Last year, the APA’s Towards 2030 strategic plan established education as a central pillar. Since then, significant work has been underway to turn that vision into practical change across the career pathway. 

Our goal is straightforward: to ensure that physiotherapists have access to high-quality learning, development and recognition opportunities throughout their careers. 

Whether members are taking their first steps as graduates, undertaking professional development, pursuing titling or working towards specialisation, we want the pathway to be relevant and responsive to the needs of modern practice. 

An important part of this work has been the establishment of the APA’s Education Committee, which has been operating since late 2025 as the fourth Board subcommittee. 

We are strengthening the quality of education across the APA in a number of ways. 

Through our new Education Quality Framework, we are taking a more structured approach to course design, assessment and continuous improvement. Assessment has been a particular focus. 

The APA recently engaged the Australian Council for Educational Research to review our assessment approach and provide advice on contemporary best practice. 

That work has informed a new set of assessment principles that will guide future assessment design across our educational offerings. Members will also begin to see this work reflected in our professional development. We are investing in the renewal of key learning pathways, including the redevelopment of musculoskeletal and sports and exercise physiotherapy courses, which will move into pilot delivery over the coming months. 

At the same time, the Australian College of Physiotherapists has been working to strengthen the profession’s recognised pathways for titling and specialisation. 

The College recently completed an extensive review of the Specialisation Training Program, involving more than 50 contributors from across the profession. 

Through eight dedicated working groups, 67 recommendations were developed and endorsed to inform the future direction of the program. 

The recommendations span curriculum, assessment, learning resources, technology, quality assurance and partnerships, providing a road map for the next phase of work and the development of a refreshed pathway for future specialists. 

Alongside this work, the College is introducing a Titling Panel, while a separate project aims to improve the experience of candidates and assessors involved in the titling process. 

New governance arrangements, including a Quality Assurance Committee and a Training and Assessment Committee, will also strengthen oversight of training, assessment and quality assurance activities across the College. 

Together, these changes support the College’s broader ambition to align more closely with the Australian Physiotherapy Council’s quality standards and position the Specialisation Training Program for future accreditation consideration. 

The College has also established a Fields of Practice Assessment Panel and supporting guidelines to assist national groups interested in pursuing future titling or specialisation pathways. 

These initiatives are designed to create greater clarity, consistency and confidence in the profession’s highest levels of recognition. 

We are exploring options to better support physiotherapists in the transition from university to practice. Early work is underway to consider a graduate support program that would help members navigate the first years of their professional journey and build confidence as they develop their skills. 

Any future approach would be designed to complement the many highquality graduate programs, workplace supports and mentoring opportunities already available across the profession. 

While these initiatives focus on different parts of the career pathway, they are connected by a common purpose: supporting lifelong learning and professional growth. We look forward to keeping members updated and sharing opportunities to contribute. 

There is still much to do but we are making important progress towards a more connected and sustainable approach to physiotherapy education. 

>>Rob LoPresti 

APA Chief Executive Officer