Academic Organisational Unit Reviews

AOU Review Policies

AOU Reviews are conducted in accordance with the Academic Organisational Unit Reviews policy, which was last revised by Academic Council [AC/17/2008] at its meeting on 30 January 2008.  Attachment B to this policy is the Code of Conduct for Academic Organisational Unit Reviews.

Extracts from this policy are also available:

• Guidelines for Review of Schools
• Guidelines for Review of Library Services
• Guidelines for Review of TLC

FORMER AOU review policies are listed below:

• Academic Organisational Unit Reviews policy- approved 8 August 2007
• Academic Organisational Unit Reviews policy- approved 14 June 2006
• Academic Organisational Unit Reviews policy - approved 2 November 2005
• Code of Conduct for School Reviews
• Guidelines for School Reviews
• Quality Review Audits of Offshore Courses
• Quality Review of Library Services
• Quality Review of University Student Services
• Review of Bridging and Enabling Courses

AOU Review Projects

Trends in AOU Review Recommendations Project

As part of the self-review for the Whole of Institutions Audit (WOIA) and the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) audit, it became evident that the University needed to better monitor university-wide trends arising from AOU reviews.  It was decided at the 27 February 2006 meeting of AQAC that a meta-analysis of the recommendations and outcomes of AOU reviews over the past few years should be conducted.  The result was the production of the Trends in Academic Organisational Unit Review Recommendations Report.  Strategies to implement the recommendations of the report were set out in an Review Trends Action Plan.  Both documents were approved by Academic Council [AC/134/2006] at its meeting on 1 November 2006. 

Progress Reports on implementing the recommendations of the report has been provided biannually as part of reporting on AUQA Recommendation 4:

• Review Trends Action Plan Update - February 2007
• Review Trends Action Plan Update - September 2007
• Review Trends Action Plan Update - March 2008

Internal Review of AOU Reviews Project

As one of its quality projects, AQAC conducted an internal review of Academic Organisational Unit (AOU) Reviews.  At its meeting of 27 February 2006, AQAC approved the project, which had the twin objectives of establishing what is considered best practice for internal quality reviews in the higher education sector and examining Murdoch's own AOU review system in an attempt to identify its perceived benefits as well as improvements that could be made.

The Internal Review of AOU Reviews Report, along with its 14 recommendations, was approved by AQAC at its 23 July 2008 meeting.  An Action Plan to implement the recommendations of the report was also developed.  The report and action plan were presented to the 6 August 2008 meeting of Academic Council, where they were both endorsed [AC/96/2008].

Progress Reports on implementing the recommendations of the report are provided to AQAC on a regular basis

• AOU Reviews Action Plan Update - March 2009