Torrens’ Quality Assurance Framework
At an organisational level, the Quality Assurance Framework reflects a strong commitment to evidence based decision-making and continuous improvement. This is consistent with the Torrens University Australia’s aim to achieve excellence in all aspects of its work through accountability, collaboration and teamwork, and a student-centred approach to learning and teaching. The Quality Assurance Framework is designed to maintain the highest standards in meeting regulatory and legislative requirements. Torrens University Australia (TUA) values feedback and participation from staff and students in enhancing its effectiveness, and acknowledges the importance of external reference points in monitoring and measuring performance.
The Quality Assurance Framework has three components:
- Integrated Planning, which sets the focus for “what we do” as an educational provider of excellence
- Integrated Review, which sets the balances and measures to verify “how we know” the University is an educational provider of excellence
- Risk Management, ensuring the University remains flexible to risks and their potential impact.
The Quality Assurance Framework has embedded the Plan, Implement, Monitor/Review, and Improve (PIMI) quality assurance and continuous improvement model.
This framework enables TUA to achieve its strategic promises, ensure quality outcomes and meet its statutory and regulatory obligations. TUA is committed to the following quality management principles:
- A continuous improvement approach embedded at all levels of the business
- Evidence-based and inclusive decision-making processes
- Monitoring outcomes against its stated goals, performance indicators and targets
- Using internal and external review mechanisms to identify improvement opportunities and implement action plans and mitigation strategies
- Developing a culture of ownership, participation and responsiveness where all staff understand their individual and collective responsibility for quality processes and outcomes.
The Governing Board actively oversees quality assurance through responsiveness to periodic reports on the quality of academic programs, including reviews and reports on delivery of programs with other parties onshore and offshore that lead to a Torrens University award, as well as regular review of academic quality risks.
The Academic Board is responsible for quality assurance of all academic activities across the university, including active oversight of policies and procedures relating to quality assurance, academic quality benchmarking projects and actions arising, effectiveness of academic integrity processes, and academic standards in teaching and scholarship in accordance with the TUA Learning and Teaching Plan.
The Executive Learning and Teaching Committee oversees learning and teaching across the University and provides the Academic Board with strategic analysis and advice on a regular basis on learning and teaching, and course performance to enable measurement of outcomes and trends.
At a Vertical level, the Vertical Learning and Teaching Committees provide advice to the Executive Learning and Teaching Committee, the Academic Board and the University’s Executive in undertaking the following tasks:
- Monitor the implementation of the Vertical learning and teaching plans
- Provide leadership in reviewing, revising and developing courses, including:
- Review annual course review cycles to ensure equivalency of learning outcomes, assessments and student workloads across all modes of delivery
- Review the curriculum mapping process documentation to ensure appropriateness of alignment and coherence of course design throughout the proposed course
- Provide leadership in assessing, monitoring and improving the quality of learning and teaching
- Monitor retention rates and oversee retention improvement initiatives
- Provide a framework for the professional development of learning facilitators (lecturers) and academic managers
- Encourage teaching excellence through collaboration and sharing of innovation and good practice
- Review and monitor Assessment Review Committee and Academic Progression reports
- Support and guide the development of library and learning services and resources
- Ensure academic policies, procedures and guidelines support learning and teaching
- Provide an environment for discussion on current teaching and learning issues and support Campus and College based improvements.
View our Academic Framework here
Data Protection and Privacy
Hani Skaf is our Data Protection and Privacy Officer (DPO). As DPO, Hani will be responsible for encouraging, training and advising on compliance with privacy laws, liaising with the respective Privacy Commissioners or supervisory authorities (as required) and monitoring data protection impact assessments where requested. Please direct any queries to him at hskaf@torrens.edu.au
Registered Name: Torrens University Australia Limited
HEP Registration Number: PRV 12209
RTO Number: 41343
ABN 99 154 937 005
CRICOS Provider: 03389E