• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Section 2 - Key Controls
• Section 3 - Process and Key Requirements
• Annual Programs, Plans and Courses Quality Assurance Method
• Responses and Action Plans
• Annual Programs, Plans and Courses Quality Assurance Indicators and Thresholds
• Quality Indicator Threshold Review
• Section 4 - Shorter Form Credentials
• Section 5 - Annual Quality Assurance Dashboards and Reports
• Section 6 - Online Response System
• Section 7 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities
• Section 8 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance
• Section 9 - Recording and Reporting
• Section 10 - Appendix

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) This Procedure enacts the Programs, Plans and Courses Quality Assurance Policy.

(2) The annual programs, plans and courses quality assurance process enables evidence-based reflection of all programs, plans and courses offered at the University, including shorter form credentials and pathway programs and courses. This Procedure does not apply to Higher Degree by Research and Higher Doctorate programs.

(3) Internal and external standards and benchmarks, such as Group of Eight benchmarks and the TEQSA Risk Assessment Framework, provide evidence to inform the University’s quality assurance process.

(4) The academic quality assurance process for programs, plans and courses offered at UQ, including shorter form credentials and pathway programs and courses, will:

1. Ensure regular monitoring and assurance of the quality and sustainability of academic offerings.
2. Provide contextualised information to support academic quality processes.
3. Enable evidence-based reflection and feedback on teaching, curriculum, assessment design and integrity, and support development needs.
4. Consolidate the collection and review of feedback, improvement strategies, and their implementation.
5. Contribute to the fulfilment of Academic Program Review requirements.

Section 2 - Key Controls

(5) Faculty Teaching and Learning Committees and School Teaching and Learning Committees conduct annual quality assurance reviews of programs, plans and courses, ensuring alignment with the University’s Strategic Plan and enabling continuous evidence-based improvement and risk management.

(6) The process is overseen by the Associate Dean (Academic) in consultation with the Executive Dean and Heads of School, supported by the Faculty Teaching and Learning Committees and School Teaching and Learning Committees. Where a course or shorter form credentials is offered by an Institute, the Institute Director oversees the process and provides quality assurance reports to the Executive Dean of the Faculty most closely aligned.

(7) The process is informed by defined academic quality assurance indicators and contextual data, which are reviewed at program, plan and course level (including shorter form credentials and pathway programs and courses) on an annual basis.

(8) The University academic quality thresholds are set by the Vice-Chancellor, in consultation with the Provost and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Section 3 - Process and Key Requirements

Annual Programs, Plans and Courses Quality Assurance Method

(9) Faculty Teaching and Learning Committees and School Teaching and Learning Committees, under the guidance of Associate Deans (Academic), Heads of School and Executive Deans, review programs, plans and courses according to the academic quality assurance indicators available via the academic quality assurance dashboards and other detailed reports, available from UQ Reportal.

(10) Academic quality assurance will address quality improvement and enhancement themes nominated by the Vice-Chancellor in consultation with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic). Academic quality assurance will also address themes identified as program- and plan-level priorities.

(11) Faculty and School staff may be asked to contextualise, further investigate, provide responses or develop action plans to address identified issues for a program, plan or course. Responses and action plans will be coordinated for submission to the AQA Online Response System by the relevant School Director of Teaching and Learning in consultation with the relevant Head/ Heads of School, for endorsement by the Associate Dean (Academic) and approval by the Executive Dean.

(12) Consolidated Faculty reports are approved by the Executive Dean.

(13) The process must be completed annually by mid-year. Faculty summary reports are collated by the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and submitted to the Provost, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), and Committee for Academic Programs Policy at the conclusion of the annual process.

(14) Data collected by the annual process must be incorporated into the report and resources for the subsequent year.

Responses and Action Plans

(15) For programs, plans and courses prioritised for action by the relevant Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee or School Teaching and Learning Committee in the year of analysis, responses that contextualise quality assurance data and/or detail action plans will be developed to address identified issues. These may include strategies such as staff professional development, curriculum redesign to ensure continued alignment of learning objectives with program and plan descriptions, or other management activities. The relevant School Director of Teaching and Learning will coordinate the recording of the responses and action plans in the AQA Online Response System, for endorsement by the Associate Dean (Academic), and approval by the Executive Dean.

(16) Action plans are monitored by the Executive Dean, in consultation with the relevant Head/Heads of School and the Associate Dean (Academic).

Annual Programs, Plans and Courses Quality Assurance Indicators and Thresholds

(17) Quality assurance indicators and other contextual data will inform the relevant academic quality assurance dashboards and detailed reports, and reflect the following domains:

1. Student demand;
2. Student retention;
3. Student performance and learning outcomes;
4. Student satisfaction;
5. Graduate outcomes (for programs);and
6. Financial sustainability.

(18) The University academic quality thresholds, as set by the Vice-Chancellor in consultation with the Provost and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), are submitted to the Committee for Academic Programs Policy, University Senior Executive Team and Academic Board for endorsement.

(19) For some metrics, faculties will be asked to set their own academic quality thresholds. These thresholds will be set by the relevant Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee.

Quality Indicator Threshold Review

(20) University and Faculty-level quality indicators and thresholds are reviewed every five years.

(21) Quality indicators and thresholds may be reviewed sooner than five years if determined by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), in consultation with Planning and Business Intelligence. An earlier review of the thresholds may be needed in response to strategic, operational or reporting changes.

Section 4 - Shorter Form Credentials

(22) All shorter form credentials will undergo review as per the University’s annual academic quality assurance process, or more frequently at the request of the Executive Dean of the Faculty that administers the shorter form credential.

(23) Where shorter form credentials are offered by Institutes, a report from the Institute Director on quality assurance will be submitted for approval to the Executive Dean of the Faculty most closely associated with that Institute.

Section 5 - Annual Quality Assurance Dashboards and Reports

(24) Academic quality is underpinned by indicators and contextual data included in dashboards and other detailed reports provided to Faculties and Schools through the UQ Reportal. Planning and Business Intelligence is responsible for developing and maintaining these dashboards and reports.

(25) The Student Evaluation of Course and Teacher (SECaT) process provides course-level data which are updated and reported at the completion of each Semester (as per the Student Evaluation of Course and Teaching Procedure).

Section 6 - Online Response System

(26) The AQA Online Response System, maintained by Planning and Business Intelligence, records and reports feedback and action plans arising from the annual programs, plans and courses quality assurance process.

Section 7 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Section 8 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance

(27) This Procedure is monitored by the Committee for Academic Programs Policy and will be reviewed on a three-year basis.

Section 9 - Recording and Reporting

(28) Reports, implementation plans and associated records are maintained in accordance with the Information Management Policy.

Section 10 - Appendix