Quality Audit at Monash (ARCHIVE)

On 17 November 2011, TEQSA advised the University that the Cycle 2 Quality Audit sheduled for September 2012 would not now proceed but would be replaced by a major provider re-registration process, a scan of providers based on risk, an information collection process, a possible ESOS review and possible thematic reviews.  The information provided below will be archived shortly.

Quality Audit at Monash University

The Australian Government has established a new national regulatory and quality agency, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). TEQSA is an independent body whose powers to regulate university higher education providers, monitor quality and set standards will come into effect on 30 January 2012.  TEQSA will register providers (including universities), carry out evaluations of standards and performance, and assure the quality of international education.  It will combine the regulatory and accreditation of courses activity currently undertaken in the states and territories with the quality assurance activities formerly undertaken by the Australian Universities Quality Agency, AUQA.

All Cycle 2 audits will be completed according to AUQA requirements, unless TEQSA advises otherwise.

Cycle 2 Audit (2012)

Audit Dates

Monash will be among 11 universities audited in 2012 as part of Cycle 2 TEQSA audits.  The University has been advised that Monash’s Cycle 2 Performance Portfolio must be submitted by COB on Friday, 8 June 2012 and that the Audit Panel will visit the Australian campus(es) between 10 – 14 September 2012.

Provided the panel follows the typical audit timeline as set out in the AUQA Manual (V8), key milestones for Audit will be as follows:

Submission of the Performance Portfolio to TEQSA       Friday, 8 June 2012
Preparatory Visit of TEQSA Panel to Monash                  Mid-July 2012
Panel audit of international campuses and partners         Late July – Early August 2012
Panel audit of Australian campuses and partners            10 – 14 September 2012
Audit Report publicly released                                             Late December 2012

Experience from other Cycle 2 Audits has shown that the Panel may visit all international campuses and transnational education activities.

Audit Preparations

In March 2010, the Senior Management Team (Expanded) established an  Audit Steering Committee as a sub-committee of SMT(E) to guide the preparations for audit.  The Monash Quality Unit (MQU) within the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Quality) is coordinating these preparations.

Cycle 2 audits take a thematic approach and focus on academic standards, evidence and outcomes.

Self Review

Monash commenced exploring potential themes for its Cycle 2 Audit in mid 2010, following the establishment of the Audit Steering Committee.  Initially three themes were selected as potential areas for improvement through the Audit process:

1. Academic Standards and International Students (in Australia and Offshore),
2. International Engagement, and
3. Research Training.

In late 2010 and early 2011, the University undertook a risk assessment exercise with regard to the three themes, to determine areas of strength and weakness to inform Audit preparations.  This process involved the review of key documentation (policies, plans, processes, and outcomes data) followed by interviews with staff and students at onshore and offshore campuses.  The key outcome of this process has been the development of improvement plans to ensure the University has addressed any gaps or recommendations for improvement prior to the audit visit in 2012.  

The Office of Planning and Quality would like to thank all staff and students who participated in the self review process for their valuable contribution to this important quality improvement process.

Audit Themes

In August 2011, the AUQA Board formally approved two themes for the Monash Cycle 2 Audit. 

1.    Theme 1 – Internationalisation

Primary Scope:

·         The University’s internationalisation strategy, including internationalisation for all students

·         Development and maintenance of academic standards for international students (onshore and offshore)

·         Student experience for international students (onshore and offshore)

·         Research and research training on international campuses.

Following on from the University’s risk assessment, TEQSA will be addressing in particular the strengthening of assessment processes, the need for improved monitoring of policy awareness, reinforcement of multi-campus teaching and assessment requirements, and clarification of decision-making processes.

This theme will encompass all Monash campuses onshore and offshore and will include a focus upon admission and equivalences for international and domestic students, tracking of cohort performance including progression and completion rates, and parity of assessment outcomes across cohorts and delivery locations.

2.    Theme 2 – Research Training

Primary Scope:

·         Progress with the implementation of Monash’s Research Strategic Plan and related matters

·         Monash’s approach to research training management

·         Research training at developing campuses

·         Remote supervision

·         Admission criteria

·         Supervision, standards for supervisors and student evaluation of supervision

·         Support for research students and supervisors including collaboration and partnerships

·         Research degree ‘curriculum’

·         Skills development and graduate attributes

·         Retention and progress.

This theme will also encompass a number of recommendations and affirmations made in the Cycle 1 Audit.

Cycle 1 Audit (2006)

Cycle 1 AUQA audits were completed in 2006 with Monash being audited in that year. These were ‘whole of institution’ audits of quality arrangements relating to the activities of Australian universities and self accrediting institutions. The self-review portfolio and audit panel visit schedule are available from the Monash 2006 audit page. The AUQA and HEQC audit reports and institutional progress reports are available from the Audit Reports page.

TEQSA will consider progress on Cycle 1 recommendations and affirmations during the Cycle 2 Audit in 2012.

Further Information

For further information please contact mqu@adm.monash.edu.au