Chenicheri Sid Nair

The changing nature of teaching and unit evaluations in Australian universities

Purpose – Teaching and unit evaluations surveys are used to assess the quality of teaching and the quality of the unit of study. An analysis of teaching and unit evaluation survey practices in Australian universities suggests significant changes. One key change discussed in the paper is the shift from voluntary to mandatory use of surveys with the results used to assess and reward academic staff performance. The change in the direction is largely driven by the introduction of performance‐based funding as part of quality assurance arrangements. The paper aims to outline the current trends and changes and the implications in the future such as increased scrutiny of teaching and intrusion to academic autonomy.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the analysis of current teaching and unit evaluation practices across the Australian university sector. The paper presents the case of an Australian university that has introduced performance‐based reward using various measures to assess and reward aca...

Factors influencing student choice to study at private higher education institutions

Purpose – This paper aims to make a contribution to the current lack of literature in the Australian context by reviewing qualitative feedback collected from students in five private higher education institutions. In particular, the paper seeks to examine factors influencing student choice to study at private higher education institutions and student perceptions of such institutions. Previous studies on this topic are mostly focussed on universities with lack of research with the booming private higher education sector. Design/methodology/approach – This study draws data from five different private for-profit higher education institutions in Australia. It involved feedback from 120 students undertaking higher education courses in different discipline areas at different stages of study. The study involved 15 focus group interviews with eight students in a group. The selection of students was based on the representation of different characteristics of student such as: male/female, domestic/international, an...

Private for-profit higher education in Australia: widening access, participation and opportunities for public-private collaboration

Private for-profit higher education has grown rapidly in many parts of the world. This growth is attributed to many factors, including a broadening of the student population and the recognition that wider access to higher education will be economically beneficial to individuals, governments and society as a whole. In Australia, the number of students in private for-profit higher education is rising, with dramatic projections for the next 10 years. The Australian government has set a target to increase the participation of students in higher education, with a focus on increasing the access and success of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is unclear, however, what role the burgeoning private for-profit institutions will play in meeting the governments targets, and what incentives will be provided for them to increase the access and participation of students from disadvantaged groups. This paper analyses the key drivers of growth in private for-profit higher education in Australia, and discusses issues around quality and standards. It examines the strengths and limitations of the sector, and the extent to which it contributes to diversity, access and the participation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It argues that the sector needs clear government directions to improve levels of access, and new government policies to encourage public-private collaborations to help ensure sustainability. The paper also briefly touches on the need for a review into the current structure of Australias higher education sector as a whole, and whether higher education would benefit from the formation of public community colleges with the explicit aim of widening access for disadvantaged student groups. Further, the paper suggests that encouraging such public-private collaboration may be beneficial to ensure access and participation of students from all walks of life, including disadvantaged groups.

Enhancing the quality of engineering education by utilising student feedback: Quality and the engineering student experience: an institutional approach

This paper reports on the role of the current student experience questionnaire in gaining student views on their educational experiences while studying at a research-intensive university in Australia. In particular, the paper focuses on the experiences of engineering students. The paper goes on to examine the areas of best practice and those identified for improvement by students. A number of areas identified by engineering students as needing improvement fall within the teaching dimension; in particular, issues relating to feedback to students and clarity of explanation. Finally, the paper outlines some of the actions that have been taken by the university and the Faculty of Engineering based on the results.

Responding to the student voice: a case study of a systematic improvement strategy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of collecting and acting on student feedback as a key component of quality improvement in higher education. The paper seeks to outline a systematic improvement strategy adopted at a faculty level within a large university in Australia but will be of interest to leaders and practitioners of quality assurance programmes across the sector.Design/methodology/approach – A strategy to achieve quality improvement was designed and carried out jointly by the University Centre for Higher Education Quality (CHEQ) and the Centre for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (CALT) with staff in one of the smaller faculties at the University. The faculty mean for student satisfaction lagged significantly below the means of other faculties, and five units (subjects) which were deemed to be “poorly performing” against the Universitys agreed target were selected for some intensive improvement. The guiding principles which underpinned the adopted strategy ...

Renewing quality assurance at a time of turbulence: An attempt to reenergise quality in Australian higher education

Taylor and Francis PSP_A_580793. gm 10.1080/136 3108.2011.580793 Perspectives 360-3108 (pri t)/1460-7018 (online) Articl 2 11 & Francis 0 0 002011 Mr MahsoodShah mahsood.sh h@canberra.edu.au Introduction The renewal of quality assurance in Australian higher education comes at a time when the higher education sectors in Australia and around the world are experiencing a number of key challenges. These include: ongoing decline in public funding of universities; the massification of higher education and demand for it during global recession; governments’ focus on increasing enrolments in universities and particularly on access and participation by students from disadvantaged backgrounds; the rise of private for-profit higher education; use of ICT in learning; and the increased diversity of student populations. Specific to the Australian higher education sector, another key challenge is the sharp downturn of international student enrolments since early 2010, by around 10%, due to changes in government policy on skilled migration. These challenges, together with the government’s interest in quality assurance, a key element in the Australian labour party’s political platform, are driving reforms in higher education. These include: a shift of funding of projected student numbers in universities to a demand-driven model with funding of actual student places and encouragement of competition; increasing access and participation in higher education by disadvantaged students; a new quality assurance framework focused on assessing and monitoring standards; performance-based funding using various measures to reward universities; and the development of the My University website to publish university performance based on various measures for public access.

A decade of study on employer feedback on the quality of university graduates

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline four separate studies undertaken in two Australian universities between 2003 and 2012 on employer feedback on the quality of university graduates. Higher education has expanded significantly in the past decade. The expansion has been in student enrolments with a focus on increasing the participation of disadvantaged students; the emergence of new kinds of providers other than universities; new modes of education delivery; and the internationalisation of higher education. The diversity of higher education institutions and quality issues require the assessment of graduate quality based on feedback from employers. The lack of such assessment on graduate quality based on employer voice risks the production of graduates with focus on success (quantity) rather than excellence (quality). It also disconnects the engagement between higher education institutions and employers to assess trends and changes in various industries and professions that require employer in...

Benchmarking for the effective use of student evaluation data

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine current approaches to interpretation of student evaluation data and present an innovative approach to developing benchmark targets for the effective and efficient use of these data. Design/methodology/approach – This article discusses traditional approaches to gathering and using student feedback across the tertiary sector. The limitations of the customary use of the statistical mean as a quality measure of performance are presented and examined. An alternative method of interpreting student evaluation data is proposed and examples given. Findings – The traditional use of the statistical mean to interpret student evaluation data has limitations. Focusing on data at the macro level provides subject teaching staff and managers with a clearer indication of student satisfaction. The use of a percentage satisfied and percentage dissatisfied metric to classify and rank subjects is presented as an efficient alternative to the traditional approach, while recognisi...

Quality in action: closing the loop

Purpose – This paper aims to report on how an Administrative Division at a research‐intensive Australian university utilised feedback data from the Learning and Growth Survey, to initiate changes.Design/methodology/approach – This paper refers to the actions taken by the Administrative Division to the results obtained from the Learning and Growth Survey. The questionnaire items are based on the “Balanced Scorecard” system outlined by Kaplan and Norton in 1996. It consists of a number of items identified as integral to effective growth and learning strategies for staff‐development. The questionnaire seeks staff perceptions of the individual items and how their needs are met in the current University management practices.Findings – The results of this survey indicate that employees were willing to provide practical feedback on a range of dimensions, which they felt would assist improvement of their development and growth opportunities. Further, this paper demonstrates that in any exercise which involves col...

Turning the ship around: Rethinking strategy development and implementation in universities

Purpose – The higher education sector in many countries is going through unprecedented changes. The changes are as a direct result of external and internal operating environments which are having a significant impact on universities. Externally, changing government policy; ongoing student growth and stakeholder demand for quality; and international developments in higher education are some of the many factors driving change in universities. Internally, change in leadership and renewed institutional strategy; and financial sustainability are some of the internal factors contributing to the changes within universities. The purpose of this paper is to outline the changing context of Australian higher education and argue the need for the renewed emphasis on strategy development and effective implementation in universities. Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses the recurring themes related to strategy development, implementation and reviews from the external quality audits of all Australian universi...