The National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes (National Protocols) were approved by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA 
) on the 31 March 2000. They were developed and then recommended to MCEETYA by the Joint Committee on Higher Education, a group comprising representatives from each State and Territory Government and the Australian Government.
The National Protocols were designed to ensure consistent criteria and standards across Australia in such matters as the recognition of new universities, the operation of overseas higher education institutions in Australia, and the accreditation of higher education courses to be offered by non self-accrediting providers.
Following an extensive consultation process, in July 2006 Ministers agreed to a revised set of National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes, which are due to be implemented from 31 December 2007 pending legislative change in the Commonwealth and all the States and Territories.
The current set of National Protocols remains in force until then.
To download a copy of revised National Protocols, please visit the MCEETYA website