Over the past week, I had the privilege of joining regulatory professionals from across the globe at the 2025 Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) 45th Annual Educational Conference in Chicago, exploring one of the most pressing tensions in our sector: how do we support innovation in health education and training without compromising public safety?
From workforce redesign and pathway reform to digital disruption and the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence, accreditation bodies are being called on to adapt and evolve in response to a changing regulatory landscape. Below are my reflections on the themes that resonated most strongly with me, and how they connect to our work at APAC.
1. Digital natives, Artificial Intelligence and Assessment
While today’s students arrive on campus as digital natives, many are ill-equipped to navigate the nuances of artificial intelligence in academic work. They can format perfect citations yet miss when an AI system fabricates sources entirely. Further, the disconnect between technological fluency and critical understanding has real implications for academic integrity, professional readiness and, ultimately, public trust.
From my experience contributing to cross-jurisdictional, anti-cheating legislation (now overseen by TEQSA), I’ve seen the persistent challenge of misconduct – particularly when services operate offshore and outpace local enforcement. As AI tools become increasingly more powerful and accessible, accreditors must actively confront their promise and pitfalls to continue to safeguard assessment and uphold academic standards.
2. Workforce Shortages and Pathway Innovation
Globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates a shortfall of 11 million health workers by 2030. Australia is not immune, and psychology is no exception.
Discussions at CLEAR highlighted how pathway innovation is being trialled internationally to address shortages while not compromising public safety, including part-time medical training in the United Kingdom, earn-as-you-learn health apprenticeship pilots, and remote training and placement opportunities for regional students.
At APAC, we recognise the potential for innovation in pathways to registration while also carrying the responsibility to ensure they uphold public safety, competence, and readiness to practice. There is no single model that suits all students, geographies or modes of study, and accreditation must reflect that – providing it remains aligned with the principles of the National Law.
This is particularly relevant in light of the current Psychology Board of Australia consultation on psychology training reforms, which aims to shorten and simplify the training pathway. Accreditation plays a vital role in supporting such reforms, ensuring that any changes respond to workforce needs while remaining grounded in standards that protect the public.
3. Does Innovation and Regulation Have to Be a Paradox?
One recurring theme at CLEAR was the perceived tension between innovation and regulation. I find myself asking, “Is it really a paradox?”
I would argue that there is a spectrum, from obstruction on one end to active promotion of innovation on the other. Somewhere in the middle lies the space for principled, accountable progress. Accreditation, done well, is not a constraint on innovation. It is a framework that asks, “Does this new model or tool advance public safety and professional standards, or does it put them at risk?”
In British Columbia, for example, regulators are experimenting with ‘innovation sandboxes’ which allow ideas to be tested in real time against standards, rather than waiting for full accreditation cycles to assess compliance. These models offer inspiration for how we might invite experimentation while still protecting the public.
Innovation cannot be decoupled from regulation, but neither should it be stifled by it. These practices provide inspiration for APAC, and the sector, as to how we might build similar responsiveness into our work.
Looking Ahead
The CLEAR conference was a timely reminder that accreditation is no longer just technical. It is deeply strategic.
As new technologies, delivery models, and workforce pressures reshape psychology education and training, we must ensure that our regulatory frameworks support innovation, uphold public safety, and reflect the real needs of the profession and the communities it serves.
I return to Australia energised by the discussions and more committed than ever to ensuring APAC stays responsive, open, and grounded in its purpose.
The Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) is an association of individuals, agencies and organisations that comprise the international community of professional and occupational regulation. CLEAR’s 45th Annual Education Conference was held on 15-18 September in Chicago.