Charles Sturt
University
Mission statement
The mission of Charles Sturt University is to
prepare graduates with a professional edge who are competitive in meeting the present and
changing needs of society, commerce and industry. It seeks to
achieve this mission by:
- balancing professional and vocational course needs with the
development of skills for, and positive attitudes towards, life-long learning;
- attracting students nationally and internationally through the
excellence of its courses, teaching, scholarship and support to students;
- being committed to open learning through access, articulation and
student support programs;
- providing a variety of learning environments to meet the different
needs of students drawn from diverse educational, social, ethnic and economic backgrounds;
- conducting high quality research of regional significance and
international distinction;
- combining a dynamic regional commitment with a growing
international reputation; and
- providing a flexible, innovative and challenging environment in
which to teach, learn, research and work.
Graduate attributes
Graduates of Charles Sturt University are expected to be ethical
members of society with an interest in life-long learning and valuable employees. They
should be able to apply relevant skills and knowledge in the modern workplace, use
appropriate technologies, exercise critical and reflective judgement, work and learn
independently or in collaboration with others and communicate effectively. These
attributes should be complemented with an appreciation of academic honesty, reflective
judgement, responsibility for professional decisions, tolerance and integrity.
Planning, quality assurance and performance
management
The University is committed to achieving excellence in teaching,
high quality research and scholarship and community service for the public good and
supports this commitment with integrated planning that provides a framework for the
application of the quality assurance and performance management processes.
Institutional planning reflects the University’s priorities,
these being supported by goals, strategies and targets within the triennial plan.
Faculties, divisions, sections and key individuals develop their operational plans to be
consistent with the University’s overriding plan, Towards 2000. Targets are
wherever possible quantitative, incorporating external evaluation and benchmarking against
industry standards. Faculties, divisions, sections and key individuals take responsibility
for their own quality assurance processes, subject to a set of minimum requirements.
Periodic audit of groups determines the appropriateness and effectiveness of their quality
processes, while performance management monitors individual accountability.
The hierarchical structure of plans ensures consistency of purpose
throughout the University, while devolving responsibility for planning encourages
ownership of the plans and acceptance of the targets. The result is a planning process
with in-built quality assurance that impacts upon the day-to-day activities within the
University.
Administration of quality assurance and
improvement
The quality process is administered by three key University
bodies, the University Planning Committee, the Academic Senate and the Administrative
Systems Steering Committee (ASSC). The University Planning Committee has broad tenet to
set the priorities and directions of the University and the allocation of resources and
monitors the effectiveness of how these resources are applied. The Academic Senate has
responsibility for learning, teaching, research and professionally related community
service, while ASSC oversees the administrative and support areas.
The following quality assurance summary focuses on those goals and
key strategies relating to student outcomes only. Considering the stage of development of
quantitative performance indicators in the higher education sector and in the spirit of
continuous improvement, the internal quality process itself is expected to evolve,
particularly in the definition and use of outcome measures.
Quality assurance and improvement
plan
Strategies |
Outcomes |
| Student outcomes |
|
| Teaching and learning |
|
| Goal: To be recognised for
excellence in teaching |
|
- Continue to recognise and reward best teaching practice
- Require new academic staff to participate in programs that
facilitate quality teaching
- Support research into best teaching practice and academic staff
development in student learning
- Continue to conduct Teaching Colloquiums to encourage staff
development
|
Course Experience
Questionnaire- Good Teaching Scale: Broad Agreement (%) 1996:
77% 1997: 77%
Source: DETYA: CEQ-good teaching (crude) |
| Goal: To maintain a leading
role in off-campus learning |
- Explore and evaluate new on-line systems and pedagogies to deliver
off-campus
- Improve structures and processes that facilitate flexible learning
- Provide online support to all distance education subjects by 1999
- Support academics in the development and implementation of learning
and teaching strategies involving the use of technology
- Develop consistently high quality learning resources
- Implement Academic Senate policy to ensure effectiveness of
administrative arrangements for residential schools – production o an annual report
Provide students with on-line access to university administrative
and support services |
Proportion of Australian
distance education enrolments at Charles Sturt University 1995:
15.8% 1996: 15.9% 1997: 16.8%
Source: DETYA national data
Proportion of distance education subjects supported on-line
1996: 2% 1997: 7% 1998: 50%
Source: Charles Sturt University: internal data |
| Goal: To ensure relevance of
learning opportunities |
- Maintain and extend student opportunities for practical and
industrial experience
- Implement Academic Senate policy on generic skills, attributes and
values to be fostered in undergraduate courses
|
Course Experience
Questionnaire - Generic Skills Scale: Broad Agreement (%) 1996:
86% 1997: 86%
Source: DETYA: CEQ-generic skills (crude) |
Strategies |
Outcomes |
| Goal: To be recognised for
course relevance and currency |
- Extend strategic alliances with employers and professional bodies
- Develop and offer collaborative educational programs with industry
groups
- Encourage study abroad by Australian students
- Establish a learning environment emphasising cultural diversity and
an international perspective
- Encourage further external accreditation of courses
|
Graduate Full Time
Employment* 1996: 73% 1997: 77%
Source: DETYA: graduate full-time-employment (crude)
*Interpretation of this outcome should give consideration to the
relatively high unemployment levels in regional areas served by the University
Graduate Full Time Study
1996: 8% 1997: 8%
Source: DETYA: graduate full time study (crude) |
| Goal: To ensure quality of
learning opportunities |
- Academic Senate to conduct quality audits of faculties and
implement a schedule of periodic faculty reviews.
- Implement Academic Senate policy in relation to:
- compulsory student evaluation of subjects and procedures for
responding to results
- academic feedback to students, including guidelines on marking and
return of assignments
- content of Subject Outlines – the "contract"
detailing teaching and assessment in each subject
- the production and timely dispatch of distance learning materials
– annual report
|
Student Progression Rate: 1995: 83% 1996: 83%
Source: DETYA: student progress rate (crude)
|
- grade distributions and grade distribution reports for
undergraduate subjects
- review of assignment grades and final grades
- student rate of progress
- Establish independent mechanisms to deal with student concerns
- Develop The University and Student Charter, detailing the
expectations and responsibilities of students and the University
|
Course Experience
Questionnaire- Overall Satisfaction: Broad Agreement (%) 1996:
91% 1997: 90%
Source: DETYA: CEQ – overall satisfaction (crude) |
Strategies |
Outcomes |
| Research |
|
| Goal: Increase relevant
research amongst academic staff |
- Continue to recognise and reward achievement in research
- Examine options for differential workloads for academic staff
- Review the Research Management Plan
- Regularly review the recognised fields of research for the
University
- Implement a Code of Conduct for research
- Modify rewards to staff to improve research outcomes
|
Number of Competitive
Grants 1995: 35 1996: 30 1997: 54
Value of Competitive Grants
1995: $958 275 1996: $981 903 1997: $1 458
136
Research Quantum as a proportion of Operating Grant
1995: 2.44% 1996: 2.94% 1997: 3.06%
Source: DETYA |
| Goal: To increase the number
and support to research students |
- Continue the registration process for supervisors of higher degree
students to ensure quality of supervision
- Review of research students’ progress annually by the Board of
Graduate Studies
|
Research Student
enrolments: 1996: 208 1997: 224 1998: 243
Source: DETYA Enrolment File |
- Monitor Academic Senate policy to audit the enrolment, support and
examination of research students
- Implement the minimum resources policy for research students
- Implement a code of practice for supervision
- Introduce new professional doctorates
- Review admissions procedures for research students
|
Number of research
student graduations 1995: 12 1996: 6 1997:
11
Source: DETYA Past Course Completions File
Retention rate of research students
1995/96: 84% 1996/97: 89% 1997/98: 92%
Source: Office of Research and Graduate Studies |
|