The Australian Qualifications Framework (commonly known as the AQF) is a system of qualifications introduced to unify the Australian training and education landscape. As a nationally endorsed system, qualifications within the AQF are recognized Australia-wide and link with each other, creating learning pathways between school, vocational education and training and university.
Key Objectives of AQF
The AQF should:
- Provide nationally consistent recognition of outcomes achieved in post-compulsory education
- Help with developing flexible pathways which assist people to move more easily between education and training sectors and between those sectors and the labour market by providing the basis for recognition of prior learning, including credit transfer and work and life experience;
- integrate and streamline the requirements of participating providers, employers and employees, individuals and interested organisations;
- offer flexibility to suit the diversity of purposes of education and training;
- encourage individuals to progress through the levels of education and training by improving access to qualifications, clearly defining avenues for achievement, and generally contributing to lifelong learning;
- encourage the provision of more and higher quality vocational education and training through qualifications that normally meet workplace requirements and vocational needs, thus contributing to national economic performance
- promote national and international recognition of qualifications offered in Australia.
The thirteen AQF qualifications are shown below, grouped according to the educational sector in which they are most commonly issued. You can access further information about a particular qualification by visiting the AQF website www.aqf.edu.au
