Overview
TAFE institutes are independent and autonomous entities established under statute. Each TAFE institute is governed by its own TAFE constitution and its own governing board. The constitution for each TAFE is substantially the same.
The functions of the TAFE institute boards include:
- oversee and efficiently manage the institute
- develop and implement strategic plans and other operational plans that are required
- develop policies and issue directions that relate to the employment of staff, and administration and management of the institute
- exercise direction and control and monitor CEO and staff to ensure work is conducted in an appropriate manner
- advise and report on the activities of the institute to the Minister and notify the Minister of board vacancies
- decide the process for electing a chair and elect one of its members as chair, and electing the staff director
- have regular meetings, with minutes and records of decisions
- appoint a board secretary.
Board membership
Victorian TAFE institutes are governed by boards of between 10 and 12 directors, comprising:
- ministerial appointed directors (at least half the board)
- the CEO
- one director elected by the staff of the institute
- co-opted directors (the remainder of the board).
Boards are also responsible for electing their own chairs from the existing board members.
Full board compositions are published on the Public Board Appointments Victoria website.
Director skill requirements
The Act requires suitably qualified and highly committed individuals to provide their time and commitment on boards, to oversee the governance of Victoria’s publicly funded TAFE institutes.
These individuals must demonstrate an overriding commitment to excellence in public education outcomes and to high-quality governance of Victoria's public education bodies.
They must also be able to demonstrate the necessary skills and expertise to make a significant contribution to the governance of such complex entities.
Board directors must be appropriately skilled with knowledge or experience in:
- management
- finance
- commerce or business
- law
- corporate governance
- vocational education and training
- adult, community and further education
- any industry in which training is provided at the institute
- higher education.
Obligations and duties of TAFE board directors can be found in the:
- Public Administration Act 2004
- Education and Training Reform Act 2006
- TAFE institute constitution
- Directors’ Code of Conduct
A summary of obligations can be found in this information sheet:
Information Sheet: TAFE Institute Boards – Directors’ Duties (PDF, 176KB)
Elected staff directors are not subject to any pre-requisite skills requirement in order to be elected to TAFE institute boards, but must act in accordance with the same obligations and duties as other directors.
Public Administration Act
TAFE institute boards are considered to be public entities under part 5 of the Public Administration Act 2004 and are subject to the same requirements.
A summary of relevant sections of the Act that are relevant to board directors are found in the Information sheet: TAFE institute boards - The Public Administration Act 2004 (PDF, 229KB).
Constitutions
Each TAFE institute constitution includes provisions regarding governance arrangements and the objectives, functions and powers of an institute.
TAFE institute constitutions are prepared under section 3.1.11 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 on the recommendation of the Minister.
Constitutions are updated periodically to:
- ensure alignment with the requirements of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006
- reflect changes to state government policies
- include specific amendments requested during consultation with individual TAFE institutes
- reflect significant events such as a merger or name change.
Amended TAFE institute constitutions are gazetted in the Victorian Government Gazette.
Updated