Program reviews
If in doubt about where to start, please email science.curriculum@anu.edu.au
Related policies and procedures
- Academic Accreditation Handbook : https://www.anu.edu.au/anu-policy-handbooks/academic-accreditation-handbook
- *Academic Programs and Courses Accreditation policy: https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_000360
- *Academic Programs and Courses Accreditation procedure: https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_000691
How to guides and supporting documents
| Document name | Contents |
|---|---|
| Program review template (not linked) | Program review pro-forma. This is typically prefilled by the Education Governance Office and circulated with the program review data pack. |
| Guidance on best practice, depth and scope of program reviews | |
| List of frequently asked questions |
General information
We are required by our central and external regulators, including the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), to undertake a formal review of every curriculum object every five years.
Program reviews are an essential component of Quality Assurance monitoring of ANU offerings and through them we undertake a thorough health check of a program to ensure it is compliant, fit for purpose, viable and producing graduates who are appropriately prepared to enter the workforce or continue to further study. Failure to submit program reviews through standard ANU approval timelines and channels may result in a suspension of admission of students into the program.
The Coursework program review schedule is approved by the Academic Quality Assurance Committee (AQAC) and typically circulated in the last College Education Committee of each year so schools have time to identfify external reviewers and initiate preprations to undertake the work.
Deadline for submission to College: May (deadlines vary each year)
Completed review form (word doc), external reviewer disclosure of conflict of interest forms and any other supporting materials to be returned to science.curriculum@anu.edu.au
Internal school deadlines might vary if reviews need to be considered by school committees.
Important considerations
- Determine the review panel, including external reviewers. It is recommended that external reviewers are identified as soon as the program review schedule is circulated by the College.
- Undertake review, edit, complete and return the pre-populated Coursework Program review form. The Education Governance Office is available for consultation.
- If program amendments are required to update published or unpublished information, please generate the amendment through the Curriculum Management System (contact science.curriculum@anu.edu.au for advice if necessary) and submit in alignment with program review.
External reviewer/s:
- As per Item 9 of the Programs and courses accreditation policy, all program reviews include an independent academic external to the University who is a subject matter expert; and additionally for graduate program reviews, must also include an independent expert who is a non-academic practitioner in the area.
- The scope of the external consultation must include the name and position of the external reviewer who must endorse that the program, courses (may be focusing on those that are core) and Learning Outcomes are at the appropriate AQF level and that the Graduate Outcome Survey and Student Experience Survey results have been addressed appropriately.
- Any information provided by you to the external reviewers must not include student identifying data. All student data is confidential, please see ANU Policy: Privacy.