Learning and teaching quality assurance

The Learning and Teaching Quality Assurance and Enhancement Framework outlines the major features of the University's quality system for teaching and learning:

Taumata Teitei – Vision 2030 and Strategic Plan 2025 sets out the priorities for Education and the Student Experience:

• Accessible, equitable lifelong higher education opportunities.
• Student-centric learning, co-curricular and extra-curricular cultures.
• Education that is research-informed, transdisciplinary, relevant and with impact for the world.
• Graduates who make the world better tomorrow than it is today.

These priorities provide a framework for faculties and service divisions to report on their teaching and learning activities. Annual Plans and Reports are prepared by faculties and service divisions, which include their priority objectives for the year ahead and progress reports on current objectives.

The quality and standards of the courses taught at the University is the responsibility of all teaching staff, who are expected to have or to develop skills to be effective and excellent teachers. This is assured through the Academic Development and Performance Review Policy, and the training and professional development opportunities offered by Organisational Development and Ranga Auaha Ako (Learning Design).

The Enhancement and Evaluation of Teaching and Courses Policy and Procedures requires teachers to use students’ formative feedback during courses, and to refer to the Summative Evaluation Tool (SET) and course reviews to develop and enhance courses and their teaching practice. These are outlined in the guidelines:

• Enhancement and Evaluation of Teaching and Courses Policy and Procedures

Course reviews are undertaken after each offering of a course in order to consider improvements or changes to be made. Feedback from students informs this process.

The University reviews its programmes, its departments and schools, and its disciplines regularly. All new qualifications are reviewed in advance of being assessed by the Committee on University Academic Programmes Graduating Year Review process.

Existing University programmes may be reviewed internally by faculties. Programmes with large enrolments or of strategic importance are reviewed on a 10-year cycle under the University’s Guidelines for Programme Reviews.

More information about Programme Reviews

Academic units with responsibilities for teaching and research are reviewed by a panel with external and internal membership within a 7 to 10-year cycle, under the Policy and Procedures for External Review of Academic Units and Disciplines.

More information about academic unit and discipline reviews

The Academic Quality Office monitors students' feedback through the annual Learning and Teaching Survey and SET course evaluations, among other sources, as well as student completion rates and other statistics. AQO prepares annual reviews for each faculty and these reports are considered by the Pro Vice-Chancellor Education and the faculty Deans.

The leadership and management of learning and teaching is shared among University leaders, faculties (Deans and Associate Deans), academic units (Academic Heads, and academic and professional staff) and University committees with responsibility for learning and teaching.

The Provost leads the Education Office, and working with the Pro Vice-Chancellor Education and the Director of Learning and Teaching, is responsible for strategic direction and leadership of learning and teaching across the University. This includes academic planning, the maintenance of academic standards, and enhancing the academic profile of the University nationally and internationally.

Senate is the University’s academic board and advises the University Council on matters relating to courses of study or training, awards, and other academic matters, which includes learning and teaching quality. Reporting to Senate are several committees with responsibilities for learning and teaching, including: Education Committee, Academic Programmes Committee, and the Board of Graduate Studies. Teaching and Learning Quality Committee is a sub-committee of Education Committee with specific responsibility for monitoring academic quality.

Email: quality@auckland.ac.nz