• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Section 2 - Principles and Key Requirements
• Collaborative Services Teaching at UQ
• Collaborative Service Teaching Arrangements
• Collaboration and Agreement
• Section 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities
• Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance
• Section 5 - Recording and Reporting
• Section 6 - Appendix
• Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) This Policy sets out the framework for managing service teaching arrangements across The University of Queensland (UQ or the University), to ensure that students receive the highest quality learning experiences through interaction with teaching staff who are recognised for their disciplinary expertise and ability to contextualise learning experiences.

(2) This Policy aims to:

1. outline the principles that underpin service teaching at the University;
2. encourage partnerships that recognise discipline expertise and promote collaborative teaching practices that are relevant to the learning outcomes of students; and
3. support the negotiation of collaborative service teaching agreements, including dispute resolution, between academic/research units that meets the needs of all stakeholders.

(3) This Policy applies to all instances of collaborative service teaching at the University. While it is acknowledged that non-academic units may contribute to the University’s teaching and learning efforts, this Policy applies explicitly to academic and research units.

Section 2 - Principles and Key Requirements

Collaborative Services Teaching at UQ

(4) The principles that underpin Collaborative Service Teaching at UQ are:

1. the interests of UQ students will come first in ensuring they are taught by experts in the discipline as well as in contextual application of the discipline;
2. where cross-disciplinary study is required to meet learning objectives, it will be facilitated;
3. University strategy and identity must be considered when determining fair and appropriate collaborative service teaching arrangements, taking into account the comprehensive nature of the University’s commitment to a broad range of disciplines;
4. the collaborative service teaching model will be transparent, as will the data on which the model is based;
5. bureaucratic arrangements relating to collaborative service teaching arrangements will be kept to a minimum;
6. while it is expected that issues will be resolved at the school level, a transparent dispute resolution process will enable escalation of issues, should that be required;
7. ongoing review and quality control of collaborative service teaching agreements will be incorporated into the University’s cyclic academic program review process; and
8. administrative and overhead costs will be recognised in providing courses and programs to students.

Collaborative Service Teaching Arrangements

(5) The University recognises the following collaborative service teaching arrangements:

1. The service teaching provider(s) delivers an entire course.
2. Discipline-specific teaching elements in a course are contributed by the service teaching provider(s) and contextual elements are provided by the program owner and/or host school, using a modular approach to course design.
3. A course/suite of courses is developed and delivered by an interdisciplinary, cross-unit team. This model requires seamless integration of the discipline-based teaching and contextualisation. The interdisciplinary team is jointly responsible for developing, coordinating and delivering the course.
4. A school, faculty or institute not usually identified with a specific discipline expertise delivers content having established that it has appropriate disciplinary expertise in addition to contextual expertise. After appropriate discussion and negotiation, the delivering school and the academic/research unit usually identified as the source of discipline expertise will agree on a model for delivery.

Collaboration and Agreement

(6) A collaborative service teaching agreement (Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement Form or Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement Form (Research-focused)) must be recorded and formalised before collaborative service teaching commences.

(7) To ensure quality collaborative service teaching, academic staff from both the host unit and the service teaching provider(s) must work together at all stages, from course design to evaluation, with consideration of the requirements and context of the program into which the course delivers content. In-depth discussions between both parties will enable agreement to be reached on an appropriate model for delivering courses at an acceptable standard.

Section 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance

(8) Collaborative service teaching arrangements are reviewed as part of the cyclic academic program review process or as required by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

(9) The quality of the collaborative service teaching is further assured through implementation of:

1. the central program approval process;
2. the annual academic quality assurance process;
3. regular student feedback and student evaluation, such as student satisfaction surveys.

(10) The Committee for Academic Programs Policy (CAPP) is responsible for monitoring University-wide compliance with, and review of, this Policy for its effectiveness and ongoing relevance with UQ strategic objectives.

Section 5 - Recording and Reporting

(11) Records relating to approved Collaborative Service Teaching Agreements, the structure and design of the University’s courses and programs, and proposals referred for approval, are lodged in accordance with the Information Management Policy.

Section 6 - Appendix

Definitions