Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Stuart Brock and Quality Advancement Unit Director Margaret Morgan look over the University of Otago’s Academic Audit Portfolio ahead of an independent academic audit being carried out in July 2024.
A panel of independent auditors will visit campus next month to interview up to 100 University of Otago staff and students as part of the latest cycle of academic audits on New Zealand universities.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Stuart Brock says the audit will focus on teaching, learning, support and outcomes for students, with a particular focus on Māori and Pacific students.
It will examine existing processes and policies, how well they work in practice and how the University meets its own objectives.
“The ultimate aim of these audits nationwide is to further develop universities’ practices in ways which will lead to high-quality outcomes for students and staff,” Stuart says.
Ahead of the audit, Otago has completed a self-assessment known as the Academic Audit Portfolio. The Portfolio identifies enhancements relating to teaching, learning, and support and outcomes for students.
“Many of the enhancements identified are either already underway or in the planning stages. This includes the project aimed at investing in the digital teaching and learning environment including reviewing and upgrading our Learning Management System, and the student wellbeing hub,” he says.
The audit will be carried out by the independent Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities (AQA).
The AQA has appointed an audit panel of five members, which includes one overseas auditor. The members of the Otago panel are:
- Professor Sonia Mazey, University of Canterbury (Chair of the Panel)
- Catherine Dunphy, University of Auckland (Māori Panel Member)
- Hon Luamanuvao, Dame Winnie Laban, Victoria University of Wellington (NZ Panel Member)
- Dr Jeanette Baird (International Panel Member)
- Rā Neilsford-Jones, University of Canterbury (Student representative)
University of Otago Quality Advancement Unit Director Margaret Morgan says the panel members will be visiting the Dunedin campus from July 22-24 to interview selected students and staff.
The auditors will select people to interview based on their roles, or because the panel wishes to meet certain categories of students and staff, Margaret says.
Following the interviews, the Audit Panel will prepare a publicly available, detailed report containing commendations, affirmations and recommendations.
“The report will be available in October and over the following years we’ll be expected to report on our progress in respect to affirmations and recommendations,” she says.
The AQA is currently on its sixth cycle of academic audits for New Zealand Universities since academic audits began in 1993.
Otago is the seventh university to be audited in this audit cycle. Academic reports for the universities already audited are available on the AQA website