From the 1st of July, 2021, Australian higher education providers are classified into four main categories under the new legislation. They are:
- Institute of Higher Education
- University College
- Australian University, and
- Overseas University.
On the first day the new legislation apply, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) announced the approval of the first new university under the new legislation.
Following assessment of all 186 higher education providers, TEQSA upgraded four providers into the two new categories:
- Avondale College has been registered as an “Australian University” and
- The National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), Moore Theological College, and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) registered as “University Colleges”.
The newest Avondale university (The first since the South Australia Government legislated to set up Torrens university in 2013) teaches business, education, humanities, nursing and science and offers a ministry and theology programme designed for work in Seventh Day Adventist and “other Christian denominational churches.”