File Ref: F68748
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
19 August 2015
MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) as Chair (Professor Alec Cameron)
Dean, Coursework Studies as Deputy Chair (Professor Grady Venville)
Chair of Academic Board (Professor Cara MacNish)
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education Innovation) (Professor Gilly Salmon)
Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) (Mr Iain Watt)
Dean of Graduate Research and Postdoctoral Training (Professor Alan Dench)
Deans of Faculties, or nominee:
Dean, Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts (Professor Simon Anderson)
Dean, Faculty of Arts (Professor Krishna Sen)
Dean, Faculty of Business (Professor Phillip Dolan)
Dean, Faculty of Education (Professor Helen Wildy)
Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics (Professor John Dell)
Dean, Faculty of Law (Professor Erika Techera)
Nominee of Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (Professor Wendy Erber)
Nominee of Dean, Faculty of Science (Professor Brendan Waddell)
Dean, School of Indigenous Studies (Professor Jill Milroy)
Director, Student Services (Mr Jon Stubbs)
Director, Academic Policy Services (Ms Sue Smurthwaite)
President of the Guild of Undergraduates (Ms Elizabeth O’Shea)
President of the Postgraduate Students’ Association (Mr Vikraman Selvaraja)
Co-opted member (Hon Dr Elizabeth Constable, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow)
Academic Secretary as Executive Officer (Dr Kabilan Krishnasamy)
STANDING OBSERVER
Ms Ginger Ridgeway, Senior Policy Officer, Academic Policy Services
EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING – MONDAY 24 AUGUST 2015
This is to confirm that the next meeting of the Education Committee will be held from 10:00am to 12:00pm
on Monday 24 August in the Senate Room.
Members are advised that this agenda has been formatted to be ‘electronic device friendly’ by including
bookmarks to provide easier navigation throughout the document. Click here for details.
Part 1 of the agenda consists of items for communication. Part 2 of the agenda relates to items for decision
to be dealt with en bloc by motion by the Chair. Part 3 is for discussion. A member may request the transfer
of an item from Part 1 or Part 2 to Part 3.
Relevant background information has been provided for each item on the agenda, but if members require
further details they are welcome to contact the Executive Officer.
Dr Kabilan Krishnasamy
Executive Officer
Academic Policy Services
AGENDA
WELCOME
The Chair will welcome members to the meeting of the Education Committee.
APOLOGIES
The Chair will record any apologies. Members are reminded that apologies should be forwarded to the
Executive Officer prior to the meeting. Members representing the faculties are reminded that if unable to
attend a meeting, an alternative nominee of the Dean should be organised prior to the meeting.
Members are also reminded that the meetings are usually scheduled for two hours (10 - 12pm), if members
are unable to attend for the whole meeting would they please advise the Executive Officer prior as this may
have an impact on the Committee proceeding inquorate.
DECLARATIONS OF POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT OR PERCEIVED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The Chair will invite members to declare potential for conflict or perceived conflicts of interest, if applicable,
with regard to items on the agenda.
1.
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES
Confirmation of the minutes of the meeting of the Education Committee held on 25 May 2015 and Noting of
Decisions dated 3 July 2015. Minutes and Noting of Decisions are available from the Committee’s website.
PART 1 – ITEM(S) FOR COMMUNICATION TO BE DEALT WITH EN BLOC
2.
ITEMS/BUSINESS IN PROGRESS
ITEM/BUSINESS IN
PROGRESS
ACTION
Request from the then
Teaching and Learning
Committee, December
2014 – F27641
Formulation of a generic
Good Practice Guide to
support the use of other
than text matching
software, in consultation
with the Associate Deans
network and the Education
Futures Strategy Group.
International Student
Barometer - to undertake a
trend analysis and that this
analysis be presented to
the Education Committee
at a future meeting.
Request from the
Education Committee,
March 2015 – F60700
RESPONSIBLE
STATUS
Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Education Innovation)
In progress. Anticipated
to be considered by the
Education at its meeting
scheduled on Monday,
24 August 2015
Director, Planning Services
In progress.
For noting.
3.
ADDITIONAL MEETINGS FOR EDUCATION COMMITTEE – REF F68748
It is anticipated a large volume of important issues will be progressing through the Education Committee
and therefore the following additional meetings (marked bold and with an asterisk) have been scheduled:
Meeting date and time
Cut-off date for receipt of agenda
material (by midday)
Venue
9am – 11am, Monday 14 September* Monday 31 August
Senate Room
9am – 11am, Monday 12 October*
Monday 28 September
Senate Room
10am – 12pm, Monday 23 November
Monday 9 November
Senate Room
For noting.
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4.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT BAROMETER (ISB) – REF F68748
4.1.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT BAROMETER – TREND ANALYSIS BY PLANNING SERVICES
At its meeting of March 2015 the Education Committee resolved by R4/15 to refer the ISB data to the
University’s Planning Services to undertake a trend analysis and that this analysis be presented to the
Education Committee at a future meeting (Attachment A1). The Director, Planning Services has
provided, as attached (Attachment A2), the proposed way forward in conducting the requested trend
analysis of the ISB data.
For noting.
4.2.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT BAROMETER BENCHMARKING SURVEY RESULTS – Ref F60700
UWA recently completed the annual benchmarked survey of our international students, the International
Student Barometer (ISB) conducted by an independent agency, i-graduate. The survey measures student
satisfaction ratings along four dimensions: Learning, Living, Support and Arrival. These four are compared
to results from other International higher education providers both within Australia and globally (179
international and 23 Australian institutions). Mr Kevin Brett, Director of i-graduate, will present the findings.
Details are as follows:
Date: Wednesday 26 August, 2.30pm - 4.00pm
Venue: Math Weatherburn Lecture Room G.40 (http://www.uwa.edu.au/contact/map?id=2024)
Members have been invited to attend. There is a time allocation of 1.5 hours. However, the presentation will
take approximately 50 minutes with the remainder of the time available should you have questions.
Members are requested to rsvp to director-ic@uwa.edu.au.
For information.
PART 2 – ITEM(S) FOR DECISION TO BE DEALT WITH EN BLOC
5.
AMENDMENTS TO UNIVERSITY POLICY
5.1.
University Policy on Honours Award – Ref F2033
Members will note that the University Policy on Honours Award (UP07/123 states the following in relation to
the structure of an honours specialisation:
“5.2 Structure
5.2.1 An end-on honours degree course comprises units to the value of 48 points and includes:
 a research dissertation unit equivalent to four standard units (totaling 600 hours' workload); and
 four standard units (150 hours' workload each) each undertaken and assessed within a semester.
5.2.2 The research dissertation unit must normally be completed within two consecutive semesters whether
the student is enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis.
5.2.3 The four standard units may involve advanced level coursework within the discipline or structured
research training provided that:
a) the units offered are at Level 4 or Level 5;
b) at least 50% of the coursework units undertaken are at Level 4; and
c) no student is required to undertake any Level 5 unit(s).”
The current requirement that “no student is required to undertake any Level 5 unit(s)”, which means that
Level 5 units cannot be core in an honours specialisation’ is not only restrictive in nature but also imposes
unnecessary constraints on students who may wish to progress from an honours specialisation to a 72points master’s course.
By R122/14, Academic Council had resolved to approve that the honours coursework and dissertation
components in an end-on or integrated Honours course may attract full credit (48 points) in a Master’s
course that has a minimum volume of learning of 72 credit points (i.e. progression from honours to a 72points master’s course may occur) provided:
(i)
the student does not graduate/exit with an Honours degree; and
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(ii)
at least six of the 12 units of the Master’s course are undertaken at Level 5.
The current restriction imposed at the honours level makes to quite difficult for students to actually
undertake six level 5 units as part of the progression from honours to master’s course. To this end, the
Dean, Coursework Studies recommends that the following amendment to clause 5.2 of the University
Policy on Honours Award be considered by members to enable flexibility and efficiency relating to
progression from honours to master’s courses:
“5.2.3 The four standard units may involve advanced level coursework within the discipline or structured
research training provided that:
a) the units offered are at Level 4 or Level 5;
b) at least 50% of the coursework units undertaken are at Level 4; and
c) no student is required to undertake any Level 5 unit(s).”
If agreed, the Chair recommends that the proposed amendment to clause 5.2.3 of the University Policy on
Honours Award, as set out above, be endorsed and referred to the Academic Council for approval.
5.2.
University Policy on Concurrent Enrolment (up11/42) and the Diploma in Modern Languages –
F3422, F5264
Members will note that the University Policy on Concurrent Enrolment (UP11/42) states that “….. students
enrolled in an undergraduate degree course may, with the approval of the relevant faculty or board, enrol
concurrently in the Diploma in Modern Languages”.
The Diploma in Modern Languages is not a stand-alone course and must be undertaken, in accordance
with UP11/42, only concurrently with an undergraduate degree course. However, the reality is that in some
instances students may not be able to complete the Diploma in Modern Languages by the time they have
completed their undergraduate degree course. The question arises as to whether should these students be
permitted to continue to complete their Diploma in Modern Languages?
A second issue relates to students who may wish to progress to pursue postgraduate studies at the
University. Since these students are recorded as having not completed their undergraduate degree course
if the Diploma in Modern Language is incomplete, it prevents them from submitting applications for
admission to postgraduate coursework courses. Therefore, to accommodate the desire for students with a
few remaining units at their end of their undergraduate degree course to complete the Diploma in Modern
Language and to enable these students to proceed into a postgraduate course, the Dean, Coursework
Studies recommends some minor amendments to the University Policy on Concurrent Enrolment, as set
out in Attachment B.
If agreed, the Chair recommends that the proposed amendment to the University Policy on Concurrent
Enrolment, as set out in the agenda attachment, be endorsed and referred to the Academic Council for
approval.
PART 3 – ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND DECISION
6. REVIEW OF ASSESSMENT WORKING PARTY – DRAFT UNIVERSITY STANDARDS FOR
ASSESSMENT- REF F70940
Members will recall that a working party had been established to conduct a review of the University Policy
and practices relating to assessment. The purpose of the review of assessment is to ensure internationally
benchmarked assessment practices are meeting the needs of domestic and international students. This
review is regarded as an important component of the evaluation of the success of NC2012 and the roll-out
of the Education Futures Vision, with a particular focus on transformative teaching.
To this end, the Working Party has formulated a draft set of broad University Standards for Assessment,
which is intended to provide the overarching principles for the design and management of assessment at
UWA. Members are advised that the draft University Standards for Assessment will provide the framework
for the formulation, by the Review of Assessment Working Party, of a detailed University Policy on
Assessment which will be disseminated in due course for broad consultation, in particular within faculty
Teaching and Learning Committees. Attached (Attachment C) for members’ consideration are the draft
University Standards for Assessment.
For feedback and endorsement.
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7.
GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE FOR MANAGEMENT, SUPPORT
SESSIONAL STAFF – REF F73395
AND DEVELOPMENT
OF
The concept of a Good Practice Guide for the Management, Support and Development of Sessional Staff
was initially considered by the then Teaching and Learning Committee at its November 2014 meeting.
Further to extensive consultation with wide ranging stakeholders including the Director of Human Resource,
the proposed report entitled Good Practice Guide for the Management, Support and Development of
Sessional Staff was considered by the Education Futures Strategy Group at its meeting held on 22 June
2015. At the meeting it resolved by R6/15:
 “to endorse the proposed Good Practice Guide for the Management, Support and Development of
Sessional Staff;
 to forward the proposed Good Practice Guide to the Education Committee for approval and;
 to request that the Centre for Education Futures create a web page resource for sessional staff to
become a digital home for the Good Practice Guide, along with any additional relevant information e.g.
HR advice, faculty websites etc”.
Attached (Attachment D) for members’ consideration are the following:
 Proposed Good Practice Guide for the Management, Support and Development of Sessional Staff
 Minutes of a meeting of the Education Futures Strategy Group held on 22 June 2015
 Minutes of a meeting of the then Teaching and Learning Committee held in November 2014
For consideration, approval and referral to the Academic Council for its information.
8.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Education Committee will be held on Monday 14 September 9:00am in the
Senate Room. The cut-off date for submission of items for the committee’s agenda is Monday 31 August
2015. Please refer any issues for discussion to the Executive Officer, Dr Kabilan Krishnasamy (eoaps@uwa.edu.au ).
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