Cycle 2 AUQA Audit

 

AUQA Cycle 2 banner

This page includes the background to the 2011 Cycle 2 AUQA audit of UWS, the outcomes of the audit and the resources that emerged from this process.

Background

The Australian Universities Quality Agency (opens in a new window) (AUQA) conducted an audit of UWS during 2011. The audit delivered a positive assessment of the University´s progress against its mission and objectives.

The University conducted a detailed Trial Audit during September 2010 and submitted a Performance Portfolio to AUQA in February 2011. The AUQA Cycle 2 audit site visit took place 9-12 May 2011.

During the process of this Audit, the  Panel spoke with around 250 people, including the Chancellor, Board of Trustees members, the Vice-Chancellor, senior management, academic and general staff, external stakeholders, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students (including external, Indigenous and international students).

Outcomes

The final 2011 AUQA report (opens in a new window) (PDF, 805Kb) of the Cycle 2 AUQA audit of UWS details the Audit Panel's findings, based on two selected themes:

• Academic Standards and Assessment
• Commencing Student Transition and Retention

The report includes the following commendations, affirmations and recommendations:

Commendations

  1. The University of Western Sydney is commended for its highly developed planning, reporting, quality assurance and resourcing system.
  2. The University of Western Sydney is commended for its clear and strategic focus on advancing its mission for the benefit of the people of Greater Western Sydney.
  3. The University of Western Sydney is commended for its engagement with audit themes that have wide significance for Australian higher education, for its thorough and open approach to the self-review, and for its willingness to use the self-review for the purpose of quality improvement.
  4. The University of Western Sydney is commended for presenting its approach to academic standards and assessment in the form of a comprehensive summary framework.
  5. The University of Western Sydney is commended for its development and deployment of Learning Guides for all units, based on well-structured templates.
  6. The University of Western Sydney is commended for its Assessment Guide, which is an outstanding exemplar of good practice in the field.
  7. The University of Western Sydney is commended for initiating and pursuing a major project to develop inter-institutional moderation of assessment, funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.
  8. The University of Western Sydney is commended for its extensive programs for engagement with schools and prospective students in the Greater Western Sydney region.
  9. The University of Western Sydney is commended for its development of UWSCollege as a pathway for successful transition into university study for students from the Greater Western Sydney region.
  10. The University of Western Sydney is commended for the successful development, expansion and evaluation of the Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) program, which is making a valuable contribution to assisting student learning and retention.
  11. The University of Western Sydney is commended for its Quality in Learning and Teaching website and the guides to teaching good practice therein.
  12. The University of Western Sydney is commended for taking an active and strategic approach to increasing student retention, thoroughly grounded in the research on the subject.

  
Affirmations 

  1. The University of Western Sydney’s intention to improve the University’s staff-to-student ratios and decrease its reliance on casual staff is affirmed.
  2. The University of Western Sydney’s implementation of its workload principles and policy framework is affirmed.
  3. The University of Western Sydney’s systematic implementation of its Academic Standards and Assessment Framework for Learning and Teaching is affirmed.
  4. The development and validation of learning outcomes by the University of Western Sydney for all its courses are affirmed.
  5. The University of Western Sydney’s efforts to further improve the consistency of its Learning Guides are affirmed.
  6. The University of Western Sydney’s plan to capitalise on the findings of the inter-institutional moderation project to improve internal assurance of academic standards is affirmed.
  7. The University of Western Sydney’s inclusion of engaged learning experiences in all its courses, which should be developed and refined after a review of the scope of its concept of engaged learning, is affirmed.
  8. The University of Western Sydney’s use of the school academic committees to advance its wider teaching and learning strategic agenda, which needs to be realised on a more consistent basis across schools, is affirmed.
  9. The University of Western Sydney’s full implementation of its Strategic Framework for ICT Enabled Learning, building on a foundation of improved infrastructure and connectivity, is affirmed.
  10. The University of Western Sydney’s efforts to improve the transition and retention rates of commencing students, by deploying, expanding and improving a range of programs and strategies designed for that purpose, are affirmed.

 Recommendations 

  1. It is recommended that priority be given to investment in basic ICT infrastructure to ensure that students and staff can access the University of Western Sydney’s networks easily, to form a foundation for the University’s planned growth and for the realisation of its e-learning strategy.
  2. It is recommended that the University of Western Sydney improve central monitoring of the follow-up of school and other reviews to ensure that they result in improved outcomes.
  3. (urgent) It is recommended that the University of Western Sydney review relevant policies, responsibilities and processes relating to student complaints and ensure that students are encouraged to use these where appropriate.
  4. (urgent) The commitment of the University of Western Sydney to considering student feedback through surveys is recognised, but it is recommended that further steps be taken to address variability in the quality of the student experience, including supplementing the current student survey suite with more direct and student-initiated feedback mechanisms.
  5. It is recommended that the University of Western Sydney develop a general policy and procedural framework for its extensive engagement with community and
    business partners, and ensure that formal agreements are reached with all partners.
  6. It is recommended that the University of Western Sydney investigate the reasons behind the increase in first year attrition rates for international students and put in place measures to counteract this and to improve learning support for international students.

 Resources  

If you have any difficulties accessing the portfolio or supporting materials or if you have any suggestions or queries, please don't hesitate to contact Lisa Parsons at l.parsons@uws.edu.au.