University of Auckland Cycle 5 Audit Report

University of Auckland Cycle 5 Audit Report

The University of Auckland has been commended for the excellence of its services to staff and students.

The University of Auckland has been commended for the excellence of its services to staff and students.

Released nationally today, the Academic Audit report singles out for praise a number of University processes and services.

The University is commended on its exemplary processes for ensuring the student voice is sought and shared at all organisational levels. Access and transition arrangements for Maori and Pacific students are praised, including the University’s long-established Tuākana Learning Community.

The extensive range of resources and support available for doctoral students is highlighted, as is the continued excellent service and outstanding resources of the University’s Libraries and Learning Services. Recent initiatives, such as the development of the AskAuckland website and the University’s mobile app are commended, as is the introduction of a mandatory academic integrity course for new students.

Panel members were impressed with the University’s processes for evaluating and rewarding teacher performance and with University initiatives to develop leadership capability.

The panel affirmed a number of initiatives identified by the University, and made seven recommendations. It suggests there is a need for University-level strategies to govern benchmarking activities and the development of digital technologies. The panel also made recommendations related to the development of work-readiness and employability through delivery of the curriculum, the establishment of protocols for the provision of academic advice to students, strengthening programme review processes for professionally accredited programmes, and the implementation of electronic systems to support postgraduate research supervisor reporting. The final recommendation reinforces work already underway in the University to review the Graduate Profile.

This is the fifth full university audit for the University of Auckland. The Audit is conducted by a panel of local and international auditors and is managed by the Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities, which is responsible for assuring the integrity of the processes in universities which underpin academic quality.

The audit examined 40 guideline statements which refer to activities and quality assurance processes fundamental to a university of good standing. The University received eight commendations, six affirmations, and seven recommendations.

The full report is available at http://www.aqa.ac.nz.

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