At a Glance

This page provides a summary of AGE as an institution

WHO WE ARE

The Australian Guild of Education Pty Ltd (AGE), (formally the Australian Guild of Music Education) is an Australian Institute of Higher Education offering a Bachelor of Music degree from the campus in North Melbourne, Australia. AGE’s courses are accredited by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), Australia’s independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education and it is a registered provider on the Commonwealth Register of Institution and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

VISION

To deliver world class music performance tuition to any state, territory or country through innovation, new technologies, and strong traditions

VALUES

Embrace individuality and offer unparalleled flexibility of course design

Foster an ambience of mutual respect and artistic excellence

Balance cutting-edge technologies, best practice methodologies, and proven traditions

Facilitate wide-ranging, industry ready, transferable skills: with real world application

Promote a culturally sensitive, vibrant learning environment which encourages individuality as well as joint ventures

HISTORY

Founded in 1969 out of the London College of Music(LCM), AGE was first established as the Australian Guild of Music & Speech to provide music and speech education and examination services in Australia in the style of the LCM. In the early 2000’s it expanded into South-East Asia and in 2002 the higher education department started delivering an accredited Bachelor of Music degree.

In 2023, the Higher Education Department moved to a new campus in North Melbourne and transitioned to become the Australian Guild of Education, a higher education provider with its own Board of Directors and the registration required to accept international students.

In 2024, AGE celebrates 55 years of continuous service in the education sector and welcomes its first international students to the new North Melbourne campus.

STRUCTURE

AGE is governed by a Board of Directors that appoint an Academic Board of suitably qualified and experienced Higher Education and Governance professionals to oversee the academic affairs of the institute.

The Board of Directors is governed by a Constitution and Governance Charter. The members consist of Independent Directors, the Academic Board Chair and a shareholder representative. There are four subcommittees; the Academic Board, the Quality & Risk Committee, Finance Committee and the Executive Leadership Committee.

The Academic Board has four subcommittees; the Learning & Teaching Committee, Examiners Board, Course Advisory Committee(s) and the Student Representative Council. The Academic Director and Student Representative are also members of the Academic Board.

The Executive Leadership Committee is composed of the CEO, the Academic Director and the Director of Quality & Risk. Please see our Structure, Leadership and Our Team pages for more relevant details.

ACCREDITATION

AGE is an Australian Institute of Higher Education (Provider ID PRV12114) registered by TEQSA to deliver its approved accredited higher education courses to domestic and overseas students studying in Australia on student visas (CRICOS Provider Code 04168K). The Bachelor of Music is a Level 7, Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) award. It is registered as Course ID CRS1201245 and CRICOS Course Code 113586G.

COMPLIANCE WITH COMMONWEALTH, STATE AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

AGE’s policies and procedures meet the requirements of Commonwealth and State legislation which are relevant to the institutes operations, including the:

Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA)
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) Act 2011
Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000
The National Code 2018

Our staff are provided with information about legislation that affects their duties and students are provided with information about legislation that affects their participation in their studies.

COURSE ASSURANCE

AGE is a member of an approved Tuition Assurance Scheme for Australian domestic students and conforms to the requirements of the Tuition Protection Service (TPS) established by the Australian Government for overseas students. This assures students that they will be offered a suitable alternative course or have unspent prepaid tuition fees refunded if we cannot provide the course for which the student has paid.

FINANCIAL STANDING

AGE Pty Ltd (formally the AGME Inc) was, until 15 September 2023, a not-for-profit and Deductible Gift Recipient charity regulated by Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) and the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC). As such, all financial statements for the organisation prior to that time should be accessed through the ACNC website. All future financial statements under the Australian Securities and Investments Commission(ASIC) will be made available on this website.

During the past 18 months, AGE has undertaken a massive process of transition. The process included but were not limited to: transitioning from an Incorporated Association to a Proprietary Limited company, relocating from Kooyong to North Melbourne to a suitable campus for international students, acquiring CRICOS registration and divisioning into three distinct organisations - AGE Pty Ltd which is now the Higher Education Provider whom this site reflects.

To mitigate risks to students during this time, AGME Inc and later AGE Pty Ltd has not advertised for or taken new students into the higher education program. As such, AGE has only 18 degree students enrolled in April 2024 and a third of those will graduate by the end of the next semester. This approach has empowered our directors to make strategic changes and our staff team to execute those changes - while students have received an enhanced educational experience with a 1:5 staff to student ratio.