Academic Quality Committee (AQC)

The Academic Quality Committee was established following a review of the committee structure of the Academic Board in 2017. The Higher Degree by Research Examinations Committee, which had been a subcommittee of the Graduate Research Committee, now became a subcommittee of the Academic Quality Committee. The Committee held its first meeting on 20 February 2018 with Associate Professor Wendy Davis in the Chair.

The intent was for the committee to provide an audit of the quality of the general work of the Academic Board and its committees. Therefore the proposed terms of reference for the committee included reference to the specific standards in the government’s Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 over which the committee would have oversight. Because the University proposed to revise the manner in which the Academic Board and University Executive undertook faculty reviews – with institution-wide thematic reviews to replace the current schedule of faculty-specific reviews – the committee also received and discussed the outcomes of these reviews.
Award course reviews were also intended to fall within the remit of the committee, and mechanisms to enable a regular quality check of current courses were developed in collaboration with Institutional Analytics and Planning (IAP).

Purpose

The Academic Quality Committee assists the Academic Board in ensuring the maintenance of the highest standards and quality in teaching, scholarship and research at the University of Sydney and, in this context, advises the Academic Board on receipt of reports on the quality of, and current standards in teaching, scholarship and research, in accordance with the University of Sydney (Academic Board) Rule 2017 and the University of Sydney (Delegations of Authority – Academic Functions) Rule 2016.

Terms of reference
   1. To play an active role in assuring the quality of teaching, scholarship and research in the University and co-ordinate and maintain an overview of the academic activities of all academic units.
   2. To monitor issues relating to quality in relation to undergraduate and postgraduate award courses, and to make recommendations to the Academic Board.
    3. To monitor issues relating to quality in relation to research, and to make recommendations to the Academic Board.
    4. To monitor issues relating to quality in relation to research training, including the assessment and examination of Higher Degree by Research candidates, and to make recommendations to the Academic Board.
    5. To provide academic oversight in relation to domains 2.2, 5.2.2, 5.2.4, 5.3.1, 5.3.2, 5.3.3, 5.3.4, 5.3.5, 5.3.7, 5.4.2, 6.1.4, 6.3.1 (b) – (d), 6.3.2 (a), (c) – (h) inclusive of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015.
   6.  In pursuit of the above objectives, to:
     6.1. request reports from, or refer matters to Faculties, University Schools, schools, departments, University Executive portfolios, etc., for consideration and action as required;
     6.2. consider and take action as required on reports or academic submissions from academic units
     6.3. initiate and oversee, in collaboration with the University Executive, a formal and regular program of review of academic activities of all academic units.
    7. To ensure undergraduate and postgraduate coursework education are compliant with appropriate rules, policies and procedures.
    8. To ensure that research training is compliant with appropriate rules, policies and procedures.
    9. To receive reports and recommendations from the Higher Degree by Research Examinations Sub-Committee for comment and transmission to the Academic Board.
   10.  To receive reports from, and provide advice to, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), The Registrar and, where appropriate, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) on quality assurance and other matters relating to coursework study.
    11. To receive reports from, and provide advice to, appropriate portfolios on quality assurance and other matters relating to higher degree by research training in domain 4.1 of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015.
    12. To obtain information or reports from any faculty, school or department, the Library or other academic unit on academic matters relating to coursework or research training studies.
    13. To provide regular reports on its activities under its terms of reference to the Academic Board.
    14. To consider and report on any matter referred to it by the Academic Board, or its committees, the University Executive or the Vice-Chancellor.

The Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Examinations Subcommittee reported to the Academic Quality Committee.