Quality improvement
The University is committed to continual improvement of the quality of its activities and achievements in order that it can fully realise its Mission, effectively achieve its purposes, be productively responsive to the University and wider communities, and transparently meet its obligations to those communities.
Quality improvement is thus both the foundation for, and the intended result of, the University's quality system.
Quality system
'Quality system' is the term used to describe the overall framework and the various elements and processes involved in quality improvement at the University.
In simple form, the system is represented by the adjacent diagram. It is a cyclical pro
cess involving four key interrelated elements - Planning, Implementing, Reviewing, and Improving (PIRI).
The system operates within the context of the University's Mission, policy framework, and legal and other external obligations.
All staff have responsibility for implementing the quality system consistent with the University's policies on Quality, Planning, Policy, Risk Management and Governance.
Planning
Quality and performance improvement are advanced through the University’s formal planning framework and through planning for a range of activities and undertakings that are supplementary to these formal plans.
There is a four-tier framework for formal planning within the University.
At the top tier is the University’s Strategic Plan, developed by the Council in consultation with the University community. This sets broad directions, priorities and planned developments for the University over a five-year period.
The second tier comprises functional plans that have University-wide application. These are developed by relevant senior staff and University committees in consultation with the University community. In each of these plans there is more detailed planning for a strategically important or high priority area identified in the Strategic Plan. There are, for example, functional plans for learning and teaching, research and research training, internationalisation, and regional engagement.
Tier three comprises detailed operational plans for each faculty and each portfolio of responsibilities of the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor. These plans, developed within the faculties and portfolio areas, are derived from and relate to the Strategic and functional plans.
Individual staff plans constitute the fourth tier. These plans are developed annually by individual staff in consultation with their supervisors as part of performance planning and review and within the context of plans at tiers one to three.
Plans at each level are expected to include specific goals, strategies and actions for achieving each goal, and performance indicators for identifying or measuring achievement. Plans at tiers one and two also include benchmarks to be used for comparing performance over time or relative to other institutions, external standards, or other appropriate means of comparison.
Plans for developing new programs and courses and making changes to current offerings are progressed through the University’s program accreditation and course approval processes. Refer to the Program Accreditation and Course Approval Policy.
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Implementing
In addition to putting into practice various plans, policies, structures, new developments and the like, the implementation phase of the quality system involves regular monitoring and reporting on that implementation.
Systematic monitoring and reporting is a major means by which the University can assure that its own purposes and internal standards are being met and that there is equitable and consistent application of policy and procedure across all areas of University activity.
Monitoring of implementation may lead to revision, amendment or adjustment of a program, course, policy, procedure, organisational approach or a plan from time to time, complementing major evaluative reviews within the quality system.
For each program, course, plan, policy or procedure, one member of the University staff is identified as having overall responsibility and being accountable for its implementation and for monitoring and reporting on progress.
The Vice-Chancellor overviews implementation of the Strategic Plan while specified senior staff overview implementation of functional and operational plans. The Council and committees within the University also monitor progress in implementation of plans at tiers one and two.
Responsibility is assigned to specific senior staff for implementation, monitoring and reporting in relation to individual goals and actions within each plan at tiers one to three.
For policies and procedures, specific senior staff are assigned responsibility for implementation, monitoring and reporting.
Program leaders and course coordinators have responsibility for overviewing the implementation of specific programs and courses consistent with the current accreditation and approval specifications.
Reviewing
Within the quality system, evaluative reviews are systematised and evidence-based formal reviews of the quality, standards and effectiveness of University performance in a specified area or range of areas. Usually, these reviews are initiated within the University on a regular basis. They differ from monitoring and reporting processes and revisions of plans or policies or procedures in that they are intended to be largely summative assessments of performance at a given time.
Evaluative reviews are a major means by which the University assesses and reflects on its own performance (based on evidence), demonstrates accountability, and identifies its strengths and any needed or desirable improvements.
Feedback processes
Regular and frequent feedback on University services and activities is systematically sought and obtained from stakeholder groups as part of the University's quality evaluation processes; for example, feedback is sought from students, staff, graduates, partners in University undertakings, and external members of University committees. Refer to the Evaluation and Improvement of Teaching Policy and Program Review and Course Evaluation Policy.
Feedback is subject to systematic analysis not only to assist in evaluating quality and satisfaction levels but also to identify needed or desirable improvements.
The robustness of the quality system is demonstrated through providing students and other stakeholders with information concerning the use made of their feedback in contributing to changes and improvements.
Improving
The quality system encompasses the need for regular and frequent discussion and analysis of findings from feedback, monitoring reports and evaluative reviews in order to identify desirable or necessary improvements in University operations or performance.
Proposed improvements are usually included within current plans or scheduled for consideration as part of the next planning cycle. Proposed improvements to programs and courses are considered in line with the Program Accreditation and Course Approval Policy.
The implementation of planned improvements is monitored and reported in order to gauge whether those improvements are having their intended effect.
Committee responsibilities
All committees of the University play a role in quality improvement (refer to Committee Structure (PDF 44KB)) but the following committees have a significant role in overseeing implementation of the quality system:
- Council
- Academic Board
- Planning and Resources Committee
- Audit and Risk Management Committee
- Research Degrees Committee
- Research and Research Management Committee
- Learning and Teaching Management Committee
Quality audit 2006
In 2006, the University undertook its own trial quality audit and the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) completed an external quality audit of the University. The AUQA audit report was released on 14 February 2007.
In response to both audits, the University developed a combined AUQA-Trial Audit Action Plan to address matters identified in the audit reports. The Action Plan (PDF 546KB) includes updates on progress in implementing the actions.
Office of Pro Vice-Chancellor (International and Quality)
The Pro Vice-Chancellor (International and Quality) oversees the Quality Improvement portfolio within the University. The Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Pro Vice-Chancellor oversees, manages and provides advice on quality improvement and incorporates the Quality Unit.
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