The Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) has announced the panel members who will carry out a review of CQUniversity Australia later this year.

The Panel Chair is Professor Charles Webb, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), Charles Darwin University.

Also on the panel are Dr Maria Fiocco, Curtin University; Dr Mark Hay, Audit Director, AUQA; Professor Denise Kirkpatrick, The Open University; and Professor Ron Oliver, Edith Cowan University. LINK HERE for details on the panel members

The purpose of the AUQA Audits - which are a normal part of the regulation of higher education organisations - is to monitor, review, analyse and provide public reports on the quality of the academic activities and outcomes of all Australian universities.

The Audit will measure CQUniversity's achievements against the goals we have developed to meet the needs of our students and our communities. These goals are reflected in University plans such as the Strategic Plan, Corporate Plan, Learning and Teaching Management Plan, and the Research and Innovation Management Plan.

At the same time that it considers the goals of each university, the Audit allows CQUniversity to measure itself against nationwide benchmarks and standards relevant to specific areas of tertiary education activities. These external measures include national surveys and accreditation from professional bodies.

An additional function of the Audit is to investigate how well CQUniversity has addressed the recommendations from the last Audit, in 2005.

Although the Audit visits are months away, the Corporate Services Project Office began preparing for the Audit during 2009. Among other activities, staff established working parties on the 2  "themes" of the audit: "international activities" and "quality of teaching".

Preparations continue with the launch of the website (http://quality.cqu.edu.au/), on-going staff and student focus groups, and a seminar series that will begin February 25.

Meanwhile staff members are preparing a draft portfolio of evidence that will be subject to scrutiny by 2 consultants during the External Validation, February 15 to 19.

Both consultants - Professors Colleen Liston and Phil Meade - are experienced AUQA auditors, who will constructively critique the documents, after speaking with staff and students.

CQUniversity will submit its Performance Portfolio to AUQA at the beginning of July. The Panel will meet in Melbourne on July 29 to discuss the Portfolio.

If the Panel thinks it necessary, the Chair and an AUQA staff member will visit overseas and onshore partner operations of the University between September 13 and 24.

The Audit visits to the University, however, will take place October 18-24, during which they will speak with staff, students and community stakeholders.

The AUQA audit will be "one of the most important issues facing us in 2010", according to Vice-Chancellor Scott Bowman.

"This will be a great opportunity for us to be able to show the world just how well we are doing. It will also be an opportunity for us to improve some of the ways we are doing our business."

Help us be what you want us to be. Contact the Corporate Service Projects Office to tell us about what you are doing well. As an organisation we are fairly shy about our own - considerable - achievements, so let's celebrate your achievements.