• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Application
• Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities
• Section 4 - Relationship to TEQSA Threshold Standards
• Section 5 - Self Assurance and Internal Reporting – Threshold Standards
• Section 6 - Quality Principles
• Leadership and Governance
• Strategy and Planning
• Evidence-Based
• External Reference Points
• Collaborative Partnerships
• Clients and Partners
• People and Culture
• Section 7 - Quality Improvement Cycle
• Approach (A)
• Deployment (D)
• Results (R)
• Improvement (I)
• Benchmarking or External Referencing
• Section 8 - Delegations

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) QUT’s Quality and Standards Framework is intended to guide quality assurance activities, promote continuous improvement and ensure alignment or compliance with relevant external standards, including Australian Higher Education Standards. By utilising the quality principles along with the Quality Improvement Cycle of Approach, Deployment, Results, Improvement (ADRI), QUT’s approach to quality aims to support sustainable organisational development, establish good practices and achieve the University’s goals and priorities articulated in Connections - the QUT Strategy 2023 to 2027.

Section 2 - Application

(2) This Policy applies to all quality assurance, continuous improvement and compliance activities undertaken by the University and encompasses all areas of University activity, including:

1. corporate and academic governance;
2. University management;
3. student participation, learning and support;
4. environments for learning and teaching, and research;
5. learning and teaching;
6. research and research training;
7. representation, external engagement and reputation management; and
8. information and communications management.

Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities

(3) Quality assurance, improvement and compliance with higher education standards is the responsibility of all stakeholders within the University and all policies and procedures of the University contribute wholly, or in part, to quality and regulatory requirements. The high-level roles and responsibilities for quality assurances activities are provided in the following table, including the governance arrangements for the reporting of quality initiatives.

Section 4 - Relationship to TEQSA Threshold Standards

(4) This Policy assists the University by providing an overarching framework to comply with all the TEQSA Threshold Standards mandated in the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 made under section 58(1) of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 and to continuously improve. Individual policies in QUT’s Manual of Policies and Procedures (MOPP) provide the relationship of policy content to the relevant TEQSA Threshold Standards (Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021).

Section 5 - Self Assurance and Internal Reporting – Threshold Standards

(5) Apart form the mandatory independent external corporate and academic governance reviews, as a requirement of the Threshold Standards (Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021), QUT Governance manages/coordinates Institutional Quality Assurance Assessments for the purposes of self assurance of compliance to the Threshold Standards (Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021) and for continuous improvement purposes, where required.

(6) Annually, QUT Governance manages/coordinates the Institutional Quality Self Check process. Relevant Secondary Responsible Officers, as provided in the Register of Compliance Obligations, or their delegates, undertake an annual self check of the compliance status in respect to the Threshold Standards (Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021) in their relevant domain prior to the completion of annual compliance return report submitted by the Responsible Officer.

Section 6 - Quality Principles

(7) The following quality principles along with the Quality Improvement Cycle form QUT’s Quality and Standards Framework for quality assurance, improvement and compliance with higher education standards.

Leadership and Governance

(8) Ensuring activities are led by the senior officer/s with the highest level of responsibility and are governed by Council and its committees, in order to provide strategic oversight of quality and compliance activities.

Strategy and Planning

(9) Aligning initiatives with the University’s intent, goals and priorities as articulated in QUT's Connections - the QUT Strategy 2023 to 2027 and any supporting strategic statements.

Evidence-Based

(10) Using evidence-based practice and utilising qualitative information and quantitative data to identify improvement opportunities, monitor impact and evaluate the effectiveness of quality initiatives.

External Reference Points

(11) Using external reference points and higher education sector benchmarks to inform the development and review of plans, policies, procedures, practices and new initiatives.

Collaborative Partnerships

(12) Embracing a collaborative and inclusive approach where the University community and partners’ participation and feedback informs all phases of the Quality Improvement Cycle.

Clients and Partners

(13) Actively engaging with the University community, and external clients and partners to ensure that initiatives reflect their needs and that University services are designed with the end-users in mind, as well as providing timely support and accurate information to staff and students relevant to their current or future studies, research and other engagement activities.

People and Culture

(14) Supporting all staff and students in the pursuit of quality and maintenance of standards to create a culture of continuous improvement across the University that is embedded in everyday practices.

Section 7 - Quality Improvement Cycle

(15) QUT uses the Approach, Deployment, Results, Improvement (ADRI) Quality Improvement Cycle to provide a systematic and structured method to continually improve current performance, refine changes and provide insight to future success.

Approach (A)

(16) The Approach dimension relates to the intent of the improvement activity and requires planning or designing the approach by:

1. clarifying the purpose or intent;
2. developing a plan;
3. understanding the needs of key stakeholders;
4. setting goals and predicting outcomes - the achievement of the University’s goals and priorities;
5. ensuring the approach aligns with Connections - the QUT Strategy 2023 to 2027 and supporting strategic statements;
6. designing strategies, structures and processes to meet the outcomes and to track progress;
7. identifying measures of success; and
8. adopting an evidence-based approach.

Deployment (D)

(17) The Deployment dimension relates to bringing the plan and resources into effective action by:

1. prioritising the potential area/s for improvement;
2. implementing the plan;
3. collecting additional evidence and information;
4. communicating with staff, students and other stakeholders;
5. reporting on progress; and
6. integrating with current practices, where possible.

Results (R)

(18) The Results dimension focuses on completing the analysis, monitoring and evaluating the outcomes by:

1. analysing the trends developed as part of the Approach;
2. measuring the effectiveness of the Approach and its Deployment by monitoring the impact of the Results against the goals, predictions and measures of success; and
3. making adjustments based on the Results and best-known or benchmarked performance.

Improvement (I)

(19) The Improvement dimension focuses on identifying opportunities and areas for continuous improvement by:

1. evaluating each of the A-D-R dimensions to bring about improvements;
2. examining the processes used to review and improve the activity; and
3. reviewing and adapting the Approach and its Deployment to achieve improvements to the Results.

(20) The Quality Improvement Cycle diagram illustrates the ADRI (Approach-Deployment-Results-Improvement).

(21) Internal and external sources to support the use of the ADRI Quality Improvement Cycle are accessible from the associated information.

Benchmarking or External Referencing

(22) QUT acknowledges the importance of benchmarking to determine sector standards and good practice and uses the results to inform evidence based decision making, respond to regulatory requirements, guide quality assurance activities and promote continuous improvement. Benchmarks and benchmarking are used to inform the Improvement (I) dimension in the ADRI cycle.

Section 8 - Delegations

(23) There are no delegations made under this Policy.