Teaching and Learning (Strategic Plan 2003-2007)

Strategic objectives

As the preferred university of the great majority of Queensland's most highly-qualified students, whether school leavers, mature-age students or graduates returning for higher-level studies, as well as of a rapidly-increasing number of outstanding international students, The University of Queensland is committed to excellence of learning experiences and outcomes and will:
  • provide rewarding educational experiences that develop in graduates capacities for independence and creativity, critical judgement, effective communication and ethical and social understanding as well as in-depth knowledge of a field of study;
  • deliver an international focus through curricula and through exposure of students to educational and cultural experiences at this University and overseas;
  • recognise the relationship between excellence in teaching, learning and research and reinforce a commitment to the distinctiveness of a research-based culture for teaching and learning;
  • review and enhance postgraduate coursework programs to increase postgraduate profile;
  • increase the number of postgraduate students to achieve, over time, a student body 25 percent of which is at postgraduate level;
  • deliver an enhanced and flexible approach to learning that is applied appropriately to meet curricula and pedagogic objectives;
  • ensure effective, structured evaluation of teaching and learning quality and outcomes, enlightened by feedback from students, scholars, professions, industry and community;
  • enhance the teaching and learning environment, particularly in relation to provision of high quality infrastructure for flexible learning;
  • recruit, develop and retain staff who provide high quality teaching and learning; and
  • support improved access by students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Operational priorities
  • Ensure that the process of mapping graduate attributes to all courses is completed by 2004.
  • Build opportunities for collaboration and strategic partnerships in teaching and learning with other institutions, including those overseas.
  • Ensure that the teaching quality assurance program, the staff promotion process and other incentives reward and promote school and individual achievement in teaching and learning excellence.
  • Increase the use of flexible learning approaches and the appropriate use of information and communications technologies in educational programs, particularly postgraduate programs in the University.
  • Gather and use information about the quality of teaching and learning and monitor the provision of curriculum and assessment that encourages and reinforces learning as specified in University policy.
  • Improve guidance and the quality of advice to students about program and course selection and maintain ways to seek and respond to student feedback about the teaching and learning environment.
  • Develop strategies to encourage enrolment in and to enhance postgraduate coursework programs.
  • Enhance infrastructure to support teaching and learning, and to provide stronger support to flexible teaching and learning.
  • Provide staff development to support understanding and use of best practice approaches to teaching and learning.
  • Ensure greater and more effective use of adjunct staff.
  • Revise the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Plan.
  • Develop strategies to improve access and participation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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