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Educational Partnership Quality Assurance Procedures

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Section 1 - Purpose and Scope 

(1) These Procedures give effect to the Educational Partnership Policy and outline the quality assurance arrangements for the University’s Educational Collaborations.

Scope

(2) Activities conducted by Governance Services included in the annual internal audit program are outside of the scope of this procedure.

(3) Activities described in this procedure are aligned with the Monitoring and Review Schedule as outlined in the Third Party Arrangements Regulatory Risk Framework, concentrating on the quality assurance phases following the implementation of an agreement.

(4) Course reviews are outside the scope of this procedure and are conducted in accordance with the Academic Quality, Standards and Integrity Policy and Course Review Procedures.

(5) Organisational unit reviews are outside the scope of this procedure and are conducted in accordance with the Organisational Reviews Policy. 

(6) Academic monitoring of courses and unit outcomes is not covered in this procedure; instead, it is carried out in accordance with the Academic Quality Standards and Integrity Policy.

(7) Management committee meetings are conducted in accordance with the Agreement for each arrangement and outside the scope of this procedure.

Quality and Compliance Schedule – Education Partners

(8) The Quality Audit and Review Schedule – Education Partners is:

  1. managed by Office of Business Intelligence and Quality;
  2. operates on a 2-year rolling schedule;
  3. reviewed annually to reflect the University's overall priorities and risk areas; and
  4. includes all planned quality and compliance reviews and audits related to Education Partners.   

(9) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) approves the monitoring and reporting schedule annually to ensure alignment with the Third Party Arrangements Regulatory Risk Framework.

(10) The Office of Business Intelligence and Quality report on progress against the schedule to the Education Partnerships Oversight Committee quarterly.

(11) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) will provide a summary of outcomes including risks and issues arising to the subsequent Audit and Risk Management Committee.

(12) Outcomes will be finalized and submitted to committees and boards according to the quality and compliance schedules for education partners.

Annual Strategic Alignment Review

(13) As per the Third Party Arrangements Regulatory Risk Framework, Strategic Alignment Review – Education Partners is normally conducted annually.

(14) SCU Global will liaise with relevant stakeholders to prepare the review report.

(15) The Executive Director, Global  (or nominee) will present the review report to the Education Partners Oversight Committee for discussion by members.

(16) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Innovation) or Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) will provide a summary of the outcomes including relevant risks and issues to the Management Committee Meeting.

(17) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) will provide a summary of outcomes including risks and issues arising to the subsequent Audit and Risk Management Committee and Vice Chancellor's Group.

Biennial Quality Review

(18) As per the Third Party Arrangements Regulatory Risk Framework, Quality Reviews are normally conducted very two years.

(19) The Director, Business Intelligence and Quality will approve the scope of the review to ensure it considers current strategic priorities, risks and issues.

(20) The Office of Business Intelligence and Quality will liaise with the Academic Portfolio Office to ensure timelines and scope are communicated to all relevant stakeholders.  

(21) The scope of the Quality Review will normally include:

  1. Ensure the effective implementation of quality provisions in Educational Collaboration agreements;
  2. Review evidence that the University’s Educational Collaborations comply with all relevant policy, contractual, and statutory requirements;
  3. Acquit and evaluate reporting requirements;
  4. Monitor the quality and fulfillment of educational objectives in offshore Educational Collaborations;
  5. Offer a mechanism for addressing concerns related to student satisfaction or staff issues within Educational Collaborations;
  6. Evaluate the implementation of recommendations from prior audits and reviews;
  7. Assess compliance with legislative obligations under the National Code and HESF
  8. Evaluate effectiveness of measures in place to examine Key performance indicators, Student outcomes, Financial Sustainability and Viability, Compliance, Risk and issues.

(22) The review normally includes the following:

  1. Examine a range of documentation including but not limited to:
    1. the educational collaboration agreement;
    2. feedback from relevant University organisational units;
    3. minutes from the management committee and reports as required;
    4. minutes from the Educational Partnerships Board and reports as required;
    5. feedback from students, including systematic and ad-hoc surveys;
    6. course and unit performance reports;
    7. student performance and comparative grade point averages;
    8. academic staff profile and qualifications;
    9. marketing materials including relevant collaborating institution's website;
    10. course procedures manuals, student handbooks or any other information produced for students in the collaborative program;
    11. courses (overall quality, accreditation and entry level, curriculum, and graduate outcomes);
    12. staff (experience, appointment practices, induction and professional development);
    13. site audit assessment;
    14. administrative processes (general administration, marketing);
    15. outcomes of reviews and audits; and
    16. continuous improvements made since last review.
  2. Undertake a site visit to the collaborating institution and interview a range of academic and support staff and students and complete an inspection of the institution's facilities.
  3. Complete a Quality Review Report inclusive of management response for acceptance by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) or Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Innovation) and the relevant nominee from the partnership.

(23) Review of academic quality, including equivalence of delivery and learning outcomes, are undertaken by the relevant Faculty in liaison with the Education Collaborator and peer review reports will be presented to the associated Faculty Board and provided for acceptance by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Innovation).

(24) The Director, Business Intelligence and Quality (or nominee) will present the review report to the Education Partners Oversight Committee and Management Committee Meeting.

(25) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) will provide a summary of outcomes including risks and issues arising to the subsequent Audit and Risk Management Committee and Vice Chancellor's Group.

Strategic Review

(26) As per the Third Party Arrangements Regulatory Risk Framework, a strategic review will be conducted in the following scenarios:

  1. Agreement renewal;
  2. Agreement termination;
  3. Ad-hoc if requested by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) or Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Innovation).

(27) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) or Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Innovation) will approve the scope of the review to ensure it considers current strategic priorities, risks and issues.

(28) The Office of Business Intelligence and Quality will liaise with the Academic Portfolio Office to ensure timelines and scope are communicated to all relevant stakeholders and complete the report.

(29) The strategic review will normally include an evaluation of the following:

  1. Minutes and relevant reports of academic and non-academic oversight meetings
  2. Quality Audit reports and action monitoring
  3. Complaints, misconduct, critical incidents
  4. Risk report
  5. Financial analysis
  6. Performance against KPIs
  7. Stakeholder feedback (staff and students)

(30) The Director, Business Intelligence and Quality (or nominee) will present the review report to the Education Partners Oversight Committee and Management Committee Meeting.

(31) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) will provide a summary of outcomes including risks and issues arising to the subsequent Audit and Risk Management Committee and Vice Chancellor's Group.

Reporting to Council

(32) On an annual basis the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) will report to Council on the following:

  1. 12 month summary Quality Review and monitoring
  2. 12 month summary quality and compliance schedule and monitoring
  3. Summary of agreement details and timeline for renewal
  4. 12 month acquittal of oversight reports and meetings
  5. Risk report
  6. Regulatory summary