Benchmarking
Benchmarking as defined in Section 4.10 of USQ's Quality Management Policy is:
- A strategic and systematic learning approach of continuous comparative and evaluation processes against organisations, both national and international, to gain information which will help USQ to take action to improve its performance and excel.
Benchmarking in learning and teaching is an evidence-based process that encourages comparisons with other organisations to enhance good practice. At USQ benchmarking is guided by:
Guidelines to effective benchmarking in learning and teaching
A series of guidelines (PDF* 370kb) are provided that show effective benchmarking processes with specific reference to learning and teaching.
ACODE benchmarking
USQ has been active in promoting the use of a series of eight benchmarks developed by the Australasian Council on Open, Distance and eLearning (ACODE) of which USQ is a member.
In 2007 USQ received $51,900 from the ALTC's (then Carrick Institute) Discipline-Based Initiatives Scheme to conduct a series of workshops across Australia supporting the dissemination of the ACODE benchmarks in eLearning.
In September/October 2008 LTSU, DAIS and DICTS undertook a comprehensive self-assessment activity based on the benchmarks.
Between 3-5 November 2008 USQ hosted a site visit from Deakin University and undertook as series of formal inter-institutional benchmarking activities resulting in a report (PDF* 215kb) and a series of recommendations.
On 28 November 2008 an activity based on the first three benchmarks was conducted with Central Queensland University (CQU) via teleconference, resulting in a report (PDF* 393kb) that provides a summary of benchmarking comparisons.
'How to' flyer
Audiovisual resources
More resources
There are further resources about benchmarking on the Quality page.
*This file is in Portable Document Format (PDF) which requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader. A free copy of Acrobat Reader may be obtained from Adobe .