Global Utilities

La Trobe University
Quality at La Trobe University

Review and reporting

The management of quality forms an integral part of an effective planning and review cycle, with the University Strategic Plan setting out the direction of the University. Unit level plans should be aligned to the University mission and objectives. Ongoing self-review at institutional and Unit level is conducted against these plans with a view to continuous improvement of outcomes.

The planning and review cycle involves:

  • Planning - clearly stated objectives and goals in relation to the range of activities of the University aligned with the University mission (What it is we are trying to achieve);
  • Implementation – strategies, policies, procedures, structures by which these objectives will be achieved (How it will be achieved);
  • Outcomes – measures, benchmarks, qualitative evidence, recommendations emanating from cyclical reviews, used to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies in achieving desired outcomes (Whether they have been achieved and how this is known); and
  • Response - in order to achieve continuous improvement, interpretation of and response to these outcome measures (How performance can be improved). This last forms the basis for reporting quality improvement initiatives. The incorporation of these initiatives into future planning, and communication to stakeholders is an important part of this phase.

Unit level planning and review

Each academic and administrative unit within the University is expected to formulate operational plans to focus and direct its activities in supporting the University mission.

Performance against the plan should be reviewed annually in the light of the outcome measures to determine future developments and quality improvement priorities for the area as illustrated in the Unit level planning and review diagram. Reviewing performance against objectives may be via an annual review of key individual measures such as those relating to units (QAU, SET), student and staff statistics, or by less frequent cyclical school/department, course or thematic reviews.

Self-review checklists and Reporting on Student Feedback

The material is available in Word format, for Units to copy and complete as required to meet the needs of the local area. Theacademic checklist was last updated in September 2008, the other files in February 2008.