Excellence in education
ANU staff will...be acknowledged leaders in either education or research, or both.
Educational excellence must parallel research excellence – a great university does both.
ANU aims to create a holistic educational experience, unique in Australia, which goes beyond the narrow confines of the class room. The ANU educational advantage will consist of:
- an engaging curriculum at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels
- extended university involvement for students, including elements such as a residential experience for as many students as possible, non-residential halls, engagement in extra curricula activities like debating, public lectures, public issue campaigning, sport and volunteering
- research-led education, giving real meaning to the creation of an active community of scholars
- highly research-active staff, meaning that students will be exposed to the latest scholarly developments in their respective fields
- innovative learning and teaching, including the appropriate use of technology
- executive education and other professional programs that are both research-led and have strong professional links.
Education and research are sometimes seen as activities competing for staff time. At ANU, they are seen as complementary and academic staff are encouraged to excel in both. Individual staff will conduct varying proportions of teaching and research and this may change over time. ANU staff will, however, be acknowledged leaders in either education or research, or both.
- ANU will ensure that staff appraisal and promotion processes equally reward excellence in education, research and service.
- ANU will further enhance the campus experience for all students, providing a richer residential experience for on-campus students and more opportunities for engagement for off-campus students.
Some measures of success
- ANU will perform above the Go8 average in national course and university surveys (Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ), or successor, survey results averaged across the Good Teaching, Overall Satisfaction and Generic Skills scales).
- ANU will maintain the percentage of students who undertake further postgraduate study above the Go8 average.
- ANU will maintain employment rates of graduates, as measured by the Graduate Destination Survey above the Go8 average.
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ANU will aim to continually increase the number of national teaching awards won by staff.
By 2015, 65 per cent of courses offered will obtain an agreement rate of over 80 per cent for Overall Satisfaction in the SELT survey (for courses with over 5 responses), rising to 70 per cent by 2020 (compared to 60 per cent of courses in 2010). - By 2015, all new staff appointed with a teaching role (including HDR supervision), who do not have prior teaching experience will complete the Foundations of Teaching & Learning course within 12 months of commencement.
