts facing structural barriers.
Skills Ministers agreed the legislative and policy amendments required for Phase 1 of the VET Data Streamlining Program to commence in October 2026. The reform is designed to improve the timeliness, quality, and security of VET data submissions by registered training organisations.
Queensland passed education legislation that updates school governance, non-state school regulation, youth detention education settings, re-engagement supports, and international delivery of the Queensland Certificate of Education. The reforms affect multiple education statutes and regulatory processes.
The Higher Education Authority published the plan for transferring craft apprenticeship curriculum development, assessment and awarding responsibilities to education providers. The transfer is being jointly progressed by DFHERIS, SOLAS, HEA and QQI with providers.
Finland confirmed the implementation timetable for the higher education one study-right rule. From the 2027 intake cycle, accepting a new degree-leading study right will normally end the student’s existing same-level or lower-level degree study rights.
Finland confirmed a temporary legislative pilot that will give eligible young people a study voucher for open higher education. The pilot is designed to help applicants who completed upper secondary education but did not receive or accept a higher education study place.