USQ Review update - June 2011

AUQA Cycle 2 Audit Progress Report

The USQ Progress Report for the 2009 USQ Cycle 2 Audit was been approved by AUQA in February 2011 and is available online. Work is continuing for those review outcomes which are incomplete with progress reported to the Vice-Chancellor’s Committee.

Global Learning Division Review
The Global Learning Division Review Implementation project now enters the final phase of implementation. The project has been typified by a strong strategic approach to the future needs of USQ and by providing a stable platform for embracing ongoing change. The organisational structures have been finalised and all positions (old / changed / new) have been reviewed and evaluated and now await the Project Board’s approval. This will activate the transitionary HR processes, the completion of which will signal the evaluation and closure of the project. This is estimated to be slightly ahead of the ambitious schedule adopted late in 2010. The DVC (GL) and Acting PVC (LTQ) were particularly impressed by the overwhelmingly positive response of staff during a very challenging time.

Faculty of Education Review
The Vice-Chancellor endorsed the Faculty of Education Review Report and the 12 recommendations contained within the report in full on the 11th February 2011 and requested that the implementation phase commence.

The Faculty held Planning Days on the 14th and 15th February 2011, at which time the recommendations were discussed along with alignment of those with the 2011 Faculty Operational Plan. As an outcome of the Planning Days, Expressions of Interest were called for staff to be involved in working groups/teams to consider the recommendations and propose ways forward for consideration by relevant Faculty committees and communication channels. Three working groups have been established to consider Learning and Teaching related items, another two for Research related and another to consider Staff/Staffing/People matters.

Updates on working group proposals and resultant actions linked to implementation of the recommendations are provided on a regular basis to the Faculty through various communication channels including but not limited to: Faculty Assembly, Faculty Pedagogical Conversations, Deans Updates; and are also issued to the Review Project Sponsor Professor Graham Baker and forwarded to the Planning Quality & Review Committee to close the loop on the Review process.

Division of Information Communication Technology Review
The Organisational Review of the Division of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) is now entering the implementation phase. The project team and executive are undertaking the following:

1. Scoping the recommendations and affirmations in the Panel Report.
2. Analysing the impact of dependencies and the implications on the DICT and USQ businesses.
3. Assessing budget capacity.
4. Meeting with key stakeholders and staff through consultations and forums.
5. Benchmarking best practice within the sector.

Further consultation will be undertake with ICT Division staff. The end goal for this phase of the review implementation is to meet the operational and strategic expectations of the Division of ICT and the University.