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Educational Partnerships Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) QUT is responsible for ensuring that courses and non-award study delivered through educational partnerships meet the requirements of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021. This Policy sets out the requirements governing educational partnerships entered into by QUT.

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Section 2 - Application

(2) This Policy applies to all formal educational partnerships between QUT, including:

  1. courses, units and modules delivered through other parties by face-to-face instruction, online or a combination of face-to-face instruction and online; and
  2. joint and dual awards (Award Courses Policy).

(3) This Policy does not apply to:

  1. employment and consultancy arrangements;
  2. hosting of QUT curriculum on a third-party platform;
  3. student academic support services provided by third parties;
  4. third party providers of learning resources;
  5. research partnerships involving funding or collaboration;
  6. articulation agreements;
  7. work integrated learning agreements;
  8. scholarships; and
  9. student exchange programs (Student Exchange Program Policy).
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Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities

Position
Responsibility
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Approves protocols made under this Policy.
Reports to University Academic Board on performance of courses, units and modules delivered through an educational partnership.
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) Monitors educational partnerships.
Executive Deans and equivalents
Ensure that the staff of the educational partner is suitably qualified.
Ensure academic standards and quality of outcomes of offerings.
Ensure QUT staff are supported appropriately in their work with the educational partner.
Associate Deans (Learning and Teaching) and equivalents
Facilitate working relationships between faculty and equivalents and educational partner.
Monitor course quality and teaching quality.
Course Coordinators and equivalents
Provide leadership in course development and approval processes.
Monitor course quality and report through faculty processes.
Work with educational partner in matters that may impact upon student progression.
Unit Coordinators
Develop units in conjunction with educational partner as required.
Prepare unit outline to reflect delivery with the educational partner.
Work with educational partner to foster students’ success in the unit.
Organise assessment materials.
Moderate the application of standards and quality of marking in the unit with the educational partner.
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Section 4 - Educational Partnership Principles

(4) QUT will enter into educational partnerships that:

  1. support QUT’s strategic priories and enhance QUT’s brand;
  2. are based on a sustainable partnership, financial viability and managed business risk; and
  3. deliver education and services of a quality and at a standard acceptable to QUT.

(5) QUT will only enter into an educational partnership if it is satisfied that the educational partner's commitment to quality is compatible with that of QUT and that all relevant requirements of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 will be met through the collaboration.

(6) A collaboration between QUT and an educational partner to deliver award courses (wholly or partly) or non-award study must be governed by a contract that includes effective controls on the educational quality of delivery and must only be entered into after a credible and rigorous due diligence process in accordance with the Contracts and Legal Instruments Management Policy.

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Section 5 - Monitoring of Educational Partnerships

(7) All educational partnerships must be reviewed annually as part of QUT’s quality assurance framework to ensure that the partnership is operating as intended and within the terms of the contract. The report will be prepared by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) and reviewed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) for submission to University Academic Board.

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Section 6 - Termination of Educational Partnerships

(8) Upon a decision that an educational partnership will not be continued, QUT will ensure that there is appropriate advice and arrangements for impacted students. If a course is discontinued, transition and teach-out plans must ensure that enrolled students are not disadvantaged.

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Section 7 - Application of QUT Policy

Courses, Units, Modules and Non-award Study

(9) Courses, units, modules and non-award study delivered through an educational partnership are subject to QUT policies for quality assurance and approval.

Students

(10) Students in courses offered through an educational partnership are QUT students. QUT policies, protocols and procedures will apply to students enrolled in courses or units or in the non-award study delivered through educational partnerships.

Exceptions

(11) Any exceptions to policy required to meet the needs of the educational partnership to assure the student experience, must be approved by the relevant governing body and be supported with a clear academic rationale.

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Section 8 - Delegations

(12) Refer to  Register of Authorities and Delegations  (VC212) (QUT staff access only).