The Administrative Review Tribunal has upheld the Australian Skills Quality Authority’s (ASQA) decision to cancel the registration of DSA Ventures, trading as the Australian Academy of Elite Education, following serious compliance breaches.
ASQA deregistered the provider in December 2024 after investigations revealed widespread misconduct. More than 1,500 qualifications and statements of attainment issued to over 1,200 individuals were found to be fraudulent, and subsequently cancelled to protect the integrity of the vocational education and training (VET) sector.
DSA Ventures sought to appeal the decision, but on 4 September 2025, General Member Smith dismissed the application after the provider failed to pursue the review or comply with Tribunal directions.
ASQA CEO Saxon Rice welcomed the ruling, saying it reinforced ASQA’s commitment to safeguarding students and industry.
“ASQA’s purpose is to uphold the integrity of national qualifications and ensure quality vocational education and training outcomes for students, industry and the broader community,” Ms Rice said.
“The decision and the work of ASQA’s Integrity Unit send a clear message that risks to the quality and integrity of VET will be taken seriously and acted upon.”
So far in 2025, ASQA has deregistered 10 critically non-compliant RTOs and cancelled more than 25,500 fraudulent qualifications, though no international students have been impacted (TKN 20/8/25).
Ms Rice said targeting non-genuine providers remained a regulatory priority.
“Students should have confidence that their qualification is genuine, and industry and the community must be assured that the Australian VET sector is world class,” she said.
“This work ensures the sector maintains its strong reputation and continues to deliver the skills critical for Australia’s future economic growth.”
Koala Questions ASQA
The Koala sought clarification on whether international students were impacted.
- Was DSA Ventures CRICOS-registered?
- Of the more than 1,500 fraudulent qualifications cancelled, how many were issued to international students?
A spokesperson for ASQA confirmed:
“DSA Ventures was not CRICOS registered, and individuals who had their qualifications cancelled were not enrolled with the former provider as international students.”
The media statement can be found here.
