USQ standards are of high order
THE University of Southern Queensland has rigorous and demanding internal mechanisms that review academic and operational functions, USQ Chancellor John Dornbusch said.
Mr Dornbusch was responding to recent media reports that suggested USQ’s academic compliance procedures could be improved.
He supported statements made by interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Janet Verbyla that USQ’s own independent internal audit procedures ensured due diligence was maintained across every aspect of the university.
Mr Dornbusch said a report in The Australian newspaper inferred that a review into the university’s academic board showed compliance issues around course and program quality.
“This could not be further from the truth. It is irresponsible to take sections of a draft document that gave preliminary input into what is a continuing and ongoing evaluation, as the basis of fact,” he said.
Mr Dornbusch said that as part of the university’s annual cycle of independent internal audit reports an external consultant had been contracted to give input into a more comprehensive audit to improve the structure of USQ’s academic board.
“The input of an independent reviewer is very much part of our normal business practices and forms part of the overall information gathering regularly undertaken to ensure that policies and procedures remain bench-marked against the highest level of effectiveness in the university sector,” he said.
“While a draft report was received into the structure and reporting lines of Academic Board, the consultant did go to great lengths to point out that USQ has and is following due process in how it meets its compliance targets.
“At no stage has it been established that USQ does not have compliant academic quality assurance practices.
“Like everything, continuous improvement is part of our everyday practices at USQ.”
Mr Dornbusch reiterated that USQ’s processes and procedures were not done in isolation but in close collaboration with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.