T&L Policy Framework

The learning and teaching environment at CDU is shaped by a range of external and internal policy frameworks, initiatives and agreements with government. This page provides an overview of the key frameworks, initiatives and agreements that inform our teaching and learning priorities and drive course development and improvement.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)

The AQF is a national framework that links together qualifications spanning secondary school, vocational education and training and higher education. It was established by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) in 1995 as a key policy instrument to provide for national articulation of awards through a seamless system that promotes lifelong learning.

The AQF is an integral part of the Australian Higher Education Quality Assurance Framework and underpins some aspects of the Australian Quality Training Framework. All nationally accredited qualifications delivered by CDU must comply with AQF guidelines and protocols.

Australian Higher Education Quality Assurance Framework

Quality assurance in Australia’s higher education system is shared between the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments, the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA), the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and the higher education institutions. The roles and relationships of each of these bodies is described in the Australian Higher Education Quality Assurance Framework.

To encourage and assist a culture of quality and continuous improvement, AUQA undertakes quality auditing of institutions against self-determined, benchmarked quality criteria. CDU was audited by AUQA in 2005 and will be audited again in 2011. Teaching and learning is one of several key areas for quality review. AUQA's audit reports of all higher education institutions, including CDU, are publicly available on its website.

Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF)

The AQTF 2007 provides the framework for quality and consistency in Australia's vocational educational and training (VET) system. It comprises three components:

Essential Standards for Registration that must be met by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) such as CDU in order to deliver and assess nationally recognised training and issue nationally recognised qualifications
Standards for State and Territory Registering Bodies who are responsible for registering RTOs and quality assuring the training and assessment services they provide (in the NT this is the Department of Education and Training (DET)
Voluntary Excellence Criteria which focus on encouraging and recognising overall high performance in training providers.

Under the AQTF, DET conducts regular audits of CDU to validate our applications for renewal of registration and extension to scope of registration, and to monitor our ongoing compliance with the AQTF requirements. A staff quality framework induction program is available on the intranet.

National initiatives

Bradley Review

In 2008, the Commonwealth Government initiated a Review of Australian Higher Education, led by Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley AC. The final report from this review is available from the DEEWR website, along with the Government's comprehensive response, Transforming Australia’s Higher Education System. The outcomes from this Review will significantly shape the teaching and learning context at CDU for many years to come.

Australian Learning and Teaching Council

The Commonwealth Government has also established the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) to provide a national focus for the enhancement of learning and teaching in Australian universities. ALTC coordinates and disburses funding for a range of programs designed to support and enhance teaching and learning, including grant schemes, fellowships and awards for teaching excellence and outstanding contributions to student learning.

Northern Territory Government agreements

CDU-NTG Partnership Agreement

In 2007, CDU signed a five-year Partnership Agreement with the Northern Territory Government which commits both parties to the development of the University as a thriving teaching and research institution that supports the social and economic development of the Northern Territory. The Agreement sets out a range of core outcomes that inform and shape teaching and learning activities across CDU's higher education and VET sectors. Its focus is likely to be augmented by the NT Government's new Territory 2030 Strategy.

VET Profile and Resource Agreement

Each year CDU's VET sector negotiates a VET Profile and Resource Agreement with the Northern Territory Government Department of Education and Training (DET). This sets out delivery targets for VET courses and qualifications that attract government funding and determines the basis of each VET Team's budget.

CDU Futures Framework

CDU's Futures Framework sets out the University's vision, mission, attributes and overarching goal. It commits the University to achieving excellence in the following five areas by 2016:

Indigenous participation and relevance
Pathways for learning
Professional, globally oriented education and training
Knowledge to solve complex problems of importance to the communities of our regions
Expanding our capacity through partnerships.

CDU Teaching and Learning Operational Priorities Plan

The frameworks, initiatives and agreements described above all shape CDU's Teaching and Learning Operational Priorities Plan. The Plan provides a framework for the achievement of the University's goals and objectives in teaching and learning and encourages:

enhanced learner-centredness in teaching and assessment
learner acquisition of generic graduate attributes and employability skills
enhanced bi-directional pathways between Higher Education and VET
innovative, flexible, resource-based and technology-mediated approaches to teaching and learning
use of evidence-based approaches to evaluate and improve teaching and learning practices.

CDU academic governance

Information about the legal framework, bodies, policies and processes that shape the academic activities of the University can be found on the CDU governance website.

Academic Board is the University’s senior academic advisory body. The Board provides advice to the Council or Vice-Chancellor on matters relating to learning, teaching, assessment, research and research training. Academic Board receives advice on teaching and learning matters from the CDU Teaching and Learning Panel.

University policies and rules of importance to academic staff and students include:

the Academic Business Policy which provides the framework to manage all academic activities at CDU
the Academic and Scientific Misconduct Policy which provides the framework for managing and dealing with plagiarism, collusion and related forms of cheating and academic dishonesty and fraud at CDU
the Assessment Rules which aim to ensure that all assessment processes for students assessment are flexible, fair and provide for University-wide quality and consistency
the Examination Rules which apply to those forms of examining which occur during the examination period and are consistent with the University Assessment Rules
the Higher Education Progression Rules which aim to achieve the early identification of Higher Education students at risk and the implementation of flexible, practical and
achievable strategies to assist students achieve their learning potential
the Privacy Policy which aims to ensure compliance with relevant privacy legislation and applies to personal information collected and held by the University and the people it employs or engages pertaining to current and former students, current and former staff, and associates of the University
the Students Policy which provides the framework for the delivery of quality services to CDU students.