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Quality improvement and enhancement 1.1. Mission/objectives in relation to quality The strategic direction, accountability and performance review mechanisms and resource allocation of the University are guided by the UWS Act, 1997, and the statement on Responsibility, Authority and Decision Making in UWS, Dec 1998, which outlines the functional relationships at the University and Members levels, and provides a clear and logical progression of the distribution of power and decision-making within UWS. The new UWS Act has provided a clearer, more stable set of structural relationships in the UWS Federation. It has therefore created a positive context for collaborative system level initiatives to improve both the quality and efficiency of University activities. In this context, UWS has initiated a comprehensive strategy to improve its Quality Assurance (QA) capacity across the University, at system and Member level. A major emphasis is to establish stronger and more tangible linkages between the planning and review/evaluation process. This is recognised to be a key element in the University’s determination to achieve a broad effective alignment of its budgetary and strategic planning process. Strategies to address QA are embedded within the University’s plans and QA processes are in place in each of the Members. Performance Indicators have been identified for the University’s core business areas and trend data is being developed. The QA agenda is being advanced through a number of integrated projects within the framework of the UWS Agenda 2000. The scope of these projects is wide, encompassing support services (finance, administration, IT, information management), educational programs and student services. There is a very pervasive emphasis on collaboration, flexibility, quality and efficiency. The University of Western Sydney Plan 1998-2002 defines the dimensions of quality which are important in the various parts of the University, and includes goals against which achievements of these dimensions can be measured. 1.1.1 Major goals UWS has set three major goals in relation to its core business areas as outlined in the University plan. To provide a learning environment that flexibly meets the needs of a diverse student body, promotes quality teaching and enhances student learning through an education of discovery. To conduct well-focussed research leading to the creation of new knowledge that enriches both teaching and outcomes of relevance and importance locally, nationally and internationally. Partnerships and community service To contribute to the educational, cultural, social and economic development of the regional, national and international communities. 1.1.2 UWS quality assurance principles Provision of teaching, scholarship, research and community service of the highest quality by University Members will be guided by the UWS quality assurance principles, outlined below:
1.2 Strategies and performance 1.2.1 Teaching and learning - performance indicator data Strategy: To focus on the learning needs of the local, national and international students drawn to UWS. Performance indicator 1: Improvement in completion, progression and retention rates for undergraduate students. The overall retention rate (and, therefore, estimated completion rate) of students declined in 1994-95 but recovered again in 1996-97. The retention rate for commencing students (IRR) generally tends to be lower than that of continuing students (ACR) (78.3 per cent vs 87.4 per cent in 1996-97). The estimated completion rate of the 1996-97 commencing cohort is 68.4 per cent compared with a low of 57.6 per cent for the 1994-95 cohort, and is consistent with the 1992-93 level (68.3 per cent). The apparent retention and completion rates vary by field of study. In some areas of study e.g. Science a significant number of students transfer to other universities. These students should be counted as ‘transfers’ rather than’ ‘non- retention’. In 1996-97 the highest apparent retention was in Education (87.5 per cent) and the lowest in Engineering (77.1 per cent) and Science (78.6 per cent). Performance indicator 2: Maintenance and improvement in the total number of preferences, and the rates of first preferences to total preferences for UWS. Since 1992, UWS has had the highest number of preferences in NSW and the ACT when measured by total preferences. First preferences performance has ranked UWS second to the University of Sydney annually since 1993, with the exception of 1995. Since 1992, the ratio of first preferences to total preferences has remained steady at around 1:5. When measured by applicants from Greater Western Sydney, UWS has dominated its closest competitor, i.e. The University of Sydney, by a factor of three since 1992 for both first and total preferences. Performance indicator 3: Improvement in employment outcomes of graduates. Full-time employment of UWS graduates is below the NSW and Australian averages and has declined since 1995. Part-time employment has shown a significant increase (1.5 per cent for 1995-96) for UWS, whilst NSW and Australian averages have declined. For UWS, there has been a decline in the percentage of graduates not working (0.9 per cent). The figure of 7.8 per cent for graduates who are not working and are still looking for full-time employment is less than that for Australia (8.5 per cent), but greater than that for NSW (7.5 per cent). In comparison with 1995, there is a decline of 3.1 per cent of Bachelor graduates continuing on to full-time study (compared with 2 per cent for Australia). The percentage of the number of graduates in full-time employment in their last year of study has increased slightly since 1995. Performance indicator 4: Student satisfaction as measured by the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ). The University of Western Sydney uses the CEQ to evaluate student satisfaction with their courses. Members are able to benchmark their performance against each other and against the sector. The 1997 data is not yet available for the sector as a whole; however, not withstanding this, the material in the following table will be used as a basis for initiating quality improvement in course planning and teaching. Table 1: Student satisfaction (CEQ)
1.2.2 Research - performance indicator data Strategy: Provide high quality research training that ensures excellent student progression and graduate outcomes. Performance indicator 5: Number of research degree completions. UWS postgraduate research student load reached the equivalent of 820 (511 PhD, 309 research masters) full-time students in 1997, a figure that has risen from just 70 in 1990. Research completions have also risen sharply. UWS had its first PhD graduates in 1994 but there has been an exponential growth in the number of completions (from three in 1994 to 16 in 1997 - see Table 2) as well as a steady increase in the number of completions as a function of the total enrolment. In 1997, UWS had 16 PhD completions and 23 research masters completions. In the period 1994-97, the proportion of research completions as a percentage of total research enrolments has risen from 2.8 per cent to 7.14 per cent for research masters and from 1.16 per cent to 3.13 per cent for PhD students. Table 2: Research Degree Completions
Note: % completions = (actual completions/total enrolments x 100%) Strategy: Strengthen the research profile and infrastructure that reflects the benchmarks of research-based universities in the proportion of the University's budget allocation to research. Performance indicator 6: Increase in staff with research qualifications. Data in Table 3 show that there is a steady growth in the number of academic staff with research qualifications over the period 1994-97. Table 3: Academic Staff with Postgraduate Research Qualifications
Strategy: Ensure community involvement in setting the research agenda of the University. Performance indicator 7: Growth in industry funding. Data from the ‘industry and other funding’ component of our composite index (Table 4) show that there has been a six-fold increase between 1992 and 1996. This growth is attributable in part to the growth in research funds from controlled entities associated with each of the UWS members. Table 4: Industry and Other Funding
Source: UWSN Research Office, based on the ‘industry and other funding’ component of the composite index reports Strategy: Improve the University's research performance (in attracting) research income. Performance indicator 8: Growth in number and dollar value of research grants. Data from this component of our composite index (Table 5) show that there has been substantial growth between 1994 and 1996 with a 25 per cent increase since 1995. Table 5: Total UWS External Research Funding
1.2.3 Community service performance indicator data Community service is essentially geographic and UWS has specified three regions where it considers it should have an impact: Greater Western Sydney (GWS), Greater Sydney (GS), and the national (Australian) community. Strategy: Increase participation of groups, particularly those of GWS, who historically have been under-represented in higher education. Performance indicator 9: Number and percentage of commencing Australian students whose home address in a local government area (LGA) in the GWS region. Table 6: Number and Percentages of Commencing Australian Students
Comment: The University has stated that it expects to have between 65 per cent and 75 per cent of students from the GWS region. The 1997 figure falls short of this range in all three Members. A marketing links forum has being established and community-based research is in progress. Strategy: Establish a graduate employment service to promote the availability of good quality employees, increase the availability of sustainable employment in GWS and assist students to gain employment. Performance indicator 10: Employment of graduates, full-time or part-time, in an LGA in the GWS region. Table 7: Employment of Graduates
For GWS, there was a slight decline of 4.4 per cent from 1995 (42.4 per cent) to 1996 (38 per cent) but in 1997, 50 per cent of graduates were employed in GWS. There is obviously an important contribution to employment in Greater Western Sydney. Strategy: Strengthen links with industries, employers and professions through award course provisions. Performance indicator 11: Number of courses, students and load of award courses specifically provided for and funded by employers in our LGA in GWS, Sydney, national or international. Table 8: Courses Funded by Employers
Rationalisation of courses has occurred over this period with load and student numbers steadily increasing. 1.2.4 Management strategy - performance indicator data Strategy: The development of a policy and procedural framework for the management of ‘reasonable adjustment’ in the workplace for people with disabilities. Performance indicator 12: The number of staff who are receiving workplace adjustments. Table 9: Staff with Disability
UWS has developed both a UWS Disability Action Plan (DAP) and UWS Disability Policy. Strategy: To promote organisational effectiveness and efficiency through common currency. Performance indicator 13: Common administrative systems, policies and practices across the University.
Dr Lesley Lynch |
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