Program Quality Assurance

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Audit of RMIT by the Australian Universities
Quality Agency (AUQA)
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Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA)

• Established to assure the quality of the higher
  education system by conducting 5-yearly audits
• Auditors appointed by the AUQA Board
• Basis of audits validation of institutions
  Performance Portfolio
• Audit report will contain commendations and
  recommendations
• Audit report will be made public
• Institutions provide follow-up report on
  implementation of recommendations

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AUQA Audit Scope

• The AUQA Audit Panel will interview 200-250
  people
• (staff, students, Council members, community and
  industry partners)
• looking for evidence of
• RMITs strategic planning (vision, mission and
  goals)
• how we are implementing our plans (governance,
  resource linkages, systems, policies and
  processes)
• how we know that we are achieving planned
  outcomes (e.g. use of indicators, targets,
  benchmarking, monitoring and review processes)
  and
• improvement cycles (e.g. outcomes of reviews,
  improvement strategies, trend data evidence).

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AUQA Audit RMITs Approach

• Open and honest
• Complementary to existing processes, draws on
  existing information and activities
• Showcasing our strengths
• Providing insights to assist in further
  improvements

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Development of the Performance Portfolio

• Key issues and strengths identified through
  Department Workshops in 2002
• Teams allocated under auspices of relevant PVCs
  to draft chapters referencing existing
  strategies, documents, plans and reviews, and
  information from Department Workshops
• Consultation on drafts with a wide range of staff
• Signed-off by VCEM
• Sent to AUQA on 14 April
• The audit will validate the information in the
  Performance Portfolio

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Key RMIT Portfolio Messages Major Strengths

• Industry and community connections, applied
  learning and research
• High demand and graduate employment rates
• Sustained commitment to improving teaching and
  learning Program Quality Assurance,
  comprehensive student feedback mechanisms
• Research training and supervisor development
• Significant international presence

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Key RMIT Portfolio Messages Major Challenges

• Enhancing program quality
• Achieving high levels of student satisfaction
  with teaching and learning
• Improving research performance
• Aligning plans and performance indicators
• Improving academic management system
• Simplifying processes
• Reducing overheads

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The RMIT Audit Process

• 14 April RMIT Performance Portfolio submitted
• 27 May Preparatory visit by audit chair and AUQA
  Audit
• Director
• TBA Offshore visit (if necessary)
• 21-24 July Onshore Audit visit
• Sept/Oct AUQA draft report
• October University comments on draft (2 week
  response
• time)
• November Report published (on AUQA website)
• TBA University action plan AUQA monitors
  progress
• (approx 18 months)

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The AUQA Audit Team Membership

• Ms Robyn Harris, Audit Director, AUQA
• Professor Vianne McLean, Dean, Faculty of
  Education, Queensland University of Technology
• Professor Ken Milne, Director of Graduate
  Studies, College of Sciences, Massey University,
  New Zealand
• Professor Paige Porter, Dean (International
  Relations), University of Western Australia
• Mr Norbert Vogel, Director, The Australian
  Knowledge Management Group, Queensland

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Next Steps Audit Preparation

• Performance Portfolio available to staff and
  students on the intranet
• PVC Improvement Plans addressing the challenges
  identified in the
• Performance Portfolio
• AUQA will be a standing item on committee agendas
  
• Communication and awareness-raising across the
  University community
• through briefings, emails and publications
• Identification of participants in audit
  interviews (after 27 May)
• Detailed briefing and discussion to prepare audit
  participants

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Next Steps University preparation

• You should familiarise yourself with the
  Performance Portfolio (in particular, chapters
  which relate to your work) and identify issues
  which may need attention
• Staff who will be involved in the Audit, and
  their managers, will be contacted and their
  availability between 21 and 24 July confirmed
• Other staff input will always be welcome
• Student teams will be formed with the help of
  the Student Union and students associations.
• People involved in the Audit will work as teams
  and be briefed and supported by the AUQA Project
  Team

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Possible AUQA themes

• Staff involvement in planning processes
• Staff induction and development, work and
  performance planning
• Teaching and learning strategies and
  implementation
• Research and innovation strategies and
  implementation, and research training
• Equity strategies
• Policy frameworks
• Communication across the organisation
• Student consultation, improvement and feedback
  processes
• Student support services
• Topical issues, e.g. AMS, finances, Vietnam

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Next Steps Likely Interview Categories

• VC and senior staff
• Chancellor, external Council members, Chairs of
  Council Committees
• External partners and stakeholders
• PVCs, Deans and Associate Deans
• Heads of School/Department
• Chairs of key committees
• Centre directors and research staff
• Senior administrative managers in faculties and
  groups
• Academic Staff
• Heads of student learning support units
• Students
• Open session

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AUQA Project Team

• Malcolm McCormick, Project Coordinator
• Sue Scarlett
• Helena Ling
• Jenny Mohn
• Project Reference Group
• AUQA Website www.rmit.edu.au/auqa
• Email AUQAproject_at_rmit.edu.au
• Contact Nos. 58224 and 53678