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Charter of Responsibilities for Academic Quality (Learning and Teaching)

Intent

This document is intended to provide a high-level overview of the various roles in relation to learning and teaching. More detail and specific guidance is provided in role and position descriptions and in relevant policy.Faculties and Schools are required to ensure the responsibilities listed below are prioritized and delegated as required.

Scope

All staff.

Policy and Procedures

Chair of Academic Board

In relation to academic quality, the Academic Board, under the Direction of the Chair, assumes overall responsibility for effective academic governance within the University including to:

Ensure compliance of all courses to relevant regulatory frameworks and threshold standards
Monitor the academic activities of the University's faculties;
Monitor the quality of teaching, research and scholarship in the University and to develop policies on quality improvement;
To develop policies on student admission, progress and discipline.

Approve of all newly established, amended, suspended or disestablished courses
Approve Majors/Programs/Areas of Specialisation appearing on Testamur
Approve of all newly established subjects as part of a new course.
Approve of all Articulation Agreements and Advanced Standing Arrangements.
Approve of all Course Review reports and Faculty responses
Approve of all annual reports on compliance with Academic-related Policies where prescribed
Approve of a PhD Award
Approve of the annual Academic Calendar
Approve of Framework for Undergraduate/Postgraduate students
Approve of Model Requirements for Course offerings (u/g and p/g), scholarships and prizes and other recognition of academic excellence

Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Academic

Provide strategic leadership of the learning and teaching agenda university-wide
Provide oversight of the University’s approach to education-related academic operations including providing active leadership in formulating appropriate plans and policy
Oversee academic quality, especially as it relates to learning and teaching, in collaboration with Academic Board and the Quality Enhancement Office consistent with requirements of TEQSA and other agencies.
Coordinate the process of compliance with the TEQSA Act 2011 , and associated Threshold Standards, across the University in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
Work with the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellors to develop, implement and review Faculty-level plans to ensure alignment with the University’s Academic Plan
Chair Education Committee

Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellors

With the support of the Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor:

Provide strategic leadership of the Faculty including leadership in the provision of resources for all courses offered.
Ultimate responsibility for compliance and quality within Faculty including:
- the oversight of quality assurance arrangements internally and with any external entities consistent with relevant regulatory frameworks and threshold standards
- ensuring appropriate expertise of staff teaching within the Faculty
- ensuring credit arrangements are consistent with the Australian Qualifications Framework.
- appropriate development of English Language and numeracy proficiency across all Faculty offerings.
Ensure ADTLs and HOSs work together to progress learning and teaching quality issues
Promote collaboration between ADTLs and Office of Teaching and Learning Development to improve the quality of learning and teaching.
Promote engagement of Faculty academic staff with activities offered by the Teaching and Learning Development Unit
Present annual reports to Academic Board on learning and teaching activities over the previous year, including:
- Faculty Academic Program reports and Course Performance Reports
- Student Feedback on Subject reports
- Distribution of grades
- Workloads and PMP reports
Review learning and teaching performance within strategic plan and make adjustments accordingly

Campus Dean

With the support of the relevant Deputy Vice Chancellor and in consultation with relevant Pro-vice chancellor and or Third party provider(s)

Ensure students enrolled in a course meet the English language proficiency admissions criteria and admissions requirements of the particular course to effectively participate in the course.
Provide strategic leadership of learning and teaching in collaboration with Faculty Pro Vice Chancellors including:
- leadership in the provision of appropriate staff and physical resources for all courses offered.
- Support for professional development of staff
Responsibility for compliance and quality at Campus location (eg: TEQSA, CPE)
Ensure ADTLs and relevant campus leadership roles work together to progress learning and teaching quality issues
Promote collaboration between Campus staff, ADTLs and Office of Teaching and Learning Development to improve the quality of learning and teaching.
Promote engagement of academic staff with activities offered by the Teaching and Learning Development Unit
Review learning and teaching performance within strategic plan and make adjustments accordingly.
Support the development of reports for University units/Academic Board in relation to learning and teaching quality such as:
- Faculty Academic Program Reports and Course Performance Reports
- Student Feedback on Subject reports
- Distribution of grades
- Workloads and PMP reports

Director of the Office of Teaching and Learning Development

With the support of the Deputy Vice Chancellor-Academic:

Ensure appropriate academic staff induction to learning and teaching across all campuses
Facilitate academic staff development in learning and teaching in collaboration with Faculties and Campuses
Collaborate with ADTLs on issues of learning and teaching quality
Provide leadership and scholarship in learning and teaching
Coordinate Learning and Teaching Award applications within JCU
Coordinate and enhance university-wide measures to gather student feedback on learning and teaching quality
Support ADTLs and Heads of School enhance the quality of teaching of individual academic staff
Coordinate and promote learning skills support for students, including English language support and development

Associate Deans, Teaching & Learning

With the support of the relevant Pro-Vice Chancellor

Promote learning and teaching quality through activities that:
- Encourage innovation in learning and teaching in the Faculty/Campus
- Work collaboratively with Heads of Schools to enhance learning and teaching
Collaborate with the Office of Teaching and Learning Development to promote learning and teaching quality.
Coordinate the Faculty learning and teaching Committee
Act as Course Review and Distribution of Grades Coordinator to ensure follow up and implementation of recommendations
Coordinate the Faculty selection process for Faculty teaching award nominees
Promote the development of teaching portfolios for staff
Implement recommendations arising out of audits and reviews (eg TEQSA, ESOS, professional accreditation and internationalisation) including reporting outcomes to VCAC
Monitor and review academic quality procedures and parameters eg. generic requirements for postgraduate coursework awards, Faculty honours program assessments, subject outlines, subject hours etc
Act as Faculty coordinator of academic OPT’s for learning and teaching Committee eg. retention data, QTAC first preference etc
Develop Faculty policies and procedures related to learning and teaching and ensure any such policies are consistent with University policy
Facilitate cross-Faculty/campus collaboration in learning and teaching
Support Faculty/Campus submissions to Education Committee.
Review of Articulation Agreements

Heads of School

With the support of the relevant PVC, the Head of School will:

Oversee academic quality within schools and across campuses ensuring compliance to relevant regulatory frameworks and threshold standards
Ensure the employment and supervision of academic staff (full-time and sessional) to maintain and enhance learning and teaching quality within each course including a focus on retention strategies and the First Year Experience.
Engage with ADTLs to promote learning and teaching quality
Ensure leadership around learning and teaching within disciplines including the appointment of appropriate leadership positions and school structures (eg: Deputy Heads of School, Heads of Discipline, Course Coordinators, First Year Experience Coordinators, Teaching and Learning Committees).
Provide strategic oversight of discipline and program/course development
Ensure individuals in schools comply with learning and teaching policies
Ensure individual academics who teach in a research course of study are active researchers who publish in their discipline
Implement measures to ensure the school as academic unit complies with external and internal quality standards including professional accreditation requirements.
Implement measures to respond to student feedback data to ensure cyclical improvement
Provide individual academic staff with feedback on the quality of their teaching
Promote and enable academic staff development through engagement with the Office of Teaching and Learning Development and the Associate Deans of Teaching Learning
Ensure adequate collaboration with Campus Deans to promote learning and teaching quality and program integrity.

Course Coordinators

With the support of the Head of School, the Course coordinator will:

Provide curriculum leadership within a course to
- Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks and relevant threshold standards
- Ensure learning outcomes for the course
- Ensure assessment tasks across the course align with course and subject learning outcomes.

Ensure the integrity of curriculum in all campus locations including the equivalence of student learning outcomes in courses delivered across different modes or locations
Ensure learning and teaching standards
Ensure the development of Graduate Attributes including the development of English Language and numeracy proficiency
Ensure appropriate domain (technical) content
Support Course Leadership - to build a team to design, teach and review the curriculum of an award course
Undertake a cyclical process of reflection, revision and reporting for quality enhancement (including through course performance reports and benchmarking)
Monitor course quality and identify corrective actions
Monitor the physical/electronic resources and facilities available to students within the course to ensure compliance with relevant standards
Ensure accuracy of course information for marketing and internal publications in collaboration with relevant School personnel
Support accreditation processes (documentation and reporting for accreditation purposes)
Monitor student enrolment, progress, retention and achievement data
Promote staff engagement with student support services including the development of learning skills and English language and numeracy proficiency
Liaise with ADTL, HOS and other School and Faculty staff
Advise on complex administrative aspects of student enrolment and advanced standing as required
Contribute to relevant learning and teaching committees

First Year Experience Coordinators

With the support of the Head of School and in collaboration with Course Coordinator:

Provide opportunities that foster student engagement (including Orientation activities)
Work to build resilience in students and develop a sense of purpose in their discipline/course
Work with course coordinators to ensure first year curriculum is appropriate and integrated with overall course
Collaborate with relevant first year subject coordinators to ensure a coherent and positive experience for students
Collaborate with Office of Teaching and Learning Development to ensure adequate staff development for relevant staff.
Engage with data on the first year student experience of learning and teaching and respond to such data, informing students of the actions taken in response to feedback

Professional /Clinical Placement Coordinator

With the support of the Head of School and Course Coordinator:

Ensure the quality of student work placements and forms of work integrated learning
Ensure appropriate supervision of students in the workplace to meet workplace health and safety and course requirements
Provide adequate documentation to students and their supervisors in relation to the expectations and learning outcomes of any work placement including clear criteria for any assessment of student performance
Provide training for supervisors to support their development
Engage with course and subject coordinators to ensure the coherence of the work placement within the course

Director, Student and Academic Services; Manager, Admissions

Within the limits designated by Pro-Vice-Chancellors and the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and in relation to Domestic Coursework:

Ensure students enrolled in a course meet the English language proficiency admissions criteria and admissions requirements of the particular course to effectively participate in the course.

Director, James Cook International; Manager, International Admissions and in relation to coursework degrees:

Within the limits designated by Pro-Vice-Chancellors and the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic):

Ensure students enrolled in a course meet the English language proficiency admissions criteria and admissions requirements of the particular course to effectively participate in the course.

Faculty Registrars

Under the delegation of the Director Student & Academic Services and Faculty Pro Vice Chancellors

Under the direction of the Director Student & Academic Services and Faculty Pro Vice Chancellors

Apply any credit arrangements consistent with the Australian Qualifications Framework
Ensure appropriate record keeping
Promote compliance with academic processes eg.

Advise on Curriculum approval processes
Implement approved curriculum requirements and policy amendments
Monitoring student compliance with award requirements
Monitoring and providing feedback on compliance with University policy
Exercise enrolment delegations in accordance with the Schedule of Delegations

Generate Faculty specific reports to inform Faculty Executivee.g. examiners’ meeting
With authority to act on behalf of the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor, makes determinations under the Academic Progression Policy.

Subject Coordinators

With the support of the Head of School and Course Coordinator, the Subject Coordinator will

Ensure subject is delivered in compliance with relevant academic policies including the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Policy including required documentation.
Ensure effective design and delivery of subject as relevant to the subject’s qualification level (Australian Qualifications Framework).
Ensure alignment of subject outcomes to assessment tasks and course learning outcomes
Embed Graduate Attributes appropriately in subject, in line with overall course design
Ensure cross-campus comparability of assessment and curriculum (regular moderation procedures)
Provide leadership for all staff teaching within the subject, including sessional staff across all campuses.
Monitor all aspects of assessment integrity including grade distribution across all campuses
Preparation of subject information for relevant databases
Ensure advance ordering of relevant resources and texts
Promote the support of students who are at risk of not progressing satisfactorily
Engage with Learning Advisers and other professionals to support students’ success in courses as well the identification of students who require such support
Prepare subject outline and LearnJCU site in accordance with relevant University guidelines
Engage with data on the student experience of learning and teaching and respond to such data, informing students of the actions taken in response to feedback
Feedback to students on assessment performance
Preparation and vetting of materials for the examination process

Academic/Clinical Staff

With the support of the relevant Head of School Course Coordinator, Professional/ Placement Director and Subject Coordinator, academic/clinical staff including sessional staff

Comply with all relevant JCU learning and teaching policies including availability for student consultation
Participate in professional development opportunities related to learning and teaching, including induction sessions
Maintain a sound understanding of current scholarship and/ or professional practice in the discipline they teach
Engage with relevant pedagogical principles for their teaching role
Engage students in activities relevant to the cognitive demand of the course
Support the development of graduate attributes including requirements for proficiency in English language
Promote and engage with student support services
Provide relevant and timely feedback to students on their progress
Participate in moderation activities to ensure the integrity of University grades
Engage with data on the student experience of learning and teaching and respond to such data

Policy sponsor:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic
Approval authority:	Academic Board
Version no:	12-1
Date for next review:	12/112014

Charter of Responsibilities for Academic Quality (Learning and Teaching)

Intent

Scope

Policy and Procedures

Related documents, legislation or JCU Statutes