Education Committee Meeting – Monday 25 May 2015
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File Ref: F68748 THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA 19 May 2015 MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) & Dean, Coursework Studies as 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 Jenny Gregory for 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) INVITEES FOR: Item 6: Associate Professor Trish Todd, Convenor, BPhil (Hons) Working Party Item 7: Dr Anne Mills (Associate Director, Admissions) and Mr Robert McCormack (Director, Planning Services) STANDING OBSERVER Ms Ginger Ridgeway, Senior Policy Officer, Academic Policy Services EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING – MONDAY 25 MAY 2015 This is to confirm that the next meeting of the Education Committee will be held from 10:00am to 12:00pm on Monday 25 May 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. PART 1 – ITEM(S) FOR COMMUNICATION TO BE DEALT WITH EN BLOC 1. ITEMS/BUSINESS IN PROGRESS ITEM/BUSINESS IN ACTION RESPONSIBLE STATUS PROGRESS Request from the then Formulation of a generic Pro Vice-Chancellor In progress. Anticipated Teaching and Learning Good Practice Guide to (Education Innovation) to be considered by the Committee, December support the use of other Education at its meeting 2014 – F27641 than text matching scheduled on Monday, software, in consultation 24 August 2015 with the Associate Deans network and the Education Futures Strategy Group. For noting. 2. PROPOSED REVIEW OF COURSES – REF F71207 The University is committed to a systematic review and evaluation of its academic courses. The development of a review framework for courses, therefore, is an integral part of its strategic planning and quality assurance. Attached (Attachment A1-A5) for members’ noting is the proposed framework for the review of courses, which aims to evaluate the success of NC2012 and to inform future policy and practice with regard to the University’s curriculum framework. For noting. 3. PROJECT BLACK SWAN – PROGRESS REPORT - REF: F70456 Members will be aware that one of the University’s strategic plans is to recognise the importance of the quality of online teaching and to highlight the key role of the Learning Management System (LMS) in the student experience at UWA. As part of this plan, a transition project labelled ‘Project Black Swan’ has been established to accommodate the University’s decision to move from the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) to the Blackboard Learn LMS. As background information, attached (Attachment B1-B3) is an outline of the management and governance of the ‘Project Black Swan’. Within this context, members are asked to note the project’s updates which have been reported against key milestones and success factors (Attachment B4-B12). 2 PART 2 – ITEM(S) FOR DECISION TO BE DEALT WITH EN BLOC 4. AMENDMENT TO UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMPETENCE (ELC) FOR ADMISSION TO DEGREE STUDY (UP11/30) – REF F37823 Members will be asked to consider the following items which, if approved, will result in amendments to the University Policy on English Language Competence (ELC) for Admission to Degree Study (UP11/30): 4.1 English Language Competence for Admission to Postgraduate Courses Members are advised that at its meeting held in December 2014, the Academic Council resolved by R135/14 to approve, on a three year pilot basis (from 2015 – 2017), the acceptance of successful completion of one year of full-time, or equivalent higher education studies, completed within the last two years from a recognised degree granting institution in Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America as satisfying minimum English language competence requirements for undergraduate admission. In so resolving, the Academic Council was of the unanimous view that R135 should be extended to include postgraduate courses (Attachment C1). Attached (Attachment C2–C3) for members’ consideration is a proposal to accept successful completion of one year of full-time, or equivalent higher education studies, completed within the last two years from a recognised degree granting institution in Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America as satisfying minimum English language competence requirements for postgraduate admission, effective immediately. Members will note that the proposed ELC changes for admission to postgraduate courses will be made effective from 2016 and will be piloted until end of 2017 so as to bring it in line with the three-year pilot for undergraduate admissions which commenced in early 2015. In this way both pilots may be reviewed at the same time. Members will note that section 3 of UP11/30 (Attachment D4-D5) has been amended to reflect the proposed alignment with R135. The Chair recommends that the following be recommended to the Academic Council for approval: (i) that successful completion of one year of full-time, or equivalent higher education studies, completed within the last two years from a recognised degree granting institution in Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America be accepted, on a pilot basis, as satisfying minimum English language competence requirements for postgraduate admission, effective immediately to end of 2017. (ii) that the proposed amendments to the University Policy on English Language Competence (ELC) for Admission to Degree Study (UP11/30) be approved. 4.2 Proposal to recognise the Australia Education Management Group (AEMG) English language program as meeting UWA’s minimum ELC requirement – Ref F35818, F37823 To facilitate existing articulation programmes between various Chinese universities and UWA, the Office of the PVC (International) has submitted a proposal (Attachment E1-E5) to accept the Australian Education Management Group (AEMG) English language course DEP EAP 2 as meeting UWA’s minimum English language requirements. AEMG DEP EAP 2 is taught at relevant Chinese universities and that it is taught over 2 to 4 semesters with the aim of preparing students to study at an overseas institution where the medium of instruction is English. It is proposed that achievement of specific grades at the conclusion of this course obviates the need for prospective students to demonstrate ELC through other independent English language tests. In particular, approval is sought for accepting the AEMG DEP EAP 2, with a minimum overall score of 70% with no section less than 65%, as meeting UWA’s minimum English language competence requirement. The proposal has support from the Centre for English Language Teaching (CELT). The Admissions Centre and International Admissions have indicated that the proposal be approved on a pilot basis, and recommend a robust analysis of the progress, and provision of English language support if required. Members will note