These changes are informed by our new Curriculum Lifecycle Framework and the policy suite that was recently approved by Academic Senate.

This project is being led by the chair of ASQC, Associate Professor Taryn Jones and the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Programs and Pathways), Professor Sean Brawley.

The University has produced a short animation to summarise and explain our new approach to this important stage in our new quality system.

Professor Brawley has also provided some more detail about our new approach in his latest contribution to a series of posts in Teche.

Changes include the addition of further functionality to the institutional dashboard which was created last year to assist the monitoring and ratification process, and, in a major change, the introduction of ‘Action Plans’ which will drive enhancement in the unit-of-study space.

A range of supporting materials and professional development opportunities will be available to colleagues during November in preparation for our usual S2 meetings.

For any questions related to the project, please contact maria.kettle@mq.edu.au.

Full list of new policies

The new policy suite to support our Curriculum Lifecycle Framework is now live on  Policy Central:

Course of Study Accreditation Policy
Course of Study Monitoring Policy
Unit of Study Monitoring and Grade Ratification Policy
Course of Study Revision Policy
Unit of Study Periodic Review Policy
Course of Study Reaccreditation Policy
Course of Study Discontinuation Policy

As a public university with self-accrediting authority over our coursework suite, a crucial dimension of our activities relates to the assurance of the quality of our courses through robust processes of accreditation, monitoring and reaccreditation.

This work was the culmination of many months of collegial effort including engagement by almost 400 academic and professional staff from across the University. The policy suite, as approved by Academic Senate, can be found in Policy Central, and a full list with links is outlined below.

The University has produced a short animation to summarise and explain the new approach outlined in the new policies.

This project is being led by the chair of ASQC, Associate Professor Taryn Jones and the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Programs and Pathways), Professor Sean Brawley.

Professor Brawley has been communicating in a continuing Teche series with an overview on the current program of renewal of our course and unit quality assurance processes. Staff who might have missed these articles, are encouraged to review the series for more context and detail on the process so far:

Part 1 – Introduction to the new MQ Curriculum Lifecycle Framework
Part 2 – Building our Quality System
Part 3 – Introduction to the policy suite driving the innovation
Part 4 – Next steps post Policy Suite approval and the ‘journey’ of reaccreditation

Part 5 – to be published on the Teche blog in early October – will provide more detail on the Unit Monitoring and Grade Ratification process, which will be the first major operationalisation of our new approach.

Changes to the Macquarie Curriculum Management System (MQCMS) are also currently underway and will provide an integrated quality system for our curriculum QAE&I. A range of supporting materials to assist colleagues who engage with the quality system are now being finalised and will be made available shortly.

After consultation with faculties, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) has informed Academic Senate of the first courses which will commence the reaccreditation process in 2022. To assist course authorities who will be engaged in this work over the next 12 months, a community of practice approach has been adopted with the first meeting slated for this month.

For any questions related to the project, please contact maria.kettle@mq.edu.au.

Full list of new policies

The new policy suite to support our Curriculum Lifecycle Framework is now live on  Policy Central:

Course of Study Accreditation Policy
Course of Study Monitoring Policy
Unit of Study Monitoring and Grade Ratification Policy
Course of Study Revision Policy
Unit of Study Periodic Review Policy
Course of Study Reaccreditation Policy
Course of Study Discontinuation Policy

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching), Associate Professor Dominique Parrish explains how Macquarie is responding to the changing needs of postgraduate students.

Global labour markets are rapidly changing. The nature of work is transforming so quickly that some estimates predict 85 per cent of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet. This drastic change is being fuelled by development and access to emerging technology, such as ubiquitous high-speed mobile internet, widespread adoption of big data analytics and growing investment in artificial intelligence; changing geography of supply and value chains; and heightened consumer knowledge and expectations.

The pace of change is so rapid that it is influencing a major change in education demands. Learners now expect to pick up emerging skills ‘just-in-time’, at a pace that suits them, through a learning experience that fits their lifestyle. Australian post-bachelor learners seek return on investment on their learning experience, in the form of promotion in their current job, or a new role elsewhere.

As a university, we must adapt and respond to the changing needs of current and future students and expand our offerings to markets we haven’t considered previously. Setting students up for success is our mission, and the University has an opportunity to offer learning to all – not just those we have considered ’traditional’ students.

Microcredentials are being proposed in response to this changing market, with the initiative being sponsored by the Office of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching) under the name Program Illuminate. The Program Illuminate team are currently finalising a business case, with the aim of introducing the first of our microcredentials in 2020.

The Program Illuminate team will support faculties with the identification of marketable microcredentials and assist in the design and development of the microcredential, as well as enabling all the technology aspects of the project. The team has already been in touch with faculties about potential microcredential units and will continue to work with them to launch in 2020.

For more information or any questions contact pvclt@mq.edu.au.

By now, many of you will have seen our article in which Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton communicated the University’s exciting vision to have a transformed student learning experience in place by 2020.

Since then much progress has been made, starting with an intensive series of workshops held by the Chair of Academic Senate and the DVC-A to articulate issues that exist within the current curriculum structure, followed by a further series of workshops focussed on proposing solutions. The workshops were attended by over 200 staff and students from right across the University community and based on the feedback gathered, possible principles that could shape our new curriculum architecture were drafted.

Last week through Teche, University staff were asked to consider these draft principles and offer their expert thoughts and opinions. Ensuring the opportunity to provide feedback is made available to the entire University community through This Week, The Chair of Academic Senate and the DVC-A now invite your comments as well.

In the links provided below you’ll find an introductory set of slides presenting the proposed structural changes, together with two online feedback forms and two PDFs of the draft principles. Below we have summarised just a few of the proposed curriculum architecture changes, however you’re encouraged to view the slides in the first link for further detail.

Key proposed changes to the curriculum architecture:

• broad changes to the design of the undergraduate and postgraduate course structure
• standardised unit weighting to 10 credit points for all units at undergraduate and postgraduate level
• course structures that meet discipline and accreditation requirements
• introduction of the concepts of ‘depth’, ‘breadth’ and ‘foundation’ zones that define course components
• clear distinction between generalist and specialist undergraduate degrees
• volume of learning defined by point of admission for postgraduate degrees
• agile structures that support vertical degrees and micro-credentialing.

Curriculum Architecture Draft Principles Workshop Slides – June 2018 >

The MQ Model Undergraduate Working Paper >

The MQ Model Postgraduate and MicroCourse Working Paper >

Undergraduate draft principles feedback form >

Postgraduate draft principles feedback form >

Use your OneID username and password to access the feedback forms.

The opportunity to provide feedback has been extended to Monday 25 June.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our curriculum and as a member of the Macquarie team you – no matter where you work – are uniquely positioned to help shape our future student learning experience.

The Chair of Academic Senate and the DVC-A will continue to update the University community with summaries of feedback and new developments.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact chair.senate@mq.edu.au.