Quality Assurance
The University has in place a comprehensive, integrated program of quality assurance (QA) that is tailored to its particular needs. The University's QA processes embrace all aspects of Growing Esteem: Learning and teaching, Research and research training, Knowledge transfer, and Enablers (support services, systems and infrastructure).
Quality assurance needs to demonstrate that:
- Outcomes are of a high standard and strategic goals are achieved
- Processes are consistent and fair and enable these excellent outcomes.
The overall aim is to provide University Council, the Vice-Chancellor and senior executive, and unit and program managers with systematic feedback on the performance of the programs for which they are responsible. It also aims to promote a culture of rigorous self-analysis and review from which continuous improvement initiatives are identified and implemented.
The annual cycles of planning, performance monitoring, quality assurance and reporting which operate in the University of Melbourne are set out in the Ensuring Accountability.
QA processes include:
- national and international benchmarking to demonstrate high standards
- performance monitoring at University, faculty/graduate school and unit level
- self-assessment of performance within faculties and graduate schools as part of business planning processes
- academic reviews of courses, curricula and disciplines
- academic department/school audits
- stakeholder feedback through a system program of evaluation