WORKSHOP SESSION F5
Quality Assuring the Quality Assurer

PRE-FORUM ONLINE WORKSHOP

Start: 9 am AEST, 16 June
Finish: 3 pm AEST, 30 June

FACE-TO-FACE WORKSHOP

When: Friday 9 July, 11.15 am – 12.30 pm
Where: Grevillea 2, Hyatt Regency, Adelaide

Note: these sessions are interactive workshops, not paper presentations.

WORKSHOP OUTLINE

The driving force for quality assuring the quality assurer is political, in that there is concern for form at least as much as for substance. Whatever the rhetoric, public entities are expected to produce outcomes that justify the public expense of their activities. Simply implementing procedures in support of a statutory role is not a measurable outcome. A key role of the quality assurance system in a public agency is to measure the agency’s outputs and the outcomes from processes for public reporting purposes.

However, the public sector or political reporting requirements of the agency may not directly align with other aims or the expectations of other stakeholders. Public sector reporting may require a workload perspective, focusing more on outputs, rather than any notion of value-adding outcomes. The agency needs to prioritise the reporting requirements of the system so it can serve a range of imperatives.

ONLINE WORKSHOP THOUGHT STARTERS

Broadly, the thought starters seek to establish discussion in three areas:

• Why is it necessary for a public quality assurance entity to quality assure itself?
  
• What should the quality system of the quality assurer look like?
  
• Whether the Queensland Office of Higher Education Quality System or alternatives are the best fit for purpose?

Topic A: Why is it necessary for a public quality assurance entity to quality assure itself?

Considerations might include:

• Quality assurance of public agencies is politically motivated
  
• Quality processes lead to quality outcomes

Topic B: What should the quality system of the quality assurer look like?

Considerations might include:

• Regulation is the law; enhancement is window dressing
  
• What is important to providers, quality or the bottom line

Topic C: To what extent can institutional quality systems inform agency quality assurance practices?

Considerations might include:

• Agencies are the ‘Great Academic Board in the Sky’
  
• Agencies quality assure a range of providers, not just courses

Topic D: Is an agency quality system that is flexible and reflective the best fit for purpose?

Considerations might include:

• The inherent limitations in systems such as the Australian Quality Training Framework, or ISO 9000
  
• The need for flexible reactions to changes in the operating environment, performance expectations, and sectoral trends

KEY FACILITATOR IAN KIMBER

Ian Kimber is the Manager of the Queensland Office of Higher Education (QOHE) higher education approval team, and has been with the QOHE for five years. In this role he is responsible for the development of policy and legislation underpinning the Office’s higher education approval processes, and their implementation. Ian actively participates in national policy debates and development in relation to higher education, and quality assurance in particular.

Contact Details

Ian Kimber
Manager Accreditation
Office of Higher Education, Queensland
PO Box 33, Brisbane Albert Street, Qld 4002
Phone (07) 3235 9886
Fax (07) 3237 1444
Email ian.kimber@qed.qld.gov.au
Web site http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/accreditation/university

CO-FACILITATOR JAMES MILLWARD

James Millward is a Policy Officer (Accreditation) within the higher education approval team, Queensland Office of Higher Education.
His responsibilities include:

• Course assessment process management
  
• Higher education policy matters
  
• Oversight of higher education legislation

Contact Details

James Millward
Policy Officer (Accreditation)
Office of Higher Education, Queensland
PO Box 33, Brisbane Albert Street, Qld 4002
Phone (07) 3237 0390
Fax (07) 3237 1444
Email james.millward@qed.qld.gov.au
Web site http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/accreditation/university

CO-FACILITATOR HELEN LAWRANCE

Helen Lawrance is a Policy Officer (Accreditation) within the higher education approval team, Queensland Office of Higher Education.

Her responsibilities include:

• Course assessment process management
  
• Higher education policy matters
  
• Implementation of quality assurance database

Helen has previously had experience in university administration, policies and procedures, and course approvals.

Contact Details

Helen Lawrance
Policy Officer (Accreditation)
Office of Higher Education, Queensland
PO Box 33, Brisbane Albert Street, Qld 4002
Phone (07) 3237 0390
Fax (07) 3237 1444
Email helen.lawrance@qed.qld.gov.au
Web site http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/accreditation/university