The Professional Regulator Program | NRCoP - ANZSOG

Overview

Building capability and confidence through modern, practical regulatory learning.

The Professional Regulator is NRCOP’s flagship professional development program for regulators across all spheres and jurisdictions. It establishes a shared foundation of contemporary regulatory practice, strengthening professionalism and capacity nationwide.

This flexible learning experience begins with Foundation, the first course in a progressive series designed to support regulators at every stage of their career. Participants start with core principles and advance through deeper levels of expertise and leadership.

Alongside the online modules, learners can enrich their experience through a series of interactive seminars, expanding on key themes and fostering peer-to-peer learning.

Program Pathway

1. Foundation

Six self-paced online modules introducing essential regulatory concepts and practices.

2. Extension (coming soon)

Builds on foundational knowledge with advanced applications and sector-specific insights.

3. Expert (coming soon)

Focuses on complex regulatory challenges and strategic decision-making.

4. Leader (coming soon)

Equips senior practitioners to lead regulatory systems and drive innovation.

At a glance

Flexible Learning Designed for Regulators

Modules

Six online modules (mandatory)
Modules are self-paced
90 minutes per module & 30 minutes for each knowledge quiz
12 months to complete
No fixed start date: commence the program at a time that suits you and your organisation.

Seminar Series

6 online seminars (elective)
Learn with regulatory peers from across jurisdictions and regulatory domains
90 minutes per seminar
12 months to complete
Seminar cycles are repeated several times throughout the year, allowing regulators to fit in all six seminars across their busy schedules

Testimonials

Participant Testimonials

Hear what our participants have to say!

What makes The Professional Regulator program so valuable?

Hear from Sharife Rahman, CEO of Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation and Tim Beresford, CEO of Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) as they share their experiences, insights and key takeaways from NRCoP’s flagship professional development program, interviewed live at the 2025 NRCoP National Conference.

Discover how the program is helping regulators connect, learn and lead with confidence.

Testimonials

Module One: Who Regulates and Why?

After completing this module you will be able to:

explain why contemporary regulation matters
identify who regulates in contemporary Australia
describe the major styles, tools and concepts of regulation in use in Australia today
know the regulatory approaches used by your organisation

Module Two: Licensing as Regulation

After completing this module you will be able to:

understand the legal environment in which Australian regulators work
identify and explain regulators’ authorising environment and the use of authorising tools, including licensing, permitting, accrediting and registering
apply these practical insights to real-life examples in complex regulatory environments

Module Three: Understanding and Achieving Compliance

After completing this module you will be able to:

understand different explanations for, and approaches to compliance
consider and analyse the variety of reasons that may lead to non-compliance
identify a range of options and strategies in the regulator compliance toolkit

Module Four: Using Information to Regulate

After completing this module you will be able to:

understand the many ways information can inform regulatory best practice
identify key strategies for effectively gathering and using information, including evidence-based strategies and regulatory intelligence
reflect on how to effectively collect and utilise information to align and support regulatory objectives

Module Five: Regulatory Communication

After completing this module you will be able to:

identify the different kinds of regulatory communication and their value for regulatory practice
understand when and how to use specific regulatory communication strategies, including lessons from case studies of successes, mistakes and failures
refer to examples for mapping and planning regulatory communication plans and stakeholder engagement

Module Six: Regulatory Professionalism and Ethics

After completing this module you will be able to:

reflect on the specific attributes and responsibilities of a professional regulator, considering them in relation to previous modules
develop a broad appreciation of issues related to ethics and ethical decision-making for regulators
comprehensively demonstrate foundational professional competencies, reflecting on essential elements of effective regulatory practice

Frequently Asked Questions

The Professional Regulator: Foundation program aims to provide professional development for regulators, regardless of regulatory sphere or jurisdiction, that provides a common foundation of current, modern regulatory practice, increasing the professionalism and capacity of regulators around Australia.

The Professional Regulator: Foundation program is the first part of a four-level program:

The Professional Regulator: Foundation – open for enrolment
The Professional Regulator: Extension
The Professional Regulator: Expert
The Professional Regulator: Leader

The additional three levels will be developed following feedback from the NRCoP community.

The course is a practical six module online self-paced professional learning program. It will take you approximately 90 minutes to complete each module (plus 30 minutes for end-of-module knowledge tests). Once enrolled, you will have 12 months to complete the six modules. You choose the pace that best works for you.

The program includes 6 seminars (90 mins each) that will provide you with an opportunity to interact with your peers to discuss common regulatory issues and approaches. The seminars are facilitated by expert regulators and will be delivered online. Seminars are run on a rotational basis and repeated later in the year so if you miss one you will have the opportunity to participate at a later date.

Each module takes approximately 90 minutes to complete (plus 30 minutes for end-of-module knowledge tests). It is not necessary for you to complete the entire module in one sitting. You can save what you have done and return to it at a later stage.

Each seminar runs for 90 minutes. We recommend that you participate in the seminars but these are elective. You can complete the course without participating in the seminar program (or all the seminars).

Everything you need to complete the course will be provided to you. The modules are self-paced, and you can progress at a speed that suits your work schedule. The seminar series consists of six themed seminars and are offered in cycles that are repeated several times throughout the year with 4 time/date options available for each seminar in each cycle. These sessions will enable you to connect and work with your regulatory peers across a range of contemporary issues. This allows for busy regulators who can’t find time to attend one seminar to catch it later on during the year.

You can view the seminar schedule and book the sessions you wish to attend when you access The Professional Regulator portal.

If you are no longer able to attend a seminar, you should cancel your booking so that the space is freed up for someone else to book.

Skateholder Engagement Kit

Equip Your Team with the Right Information

This information kit has been compiled to assist with the promotion of The Professional Regulator program within your organisation.

Partnership with ANU RegNet

Strengthening Regulatory Practice Through Collaboration

The National Regulators Community of Practice (NRCoP) has partnered with the Australian National University’s (ANU) School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) to deliver a new professional development program for regulators. RegNet is a world-class academic centre renowned for its pioneering research and education on regulation and governance.

How to Enrol

Ready to take the next step?

My organisation is a NRCoP Corporate Member

1. Click on link

2. Confirm whether your organisation is a corporate member by finding your regulatory organisation on the Corporate Member list. You will also find a discount coupon which you can use at the checkout to get the discount rate for members.

3. Click ‘BUY’

4. Create an account (fill in your details here) Click ‘SIGN UP’

5. Go to ‘COMPLETE YOUR PURCHASE’ (NRCoP corporate members insert your discount coupon at this stage) and insert your credit card details to finalise the purchase.

6. You will be able to view an order receipt immediately, and you will also receive a tax receipt direct to your email.

7. You can get started with the modules immediately. A new round of seminar dates will become available in the coming months.

My organisation is not a NRCoP Corporate Member

1. Click on link

2. Click the ‘BUY’ button and proceed straight to creating your account.

3. Click ‘BUY’

4. Create an account (fill in your details here) Click ‘SIGN UP’

5. Go to ‘COMPLETE YOUR PURCHASE’ and insert your credit card details to finalise the purchase.

6. You will be able to view an order receipt immediately, and you will also receive a tax receipt direct to your email.

7. You can get started with the modules A new round of seminar dates will become available in the coming months.

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We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Traditional Owners, Custodians and First Nations of Australia, and Māori as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi partners in Aotearoa New Zealand. This website may contain names, images and voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.