The topics for each academic audit cycle are arrived at in discussions between the Unit and the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee.
The first academic audit cycle (1995 - 1998) had a broad focus, on academic quality generally. This approach proved an appropriate topic as it enabled wide-ranging discussions as the sector's experience the requirements of external academic audit and an appreciation of the techniques and resources required. This first broad audit also had a 'scoping' function, offering a basis fro decisions about later, focused, audit cycles. The first set of audits is reviewed in the Unit report An audit perspective (1995-1998).
The areas of importance for audit processes adopted by the Unit for cycle 1 were the mechanisms for:
- quality assurance in the design, monitoring and evaluation of courses and programmes of study for degrees and other qualifications;
- quality assurance in teaching, learning and assessment;
- quality assurance in relation to the appointment and performance of academic and other staff who contribute directly to the teaching and research functions;
- quality assurance in research, more especially, but not exclusively, in the context of its relationship with university teaching; and
- taking into account of the views of students, of external examiners, of professional bodies, and of employers in respect of academic matters.
For the cycle 2 audit cycle, the audit topics for audit review were two fold: topics common to all universities, and a specific topic of particular interest to each institution.
For the present cycle 3 audit there is a common focus on teaching issues. Cycle 2 and cycle 3 topics are listed below:
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