Policy

Collaborative Service Teaching - Policy

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1.0    Purpose and Scope

  1. This policy sets out the framework for managing service teaching arrangements across The University of Queensland (UQ or the University), to ensure that students receive the highest quality learning experiences through interaction with teaching staff who are recognised for their disciplinary expertise and ability to contextualise learning experiences.

  2. This policy aims to:

  • outline the principles that underpin service teaching at the University;

  • encourage partnerships that recognise discipline expertise and promote collaborative teaching practices that are relevant to the learning outcomes of students; and

  • support the negotiation of collaborative service teaching agreements, including dispute resolution, between academic/research units that meets the needs of all stakeholders.

  1. This policy applies to all instances of collaborative service teaching at the University. While it is acknowledged that non-academic units may contribute to the University’s teaching and learning efforts, this policy applies explicitly to academic and research units.

2.0    Principles and Key Requirements

2.1    Collaborative services teaching at UQ

  1. The principles that underpin Collaborative Service Teaching at UQ are:

  • the interests of UQ students will come first in ensuring they are taught by experts in the discipline as well as in contextual application of the discipline;

  • where cross-disciplinary study is required to meet learning objectives, it will be facilitated;

  • University strategy and identity must be considered when determining fair and appropriate collaborative service teaching arrangements, taking into account the comprehensive nature of the University’s commitment to a broad range of disciplines;

  • the collaborative service teaching model will be transparent, as will the data on which the model is based;

  • bureaucratic arrangements relating to collaborative service teaching arrangements will be kept to a minimum;

  • while it is expected that issues will be resolved at the school level, a transparent dispute resolution process will enable escalation of issues, should that be required;

  • ongoing review and quality control of collaborative service teaching agreements will be incorporated into the University’s cyclic academic program review process; and

  • administrative and overhead costs will be recognised in providing courses and programs to students.

2.2    Collaborative Service Teaching arrangements

The University recognises the following collaborative service teaching arrangements:

  1. The service teaching provider(s) delivers an entire course.

  2. Discipline-specific teaching elements in a course are contributed by the service teaching provider(s) and contextual elements are provided by the program owner and/or host school, using a modular approach to course design.

  3. A course/suite of courses is developed and delivered by an interdisciplinary, cross-school team. This model requires seamless integration of the discipline-based teaching and contextualisation. The interdisciplinary team is jointly responsible for developing, coordinating and delivering the course.

  4. A school or faculty not usually identified with a specific discipline expertise delivers content having established that it has appropriate disciplinary expertise in addition to contextual expertise. After appropriate discussion and negotiation, the delivering school and the academic/research unit usually identified as the source of discipline expertise will agree on a model for delivery.

2.3    Collaboration and agreement

  1. A Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement must be recorded and formalised before collaborative service teaching commences.

  2. To ensure quality collaborative service teaching, academic staff from both the host unit and the service teaching provider(s) must work together at all stages, from course design to evaluation, with consideration of the requirements and context of the program into which the course delivers content. In-depth discussions between both parties will enable agreement to be reached on an appropriate model for delivering courses at an acceptable standard.

3.0    Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities

4.0    Monitoring, Review and Assurance

  1. Collaborative service teaching arrangements are reviewed as part of the cyclic academic program review process or as required by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

  2. The quality of the collaborative service teaching is further assured through implementation of:

  • the central program approval process;

  • the annual academic quality assurance process;

  • regular student feedback and student evaluation, such as student satisfaction surveys.

  1. The Committee for Academic Programs Policy (CAPP) is responsible for monitoring University-wide compliance with, and review of, this policy for its effectiveness and ongoing relevance with UQ strategic objectives.

5.0    Recording and Reporting

Records relating to approved Collaborative Service Teaching Agreements, the structure and design of the University’s courses and programs, and proposals referred for approval, are lodged in accordance with the Information Management Policy.

6.0    Appendix

Collaborative service teaching – teaching of or into a course offered in a specific program, for example a core course, by one or more service teaching providers other than the host school or academic unit generally aligned with administering the program.

Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement – an agreement between a host school/academic unit and the relevant service teaching provider(s).

Discipline expertise – a school, faculty, institute or centre may be recognised as having discipline expertise through:

  • Either

    • its leadership in teaching and research in the discipline; or

    • its leadership in teaching and research in the application of disciplinary knowledge in a professional context; and

  • acknowledgement by the University.

Custodians
Academic Registrar

Procedures

Collaborative Service Teaching - Procedure

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1.0    Purpose and Scope

  1. This procedure enacts the Collaborative Service Teaching Policy and set outs the requirements for managing collaborative service teaching arrangements.

  2. This procedure applies to all instances of collaborative service teaching at The University of Queensland (UQ or the University). While it is acknowledged that non-academic units may contribute to the University’s teaching and learning efforts, this procedure applies explicitly to academic and research units.

2.0    Process and Key Controls

Key processes and controls for managing collaborative service teaching arrangements include:

  • Collaborative service teaching arrangements are documented through a collaborative service teaching agreement, negotiated and established in accordance with section 3.2; and

  • Disagreements are managed and resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution process set out in section 3.3.

3.0    Key Requirements

3.1    Funding

  1. Funding splits must be negotiated by the Heads of School, or relevant heads of academic/research unit, and signed off by the relevant Executive Dean(s).

  2. EFTSL is the default basis for collaborative service teaching funding split, and other remuneration models will be avoided.

3.2    Collaborative Service Teaching Agreements

  1. The following general principles apply when considering whether collaborative service teaching should be documented by a collaborative service teaching agreement:

  • A collaborative service teaching agreement is required where:

    • a course is developed for a specific cohort in another school or faculty’s program, or

    • a service teaching provider is providing core content in another school or faculty’s program, or

    • there is any concern about the continuity of course delivery.

  • A collaborative service teaching agreement is not required where a course is offered as a general elective or program elective in more than one program.

  • A collaborative service teaching agreement may be required for guest lecturing events.

  1. A Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement must be established between the host school and the service teaching provider(s) prior to the approval of a new course. The agreement must be provided with the program approval documentation and must accompany approval of the course through University committees (see section 2.3 of the Collaborative Service Teaching Policy.

  2. To ensure a clear understanding between the host school and the service teaching provider(s), collaborative service teaching agreements must include:

  • course details including learning objectives, assessment, location and delivery mode;

  • responsibilities of the host school and the service teaching provider(s), including the provision of resources, teaching schedule, and the specific requirements of content delivery (for example, scope, contextual requirements);

  • the EFTSL split for the provision of collaborative service teaching and the basis on which it has been determined;

  • the term of the agreement;

  • arrangements for consultation and review of the program/course;

  • timelines that accommodate the academic and technical staff delivering the course; and

  • agreed measures of success.

  1. The agreement is to be prepared using the Proforma Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement.

3.2.1    Changes to a Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement

  1. The host school and the service teaching provider(s) are responsible for consulting about any proposed changes that will impact on the collaborative service teaching agreement.

  2. Where it is determined (e.g. through the program review process) that a change in service teaching is required, the proposing party is responsible for providing the other parties with timely notification of relevant changes and/or new course requirements that impact on the collaborative service teaching agreement.

  3. The Heads of School, or equivalents, are responsible for ensuring all decisions and agreements are communicated to and within the relevant schools or academic units.

3.3    Dispute Resolution

  1. Transparency is a feature of the dispute resolution process. A concise record of key points and the agreed outcomes must be documented at all stages of the dispute resolution process.

  2. It is acknowledged that disputes could include disagreements about:

  • an element of an existing collaborative service teaching arrangement (such as the quality of the service teaching or sharing of funding);

  • details of proposed courses to be included in a new or revised program;

  • the restructuring of an existing program that includes service taught courses; and

  • the duplication of teaching expertise and courses across schools or the academic unit in which the expertise for a given discipline most appropriately belongs.

  1. In the event of a disagreement between the host school and the service teaching provider(s), the collaborative service teaching dispute resolution process outlined below must be followed.

  • In the first instance, the parties concerned must endeavour to resolve the issues informally through discussion. Where either the host school or the service teaching provider(s) are dissatisfied with some aspect of the collaborative service teaching arrangement, all parties concerned, in consultation with the relevant Associate Deans (Academic), will be responsible for determining mutually agreed arrangements and strategies for their achievement.

  • Where a dispute remains unresolved, the relevant Executive Deans must be notified in writing of the details under dispute, including a chronological account of the background circumstances. Formal discussions about the problem areas must be held between the parties concerned, the Associate Deans (Academic), the Heads of relevant schools or academic/research units, and the Executive Dean(s).

  • Where the dispute is not resolved by the Executive Deans, the Provost in consultation with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) will be the arbitrator and final decision-maker.

  1. Any academic policy issues that emerge out of the dispute resolution discussions must be reported to the Committee for Academic Programs Policy for consideration.

4.0    Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities

5.0    Monitoring, Review and Assurance

  1. All collaborative service teaching arrangements must be reviewed as part of the cyclic academic program review process or as required by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

  2. Quality of collaborative service teaching is further assured through implementation and follow-up of:

  • the central academic program approval process;

  • the annual academic quality assurance process;

  • the comprehensive cyclical review of academic programs;

  • regular student feedback and student evaluation, such as student satisfaction surveys; and

  • program and course approval processes within schools and faculties, in accordance with the Program Approval Procedure.

  1. The Committee for Academic Programs Policy (CAPP) is responsible for monitoring university-wide compliance with, and review of, this procedure for its effectiveness and ongoing relevance.

6.0    Recording and Reporting

A copy of the approved Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement must be kept by both the host school/academic unit and the service teaching provider(s). Agreements are recorded in the University’s curriculum management system and SI-net in accordance with the Information Management Policy.

7.0    Appendix

Collaborative service teaching – teaching of or into a course offered in a specific program, for example a core course, by one or more service teaching providers other than the host school or academic unit generally aligned with administering the program.

Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement – an agreement between a host school/academic unit and the relevant service teaching provider(s).

Discipline expertise – a school, faculty, institute or centre may be recognised as having discipline expertise through:

  • Either
    • its leadership in teaching and research in the discipline; or

    • its leadership in teaching and research in the application of disciplinary knowledge in a professional context; and

  • acknowledgement by the University.
Custodians
Academic Registrar

Forms

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Proforma Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement - Form

Proforma Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement - Form

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Description: 

This form must be used when establishing a Collaborative Service Teaching Agreement.

Custodians
Academic Registrar
Custodians
Academic Registrar
Custodians
Academic Registrar