C/4.6 Course quality assurance

Policy Owner	Director, Curriculum Quality and Standards
Approval Date	21/11/2022
Approval Authority	University Academic Board
Date of Next Review	30/11/2025

4.6.1 Purpose
4.6.2 Application
4.6.3 Roles and responsibilities
4.6.4 Principles
4.6.5 Course quality assurance framework
Related Documents
Modification History

4.6.1 Purpose

This policy outlines the course quality assurance framework to ensure QUT’s courses are relevant, current and provide students with a high quality learning experience and meet the relevant standards of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021.

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4.6.2 Application

This policy applies to all award courses offered by QUT (C/3.1), including courses offered through third-party arrangements (C/3.6 Educational partnerships) and transnational education (C/3.5).

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4.6.3 Roles and responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)	approves protocols on course quality assurance made under this policy
University committees and officers	specific responsibilities are provided in the Course quality assurance protocol
Executive Deans and Executive Director, QUT College	ensure compliance with the relevant higher education standards within their organisational area
Heads of school	implement continuous improvement and compliance with the relevant higher education standards within the school as described in QUT Quality and Standards Framework (A/2.4)
Associate deans (learning & teaching)	lead the development, implementation and monitoring of quality assurance and improvement strategies for course performance and improvement (B/3.5)
Course coordinators (or equivalent)	develop and monitor efforts to improve the course continually, and report through relevant governance processes (e.g. faculty academic board) on course improvement projects, key performance indicators and other evaluation data relevant to the course performance (B/3.5)
Study area and program coordinators (or equivalent)	initiate and implement study area or program improvements with advice from the course coordinator (B/3.5)
Unit coordinators (or equivalent)	initiate and implement unit improvements to enhance learning and teaching quality, with advice from the study area coordinator, program coordinator and course coordinator (B/3.5)

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4.6.4 Principles

QUT’s course quality assurance is guided by the following principles:

informs strategic planning and performance evaluation and is part of the University's Quality and Standards Framework (A/2.4)
is evidenced-based and is both strategic and operational in focus
informs the development, improvement and reaccreditation of courses (C/4.1) and monitors curriculum changes
is a continuous process which closes the loop on previously identified issues and actions.

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4.6.5 Course quality assurance framework

Course quality assurance at QUT is comprised of the following components:

course performance measures relevant to admission, viability, experience and outcomes to facilitate monitoring and improvement of QUT courses and reflect the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) Risk Assessment Framework
an annual report to consolidate QUT-wide course performance data to initiate annual review and support strategic decisions
an annual plan to provide an opportunity to consider investment over a period of time for the creation of new courses and study areas and significant redesign of accredited courses
comprehensive course review carried out in the accreditation period in preparation for reaccreditation (C/4.1) Curriculum design, approval and accreditation.

The Course quality assurance protocol provides the details of the components of this framework.

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Modification History

Date	Sections	Source	Details
21.11.22	All	University Academic Board	Revised policy
20.09.19	All	University Academic Board	Revised and simplified policy, procedural elements removed
25.05.18	C/4.6.3	University Academic Board	Section revised and content incorporated from C/4.5.7 on individual unit reports
03.10.14	C/4.6.3 and C/4.6.5	Dean of Studies, Learning and Teaching Unit	Revised policy to reflect terminology changes - Individual Course Report replaced with the Course Analytic Profile and Comprehensive Course Review replaced with Mid-cycle Review
20.09.13	C/4.6.3	University Academic Board	Revised policy to reflect replacement of the Strategic Faculty Courses Update with the Course Transformation and Re/accreditation Plan
23.11.12	All	University Academic Board	Revised policy - effective from 01.07.13. Revised to reflect revisions in curriculum development, approval and accreditation process, and inclusion of Individual Unit Reports and Comprehensive Course Reports as part of the Course Quality Cycle
18.11.11	All	University Academic Board	Revised policy to reflect new terminology ("at risk" replaced by "underperforming"); removal of C/4.6.4
20.04.11	All	Council	Policy revised to reflect committee name change from University Teaching and Learning Committee to University Learning and Teaching Committee
19.02.11	All	Vice-Chancellor	Policy revised to include approved name change for Office of Teaching Quality to Learning and Teaching Unit and position title for Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teaching Quality) to Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching)
14.11.08	All	University Academic Board	Revised policy, effective from 01.01.09; renumbered to C/4.6 (formerly C/4.10; also incorporates former C/7.1) (endorsed by Teaching and Learning Committee 19.08.08)
17.11.06	C/4.10.3, C/4.10.5 of former policy	University Academic Board	Revised policy to reflect new terminology ("offshore" replaced by "transnational"); quality assurance process for transnational courses (formerly C/4.10.5) relocated to C/4.8.6 (endorsed by Teaching and Learning Committee 31.10.06)
14.12.05	C/4.10.4 of former policy	Council	Revised policy to include role of Council (endorsed by University Academic Board 01.12.05)
08.08.03	C/4.10.3, C/4.10.5 of former policy	University Academic Board	Revised policy
20.06.03	C/4.10.3, C/4.10.4 of former policy	University Academic Board	Revised policy
05.08.02	All	Chairperson, University Academic Board (endorsed by University Academic Board 31.07.02)	Revised policy

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