Course Sustainability Review Procedure

Intent

This Procedure provides the structure and process for the review of courses and/or course portfolios which have been identified as underperforming or pose a heightened risk to James Cook University (JCU; the University).

This Procedure addresses Higher Education Standards Framework (HESF) Standard 5.3: Monitoring, Review and Improvement.

Scope

This Procedure applies to University staff involved in the delivery and review of any coursework courses leading to an award at all JCU campuses and across all study modes.

This Procedure does not apply to course approval processes.

Definitions

Except as otherwise specified in this procedure, the meaning of terms used are as per the Monitoring, Review and Improvement Policy or the Policy Glossary.

Course sustainability – includes consideration of both market and financial risk.

Procedure

1. Courses identified as at risk or underperforming against institutional benchmarks, through the Course Performance reports or other strategic lenses will be subject to a detailed review to determine their sustainability.

2. Course sustainability comprises three components:

2.1 Course desirability (attractiveness to the market);

2.2 Course viability (whether the course is financially viable); and

2.3 Course feasibility (whether the course can be delivered effectively in alignment with HESF and strategic fit with the University).

3. Course Sustainability Review process

3.1 All courses are assessed annually, per clause 1, against feasibility, financial viability and desirability measures, to identify those that are ‘at risk’.

3.2 New courses may be exempt from annual assessment in the first two years of implementation to permit attraction and growth. Year 3 of implementation of a new course triggers a course sustainability review, including response to the projections made in the Business Plan.

3.3 The Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Academy reviews the courses identified “at risk” and determines which courses will undergo the course sustainability review process.

3.4 The course sustainability review process is undertaken by a review committee comprising the relevant College Dean or nominee, Dean, Education Design, Quality and Standards or nominee, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or nominee, Manager, Reporting and Analytics, and other relevant stakeholders as determined by College Dean.

3.5 Data contributing to the course sustainability review process include outputs from the Course Performance Reports, Comprehensive Course Review Reports, Professional Accreditation Reports, as well as JCU data, Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) data, and national Higher Education statistics collection.

3.6 The review committee will undertake a review of each course based on the components identified at clause 2, and will submit a report with recommendations to the DVC Academy. Recommendations may include discontinuation and teach-out, restructure of the curriculum or modes of delivery, transitional arrangements including retirement over a set duration, relocation of availability or working with a Third-Party arrangement.

3.6.1 The DVC Academy will seek endorsement of the Vice Chancellor to implement actions that are strategic or tactical in nature.

3.6.2 The DVC Academy may only undertake actions that are operational in nature.

3.7 The relevant College Dean is responsible for implementing the approved actions.

3.8 Where a course is proposed to be disestablished, then the normal academic governance processes apply, and that decision is submitted to Academic Board for consideration.

3.9 Outcomes from the Course Sustainability processes inform the University’s Course Portfolio. The Course Portfolio, as represented by the Course and Subject Handbook, and data housed in the Curriculum Management System (Espresso), captures the University’s coursework offerings. The Course Portfolio includes information on each course, including, delivery locations, mode of delivery, cadence of delivery (i.e., semester, trimester, block), target market segments, product strategy, unique selling propositions, and any partnership arrangements.

Related policy instruments

Curriculum Design, Coursework Approval and Accreditation Policy

Coursework Monitoring, Review and Improvement Policy

Comprehensive Course Review Procedure

Course Performance Reports Procedure

Professional Accreditation of Courses and/or Disciplines Procedure

Subject Quality Review Procedure

Schedules/Appendices

Nil

Administration

NOTE:  Printed copies of this procedure are uncontrolled, and currency can only be assured at the time of printing.

Approval Details

Revision History