Quality Education in a Unique Environment

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY

1. Background

The University was audited by AUQA in 2004. Preparations for the audit included up-dating the mission statement of the University contained in the document In the Third Millenium , up-dating Faculty and School strategic plans and developing the portfolio for the review. The Audit Report has led to the development of an action plan to address the recommendations, affirmations and commendations of the report. The QA Office is preparing a response to the audit which will summarise the steps the University has undertaken to follow up on all aspects of the audit. The response is due to be presented to AUQA in April 2006, and will appear on the JCU University website.

The Audit response reports on actions undertaken by the University to address identified problems and continue to develop in those areas commended by the review. However the quality assurance of the University depends on more than responding to the schedule of AUQA audits. There needs to be continuous improvement built into the fabric of University operations. A strategy for continuous improvement seeks to establish a culture of ongoing development in teaching and learning, research and administration. Added to these, there is need for risk management. A culture of continuous improvement and risk management provide systematic planning and control in conjunction with the Performance Portfolio. The remaining, and no less essential, element in developing quality is innovation, which produces new and ground breaking quality outcomes. All these elements lead to the development of quality assurance in the University, (see the Idea of a Quality Assurance System; and http://www.arhant.com/arhant_advantage/kaizen.htm).

At the same time, the University is based on a devolved structure (http://www.jcu.edu.au/org/orgstruct.pdf), which spreads the responsibility for quality assurance across Faculties and Divisions. The QA Office thus has a resource and coordinating role rather than executive authority.

2. Projects

Course Review:

The QA Office establishes a timetable of undergraduate (including Honours) course reviews each year, and prepares the documentation for the review. All courses are reviewed every five years in accordance with guidelines set out by Academic Board. Course review reports are sent to the Board of Coursework Studies, Academic Board and Council.
Postgraduate courses are reviewed by Faculties. Guidelines for the postgraduate reviews are available on this site.

Student feedback reporting:

Regular reports are prepared by the QA Office on the outcomes of the University's student feedback surveys: the SFS and SFT. (eg. SFS trend data)
Further reporting is done for the Senior Management Group on the figures from the CEQ and GDS surveys.

Consultation with Faculties and Schools:

The QA Office is working to consult with individual Faculties and Schools to assist in the development of innovation, improvement and risk management strategies.
The QA Office will develop a site on which innovative good practice in quality assurance within the University can be made public, especially where some issue of quality has been successfully resolved.

Follow up on the AUQA audit:

The QA Office continues to monitor and follow up on the Action Plan resulting from the AUQA audit. The progress report arising from the Audit is now available.

Off-shore Quality Assurance:

The QA office will assist in the establishment of policies and procedures for the quality assurance of off-shore and other campus course delivery.

Contact the QA Office: Ms Sandra Burrows