23 April 2021
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has announced the next stage in the evolution of quality assurance in the Australian high-performance sport system: the AIS National Quality Standards Scheme (NQSS).
The aim of the NQSS is to promote continuous improvement in athlete performance testing standards, such as the measurement of speed, strength, and movement patterns, assisting to establish and maintain a national standard among all high-performance sport stakeholders. It gives both athletes and coaches confidence that any data collected and used to inform decisions is valid, accurate and reliable.
The NQSS is an evolution of the National Sport Science Quality Assurance program (NSSQA), and a continuation of the work that was started with the launch of the first quality assurance system in 1989.
An extensive review and consultation period was held to develop what the next phase of quality assurance would look like, with the AIS determining that the NQSS will meet the ever-changing needs of high-performance sport.
The NQSS will operate a suite of quality assurance focussed programs, each with their own unique set of objectives, but all aligned with the overall aim of the scheme. The programs will be designed to be dynamic and evolving to continually target the most relevant and critical quality assurance needs of the high-performance system.
The key features of the NQSS are:
- Expanding to cover testing practices across all Sports Science and Sports Medicine (SSSM) disciplines
- Adopting a distributed model of ownership that encompasses the National Institute Network (NIN) and National Sporting Organisations (NSO)
- Investing in technology to support integration of quality assurance into daily practice
- Developing education and learning resources that meet the needs of a wide range of stakeholders
- Establishing a Quality Assurance Steering Committee to represent the network and ensure impactful quality assurance priorities are being delivered to high-performance sport.
The AIS will implement the NQSS in phases and through extensive engagement with NIN and NSO stakeholders to help develop national testing standards across all SSSM disciplines.
Resources will be made available to the high-performance system as they are created and while the accreditation program will no longer be operating, all NSSQA resources and services will remain available to the NIN to ensure the continuation of established standards.
An EOI is now open for those interested in joining the National Quality Assurance Steering Committee. The steering committee will represent the priorities of the high-performance system and provide technical oversight on the development of standards and of program initiatives. For more information and to express your interest in joining the committee, please contact qualityassurance@sportaus.gov.au. Expressions of interest close 1700 AEST Friday 21 May.