The role of teachers is recognised as the most salient influence on students’ cognitive, affective, social, and behavioural outcomes of schooling. It is widely recognised that good teachers have positive impacts on student achievement and success. 

As a result, there is a global policy drive for high quality teachers. However, at the same time, the world faces a teacher shortage. Teacher shortages have reached critical levels in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Europe, and Africa. The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t create a teacher workforce shortage. However, around the world, it contributed to it by increasing stress and pressure on the profession.

In this setting, teacher regulatory authorities (TRAs) play an important role at the helm. TRAs are responsible for ensuring only those qualified and suitable can teach. In addition, TRAs are charged with upholding standards of the profession, teacher preparation, and ongoing learning.

TRAs are therefore at the coalface of policy responses to address teacher workforce shortages but must balance priorities related to quantity with the need to maintain teacher quality. Drives to train more teachers more quickly potentially pose challenges to the length and rigour of teacher preparation. The push for more teachers in classrooms can quickly compromise and strain a TRA’s role as gatekeeper, and increase pressure on the maintenance of professional standards.

The 2024 International Forum of Teacher Regulatory Authorities Conference is an opportunity for representatives from teacher regulatory authorities and other stakeholders around the world to discuss, debate and collaborate on these issues and challenges.

The IFTRA conference agenda is subject to change until closer to the conference dates. Click here to view the draft agenda.

If you are presenting at the 2024 IFTRA Conference, please click here for more information.

Please contact executiveofficer@atra.edu.au if you are having access issues.

ATRA is the collective of Australasian Teacher Regulatory Authorities. ATRA functions as a professional community of practice for strategic collaboration and sharing of regulatory information and practice with respect to the teaching profession. For more information, visit our website.

The QCT is the regulatory body for the teaching profession in Queensland. It works in the best interests of the public and the profession to ensure approved teachers are qualified, current in their practice and suitable to teach students.

The QCT develops, maintains and applies professional standards, codes of practice and policies to underpin initial entry to and continuing membership of the profession.

Queensland was the first state in Australia to establish registration for public and private school teachers. The Board of Teacher Education was established in 1971 and registration began in 1973. Registration became mandatory in 1975.

In 1989 the Board of Teacher Registration (BTR) replaced the Board of Teacher Education.

From 2006 the Queensland College of Teachers, (QCT), replaced the BTR.

While all other states and territories now have teacher registration or accreditation authorities, Queensland and South Australia are the only Australian states or territories that have continuously, since the 1970s, required registration to teach.

Please visit the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website to read more about getting a visa to visit Australia.

Brisbane, Aboriginal name: Meeanjin (pronounced Mee-an-jin), is the capital of the state of Queensland. The sunny river city offers laidback charm and an exciting urban energy. For more information about local attractions in the Brisbane city and surrounding regions, check out the Visit Brisbane website.

In addition to the main two conference days at QUT Kelvin Grove Education Precinct, conference events will be hosted around the Brisbane city area. We encourage you to book your accommodation at one of the three options provided here. This will ensure you are in walking distance to the CBD, restaurants, the city’s Botanical Gardens and the free shuttle bus to different conference events. You can find recommended accommodation options on our website here.