This Report is published by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act

Transcription

1 This Report is published by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011, in order to complete the quality audits initiated by the former Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA). This Report is not to be taken as an assessment under the Higher Education Standards Framework as defined in the TEQSA legislation. REPORT OF AN AUDIT OF INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT, SYDNEY MARCH 2012

2 Audit Report Number 8 ISBN Commonwealth of Australia 2012 With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, TEQSA s logo, any material protected by a trademark and where otherwise noted, all material presented in this document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia ( licence. The details of the relevant licence conditions are available on the Creative Commons website (accessible using the links provided) as is the full legal code for the CC BY 3.0 AU licence ( The document must be attributed as: Report of an Audit of International College of Management, Sydney (March 2012). Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Level 14, 530 Collins Street Melbourne, Victoria 3000 T: F: E: enquiries@teqsa.gov.au W:

3 CONTENTS OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT... v BACKGROUND... v THE AUDIT PROCESS... vi CONCLUSIONS... vii INTRODUCTION TO FINDINGS... vii COMMENDATIONS... viii AFFIRMATIONS... viii RECOMMENDATIONS... ix 1 INSTITUTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE INSTITUTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE ACADEMIC GOVERNANCE STRATEGIC PLANNING COLLEGE PREMISES ACHIEVING EFFECTIVENESS IN TEACHING, LEARNING AND OTHER CORE FUNCTIONS ADMISSION AND PROGRESS Admission Student Progress TEACHING AND LEARNING Student Learning Support Quality of Teaching and Academic Staff Development Principles of Teaching and Learning Industry Placement Teaching Innovation Feedback STAFF RESOURCES USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN LEARNING AND TEACHING ACADEMIC INTEGRITY ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURES, DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT TEACHING AND LEARNING ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURES AND DECISION MAKING ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Casualisation of Staff and Workloads Staff Development LIBRARY SERVICES INFORMATION SYSTEMS AUDIT REPORT iii

4 4 MAINTAINING A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY IMPROVEMENT RECAPITULATION QUALITY MANAGEMENT BENCHMARKING DATA APPENDICES APPENDIX A: INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT, SYDNEY APPENDIX B: THE AUDIT PANEL APPENDIX C: ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS iv AUDIT REPORT

5 OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT Please note that ICMS has advised that, at April 2012, it has fully implemented many of the recommendations in the Audit Report. The audit process does not allow for TEQSA to validate information or evidence received subsequent to the finalisation of the Audit Report but readers should be aware of this advice from ICMS. BACKGROUND In 2003, the Australian Government introduced the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) which allows students in non self-accrediting institutions (NSAIs) to receive financial assistance for their tuition fees through the FEE-HELP program. The HESA requires that higher education providers (HEPs) whose students may receive FEE-HELP funds meet a range of quality and accountability requirements, including regular audit by a quality auditing body named in the Higher Education Provider Guidelines. NSAIs approved under the HESA for this purpose may be referred to as non self-accrediting higher education providers, or NSA-HEPs. This Report of the audit of the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS or the College) provides an overview, and then briefly details the Audit Panel s main findings, and its commendations, affirmations and recommendations. A brief introduction to ICMS is given in Appendix A; membership of the Audit Panel in Appendix B; and abbreviations and definitions used in this Report in Appendix C. The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia s higher education regulatory and quality agency. The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (the TEQSA Act) established the agency. This Report is published by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011, in order to complete the cycle of quality audits initiated by the former Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA). This report is not to be taken as an assessment under the Higher Education Standards Framework as defined in the TEQSA legislation. These audits adopt the audit process as previously advised by AUQA. They are concerned with the existence and effectiveness of the quality processes that the organisation has in place to achieve its stated objectives, produce the desired outcomes and meet the needs of the institution s identified constituencies. Effectiveness is judged by the results and standards achieved. The audit also addresses actions taken by the organisation to improve its effectiveness. NSA-HEP audits, under HESA, consider institutional actions and performance in relation to, firstly, the institution s objectives, and secondly, a group of criteria collectively known as Quality Audit Factors (QAFs). Their primary purpose is to provide the NSA-HEPs with a framework for the review of certain aspects of institutional performance. In the report of its self-review (the Performance Portfolio or Portfolio), ICMS reported against each of the QAFs. The sections in this Report use the four main topic headings provided by the QAFs, as well as a data section. Within each section, all the criteria for that QAF are addressed, but usually in a holistic way rather than criterion by criterion. Quality audits of NSA-HEPs do not include a detailed examination of the academic quality assurance processes for programs of study. AUDIT REPORT v

6 THE AUDIT PROCESS An Audit Panel was appointed, the members of which are listed at Appendix B. On 6 May 2011, ICMS presented its submission, comprising a 50-page report, against the individual QAF criteria, plus appendices and supporting material. The Audit Panel met on 31 May 2011 to consider the material. The Panel asked for and received additional information before and during the Audit Visit. ICMS operates a single campus located in Manly, New South Wales and was visited by the Audit Panel over three days. ICMS offers a Bachelor of Business degree with six majors (Hospitality Management, Event Management, International Tourism, Sports Management, Retail Management and Property Management), six specialist professional degrees in each of these discipline areas, higher education diplomas in each of the specialisations, two study abroad programs and an associate degree program that articulates into Macquarie University s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program after two years of full-time study. The Audit Visit took place from 3 to 5 July In all, the Audit Panel spoke with 62 people during the Audit Visit, including ICMS directors, managers, senior staff, academic staff, students and external stakeholders. Sessions were also available for any member of ICMS s community to meet the Audit Panel, but no one took advantage of this opportunity. The Panel sought advice from the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and the New South Wales Department of Education and Training (NSW DET) in relation to the College and was informed in both cases that no particular issues had been identified with the College. This Report relates to the situation current at the time of the Audit Visit, which ended on 5 July 2011, and does not take into account any changes that may have occurred subsequently. It records the conclusions reached by the Audit Panel based on the documentation provided by ICMS as well as information gained through interviews, discussions and observations. While every attempt has been made to reach a comprehensive understanding of ICMS s activities encompassed by the audit, the Report does not identify every aspect of quality assurance and its effectiveness or shortcomings. The Report contains a summary of audit findings together with lists of commendations, affirmations and recommendations. A commendation refers to the achievement of a stated goal, or to some plan or activity that has led to, or appears likely to lead to, the achievement of a stated goal, and which is particularly significant. A recommendation refers to an area in need of attention, whether in respect of approach, deployment or results, which is particularly significant. Where such matters have already been identified by ICMS, with evidence, they are termed affirmations. Some recommendations and affirmations have a high priority. It is acknowledged that recommendations in this Audit Report may have resource implications. Quotations taken from the Portfolio are identified as (PF p). The Panel gratefully acknowledges the assistance and cooperation of ICMS in preparing for and facilitating the audit. vi AUDIT REPORT

7 CONCLUSIONS This section summarises the main findings and lists the commendations, affirmations and recommendations. Other favourable comments and suggestions are mentioned throughout the text of this Report. INTRODUCTION TO FINDINGS ICMS has achieved a distinctive position in the higher education sector in teaching the theory and practice of management, hospitality and tourism. ICMS is commended on establishing courses that have many positive elements that are attractive to students, including small class sizes and an enviable record of employment of graduates in the service industry. ICMS is commended on its engagement with potential employers of its graduates, which has assisted the establishment of a range of relevant practice placements for students. ICMS is committed to supporting its students and striving to meet the needs of learners with diverse life experience. ICMS has initiated several programs through its Learning Centre, and ICMS is commended for its approaches to supporting students, including peer-assisted learning and informal mentoring and support available in the student residences. ICMS s consistent vision has been to provide applied professional education and training in the service industries of management, hospitality, international tourism, event management, property services and retail services. ICMS is commended for its clear focus on its mission and institutional and educational objectives, which were shared by the College community. ICMS is commended for the dedication and enthusiasm of its staff and management to the vision of the College and its values. There has been a mutually respective and successful partnership with Macquarie University at various levels, including strategic, operational management and access to facilities. The relationship has been an important one for ICMS, providing the ICMS brand with further domestic appeal. In 2011 the arrangement with Macquarie University came to an end by mutual agreement and plans were developed for teaching out the affected courses. ICMS is commended for its commitment, expressed by both parties, to ensure that no students are disadvantaged by this change. The change in university collaboration has provided impetus for the College to move towards the next stage of its strategic plan. There are several areas where ICMS has acknowledged the need to improve. ICMS has actively sought to monitor and address progress and attrition rates of students. It commissioned an independent report and has implemented many of the recommendations arising from that report. This good practice approach is affirmed. ICMS has also identified the need to take measures to ensure consistency in teaching practices and has implemented processes such as schemes of work. This has provided a consistent and structured approach to the documentation supporting learning and teaching at ICMS. Given the architecture of ICMS s buildings, it has been challenging to provide internet access, wireless connectivity and follow me printing in all areas used by students. ICMS has implemented a range of solutions to address these challenges and is continuing to take steps to improve these facilities for students. ICMS has also pursued supportive technologies to improve its administrative recordkeeping and student-support functions. ICMS s continuing development and implementation of supportive technologies is affirmed. ICMS s future aspiration expressed in its strategic plan is taking it into new territory. In its ambition to become a self-accrediting institution it is recommended that ICMS carefully assess the risk to its well- AUDIT REPORT vii

8 developed distinctiveness in the sector, review academic expertise on institutional governance bodies and strengthen academic expertise on academic governance bodies. It is recommended that ICMS allocate resources to further establish a quality assurance model throughout all aspects of College operations, and particularly to undertake benchmarking exercises against institutions that are identified as their main competitors. It is recommended that ICMS move to a model that is more aligned to higher education by increasing the proportion of full-time staff, reviewing workload allocation practices and improving the qualifications of teaching staff to align with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Overall, there is a lot of work in progress at policy and procedural levels. A summary of commendations, affirmations and recommendations follows. They are listed below in the order in which they are discussed in the Report. COMMENDATIONS 1. The International College of Management, Sydney is commended for its strong interest in the learning experience of its students and the supportive culture it provides The International College of Management, Sydney is commended for clearly defining its role and vision in the Australian higher education sector and for its consistent planning across all levels of the College The International College of Management, Sydney is commended on the implementation of the Learning and Teaching Centre s Peer Assisted Learning Service program, which is valued by students The International College of Management, Sydney is commended on its engagement with employers to ensure relevant industry experience for its students, allocation of students to appropriate placements, and monitoring of students during industry placement The International College of Management, Sydney is commended for its student feedback mechanism of regular town hall meetings, which engage students in the progress and plans of the College and provide an open forum for questions AFFIRMATIONS 1. The recognition by the International College of Management, Sydney of the need for academic expertise on its governing body, the Touraust Corporation Board, is affirmed The intention of International College of Management, Sydney to increase the number of external members of the Academic Senate, to appoint the Chair from the external members, and to ensure that the Senate reports directly to the governing body, is affirmed The International College of Management, Sydney s recognition of the need to secure additional premises near the College, under affordable financial arrangements, is affirmed The International College of Management, Sydney s plan to address attrition rates is affirmed viii AUDIT REPORT

9 5. The International College of Management, Sydney s processes, including the schemes of work, which ensure that the College s core principles are embedded consistently across the teaching and learning program, are affirmed The International College of Management, Sydney s development of its Foundation Program as a mechanism to provide a pathway and preparation of students into its associate degree and bachelor programs is affirmed The International College of Management, Sydney s development of a five-year staffing plan to redress the reliance on sessional staff is affirmed The International College of Management, Sydney s planning and projections to increase the qualifications of full-time staff to one AQF level above the qualification in which they teach is affirmed The International College of Management, Sydney s commitment to improve measures to prevent, detect, and record instances of significant plagiarism is affirmed The continued commitment by the International College of Management, Sydney to improve information systems and supportive technologies, noting the roles these will play in addressing the requirements for future development and expansion of the College, is affirmed RECOMMENDATIONS 1. It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney review its academic governance model and make changes to better align its academic governance structure with the aspirations of the College It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney ensure that the records of meetings of the Academic Senate and other committees are appropriately documented, filed and acted upon, in accordance with accepted good practices in academic governance It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney develop a more robust and well-documented approach to strategic planning with identifiable milestones, KPIs and monitoring and review processes to guide the College s planning over the short-to-medium term It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney develop and implement a teaching and learning plan to promote good practice in teaching across the College It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney continue to monitor internet usage and develop plans to adequately meet the current and future needs of staff and students (urgent) It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney move towards a model of staffing appropriate for higher education and the aspirations of the College, and that it improve staff facilities and conditions to provide academic staff with the resources needed to adequately perform their academic duties AUDIT REPORT ix

10 7. It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney implement as soon as practicable a performance evaluation and development system for all staff, as projected in its staffing strategy five-year plan (urgent) It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney increase library resources and expand the availability of student learning spaces It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney assign resources to ensure the development, promulgation, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive quality assurance processes It is recommended that further benchmarking be conducted by the International College of Management, Sydney against institutions that the College has identified as its main comparator institutions nationally x AUDIT REPORT

11 1 INSTITUTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE ICMS is an independent, non self-accrediting higher education provider. The College offers diplomas, associate degrees and bachelor degrees; most students graduate with an associate degree, with associate degrees being the most numerous in terms of student completions (97% of completions in 2009). ICMS advocates the associate degree as a pathway to the bachelor degree and as an entry point for students who prefer to strengthen the vocational learning component of their qualification. As its vision, ICMS seeks: recognition as a world leader in management education, by equipping graduates with the professional skills and knowledge to continually surpass international industry expectations to ensure that the ICMS graduate is the employee of choice in target industries to develop job-ready graduates through the integration of professional skills and workintegrated learning (PF p2). The College s institutional purpose and educational objectives are elaborated in greater detail in Appendix A. The College has a relatively small number of students, which is likely a factor in the College s past reliance on informal feedback and the collection of qualitative information over the use of strong quantitative data. Following growth of student numbers from 249 in 2007 to 606 in 2008, overall student numbers decreased to 565 in 2009 (data item 5.1). This decrease is attributable in part to a reduction in international student enrolments from 412 in 2008 to 338 in 2009, a trend consistent with international enrolments across the sector (data item 5.2), although an overall decrease in student numbers was not reflected across other NSA-HEPs. 1.1 INSTITUTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES The ICMS Portfolio describes the College as striving for excellence in providing applied professional education and training (PF p1). ICMS has a clear orientation and commitment to the service industries of management, hospitality and tourism and the preparation of jobready graduates. The College s aspiration is to become a self-accrediting institution and eventually to gain university status, although a timeframe has not been specified. The Panel found that this aspiration is not consistently shared at all levels throughout the institution. Staff are concerned that an emphasis on academic research will come at the expense of current and relevant industry experience of the teaching staff, a feature of ICMS s teaching approach. ICMS will need to balance this aspiration against the risk of weakening its distinctiveness of applied practice in the hospitality, tourism and management sector of higher education. Furthermore, ICMS needs to plan for substantially increased resources and infrastructure if it is to meet its aspiration. Teaching and learning practices at ICMS emphasise the quality and work readiness of graduates. Students positively endorse the industry placements provided as a component of ICMS courses and are forthright in stating that they were attracted to the College because of the opportunity to engage practically in their chosen field while gaining an academic award. AUDIT REPORT 1

12 Students are attracted to ICMS also because it offers an opportunity for an alternative learning experience to that provided by universities. The industry training provided by ICMS is endorsed by employers, many of whom had employed students following the students industry training placements. The Teaching and Learning Plan describes strategic priorities for ICMS. These are consistent with ICMS s vision and include support for student learning, engagement with employer groups, and the integration of communication technologies explained in other sections of this Report (section 2.4). Support for students in the ICMS learning environment stands out as a feature of the College (section 2.2.1). Activities of the Learning and Teaching Centre in initiating and supporting the Peer Assisted Learning Service (PALS) residence assistants and Student Support Services combine to provide a high level of student support and responsiveness to students learning needs. Students comment positively on the one-on-one contact with residence assistants, the role of the Student Experience Department and the small class sizes, which provide opportunities to build supportive communities of learning. The culture at ICMS is one of concern and interest in the learning experience of its students. Commendation 1 The International College of Management, Sydney is commended for its strong interest in the learning experience of its students and the supportive culture it provides. The vision and objectives of ICMS are reflected in the College s: planning documents department and school structures intended learning experiences for students responsiveness to the needs of the students engagement and feedback with employer groups, and investment in supportive communication and information technologies. Managers and staff firmly believe in the vision and objectives of ICMS and demonstrate a concern for the needs of students and the importance of engagement with employer groups. High-level organisational aspirations flowed down to every level of the College, including in planning documents and organisational structures. Interviews with staff at all levels of the College further confirmed the commitment to ICMS s vision and highlighted the interest in the students learning experiences and support for students needs, an area discussed later in this Report (section 2.2.1). There is consistency between the stated vision, core objectives and planning across all levels of the College. Commendation 2 The International College of Management, Sydney is commended for clearly defining its role and vision in the Australian higher education sector and for its consistent planning across all levels of the College. The core educational objectives of ICMS, as stated in its Performance Portfolio and reproduced here, are aimed at providing a quality learning experience for all students and state that ICMS seeks to: Regularly review our courses, units of study and teaching and learning methodologies to ensure we maintain relevance and industry best practice; Support innovative teaching and disseminate examples of enhanced student learning outcomes; 2 AUDIT REPORT

13 Provide all staff with continuous development and training opportunities; Be responsive to the needs of our students and potential employers and ensure that our programs, teaching and assessment work together to develop the ICMS graduate attributes; Provide students with a smooth transition into the ICMS learning environment and fully support each student s learning; Provide appropriate resources to improve and maintain quality learning environments (virtual, physical and social); Enhance learning through the integration of information and communication technologies into program delivery. (PF pp5 6) All staff are well aware of these objectives. 1.2 INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE ICMS is an Australian proprietary company limited by shares. The sole shareholder of International College of Management Sydney Pty Ltd (ICMS) is Touraust Investments Pty Ltd, which is 100 per cent owned by Touraust Corporation Pty Ltd. None of the directors of these companies has any shareholdings in these companies. Directors of Touraust Corporation Board (TCB or the Board) include the founder of ICMS as Chairman. Touraust Corporation is the sole owner and operator of ICMS and also the sole owner and operator of Constellation Hotels (CH). The TCB oversees and is responsible for both CH and ICMS. Headquarters for the CH group is currently co-located on the College site. The financial accounts for ICMS are kept separate from those of Touraust and are independently audited. The TCB has a strong sense of the strengths of the College and shows a commitment to the values and the culture of the College. The TCB is also responsible for the risk management of ICMS. The Portfolio identified the change in the international market and the loss of the partnership with Macquarie University as risks for ICMS. Ten steps are reported in the Portfolio against the ICMS Strategic Plan 2010 involving product and delivery mechanisms to address identified risks as well as strategically position the College for achieving its goals (PF Appendix p1). TCB is encouraged to regularly review and update its risk register. Membership of the TCB does not include an external representative with educational expertise. TCB has recognised the need to strengthen its governance capabilities for higher education and, at the time of the Audit Visit, was in the process of appointing external educational experts. Gender balance on the TCB is being addressed also. Affirmation 1 The recognition by the International College of Management, Sydney of the need for academic expertise on its governing body, the Touraust Corporation Board, is affirmed. ICMS has evolved the current model of governance over the past five years. As ICMS progresses to the next stages of its strategic plan, it will need to further consider relevant forms of academic governance. These will require evidence of educational credentials and external representation. It is recommended that ICMS and the TCB further review models of higher education governance that would enhance the independence of ICMS and include increased representation of independent and educationally qualified members. AUDIT REPORT 3

14 Recommendation 1 It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney review its academic governance model and make changes to better align its academic governance structure with the aspirations of the College. 1.3 ACADEMIC GOVERNANCE The Academic Senate is the principal academic body of ICMS and has responsibility for academic programs and for providing advice to the Executive and the Board on all academic matters. Reports from the Senate to the TCB are provided by the Managing Director, who is not a member of the Academic Senate. An Industry and Advisory Board provides advice to both the Managing Director and the Academic Senate on matters dealing with market trends and industry benchmarks. The Academic Senate has 15 members, including two recent external appointments with substantial higher education experience and academic credentials. The membership also includes five heads of school, the Head of Student Services, the Head of the Academic Learning Centre, two student representatives (one position is currently filled), the Head of Careers Services and two elected staff representatives. Minutes of the Academic Senate were available for only two meetings in 2010 and no minutes were available to the Audit Panel for The minutes of meetings are not in a format that makes clear the decisions that were taken and responsibilities for action. The Panel could not identify a schedule of meetings for the Academic Senate for 2010 or The Academic Senate needs to ensure that its minutes are appropriately documented, filed for reference, and acted on, in accordance with accepted good practice in academic governance. Recommendation 2 It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney ensure that the records of meetings of the Academic Senate and other committees are appropriately documented, filed and acted upon, in accordance with accepted good practices in academic governance. ICMS has identified a need to increase senior academic expertise in the Academic Senate by: increasing the number of external members of the Senate to three; ensuring that the Chair of the Senate is an external member; and ensuring that the Senate reports directly to the Touraust Corporation Board. These changes provide a clear separation between management and governance of the Senate, and these changes are affirmed. Affirmation 2 The intention of International College of Management, Sydney to increase the number of external members of the Academic Senate, to appoint the Chair from the external members, and to ensure that the Senate reports directly to the governing body, is affirmed. 1.4 STRATEGIC PLANNING ICMS claims a top-down and bottom-up approach to strategic planning. The planning process is stated to involve the Board and most of the College staff. Strategic directions have input from staff at all levels, with future plans widely disseminated across the ICMS community. 4 AUDIT REPORT

15 Strategic planning documents for the College include a one-year rolling plan, a three-year vision, and a five-year staffing strategy. The planning documents identify several key challenges for ICMS in the near future, including the upgrading of staff qualifications (section 2.3) and an increase in student enrolments which would require expansion of the College s premises and facilities (section 1.5). The one-year rolling plan provides key performance indicators (KPIs), identifying persons responsible and target dates. These are good practices, but the format of planning documents makes it difficult to identify the source of any revisions, to what extent staff truly contribute rather than merely being informed, and how KPIs are monitored, reviewed and revised. A lack of comprehensiveness and sequential documentation was partially attributed by ICMS to the recent change in its cooperative arrangements with Macquarie University and the need to substantially re-work strategic plans. ICMS is encouraged to consider improvements to address these points, particularly in regard to the monitoring and review of KPIs. Recommendation 3 It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney develop a more robust and well-documented approach to strategic planning with identifiable milestones, KPIs and monitoring and review processes to guide the College s planning over the short-to-medium term. In the view of the Audit Panel, ICMS needs to consolidate the College s current operations and core teaching areas before embarking on the next steps. The status of self-accrediting institution or specialist university would require the commitment of further substantial resources to develop appropriate processes, policies, expertise and organisational structures within the College. 1.5 COLLEGE PREMISES During the course of the audit, the Panel investigated some potential risks to the College s operations. As identified earlier in this Report (section 1.2), risks facing ICMS are monitored by the TCB, although premises were not specifically identified despite the Panel being advised that securing suitable premises for expansion of the College is a further significant challenge confronting ICMS. The College is housed in a historic sandstone building at an inner-city Sydney location. This property, a former seminary, is owned by the Catholic Church and leased long-term to ICMS. This is an outstanding site for the College, although ICMS is constrained by the lease in making additions, modifications or other improvements to the infrastructure. The College currently uses several portable classrooms on the current site to provide additional teaching space. For some time, the College has been actively investigating properties that are near to the current campus and that will cater appropriately for an increase in student numbers and the provision of appropriate facilities. Affirmation 3 The International College of Management, Sydney s recognition of the need to secure additional premises near the College, under affordable financial arrangements, is affirmed. AUDIT REPORT 5

16 2 ACHIEVING EFFECTIVENESS IN TEACHING, LEARNING AND OTHER CORE FUNCTIONS ICMS offers six associate degrees, seven bachelor degrees and has a collaborative agreement with Macquarie University, ending in 2011, to deliver the Bachelor of Business Administration, the Master of Commerce and the Master of International Business. The associate degrees are offered across six areas of study: international tourism, hospitality management, event management, sports management, retail services management and property services management. Degrees are offered across the same areas of study as the associate degrees plus a further area of study in business management. With the amicable change in relationship with Macquarie University, the College is now phasing out the delivery of the Macquarie University degrees delivered by ICMS and awarded by Macquarie University. Teach-out arrangements have been put in place for affected students. ICMS will not enrol students into Macquarie University degrees in ADMISSION AND PROGRESS Admission The admission process is defined by ICMS s Admissions Policy which has been approved by the Academic Senate. The process is largely administrative, but where an application requires academic judgement the application is referred to the Head of School, Associate Dean or Executive Dean for a decision. The standard academic requirements are completion of year 12 of the Australian high school system, or equivalent. An additional age requirement of 18 years of age or older is applied as students are required to undertake an industry placement involving the serving of alcohol. An alternative entry path is available to applicants of 20 years of age or older, with at least two years of relevant work experience relating to their intended area of study, and who hold a qualification that is at least a Certificate IV level. Admission of all domestic applicants in addition involves an interview, although the rigour of this aspect is not clear given the absence of a structured approach to the interview and a lack of recordkeeping of the observations and judgements made in those interviews that would permit further analysis and monitoring. It is suggested that ICMS improve this element of its admission process Student Progress While ICMS claims that completion and progress rates of its students are consistent with comparable providers, the College experienced a declining progress rate over the period 2007 to 2009, positioning ICMS at the lower end of the distribution of progress rates for institutions in the NSA-HEP sector for which information is available (data item 5.3). Attrition rates for ICMS increased during the period 2007 to 2008, positioning ICMS at the upper end of the distribution of attrition rates among comparable providers (data item 5.4). In response to this trend, the College commissioned an independent report into its retention rates, which resulted in 15 recommendations for implementation, an action that demonstrated good practice by the College. 6 AUDIT REPORT

17 The diverse student background and opportunity for students to gain employment while undertaking a course have been put forward by ICMS as contributing to its relatively high attrition rate. To increase retention, ICMS is implementing a student management system, to better document communications with students during the application and admissions process and to improve its ability to monitor student progress. These actions, combined with the appointment of an officer with specific responsibility for retention at the College, should lead to improvement in progress rates through the improved ability of the College to identify students who may be at risk of not completing their studies. The report commissioned by ICMS highlighted the need for the College to use accurate and up-to-date data, as the time delay experienced with previous systems for identification of students at risk of not progressing contributed to a lack of timely intervention by the College. ICMS has responded by approving the installation of a new student information system that further assists identification of at risk students in a more timely manner. As mentioned earlier, a further recommendation of the report was to appoint a staff member with the responsibility for the implementation of strategies for addressing attrition. At the time of the Audit Visit ICMS had made progress on 10 of the 15 recommendations made in the report, with ICMS data now reporting an improvement in the attrition rate from 6.6 per cent of total enrolments in February 2010 to five per cent in September 2010 (PF p14). During the interviews, the Panel was informed of a range of other circumstances impacting attrition, including students being offered and accepting full- or part-time employment while undertaking industry placement (and discontinuing their studies). Affirmation 4 The International College of Management, Sydney s plan to address attrition rates is affirmed. 2.2 TEACHING AND LEARNING Student Learning Support The Learning and Teaching Centre plays a prominent role in supporting teaching and learning programs, including managing a new Peer Assisted Learning Service (PALS), which provides one-on-one mentoring and study help to students by teaming them with high-distinction students. Students comment favourably on the PALS program and confirm its supportive role in their studies. ICMS identifies PALS as a key mechanism in supporting students from diverse backgrounds and academic records. PALS was fully instituted only in the first term of 2011, but early results indicate that more than 50 students have benefited from this service. A lack of staff resources is evident, but in its budget for ICMS has funded an additional position to further support this initiative. Commendation 3 The International College of Management, Sydney is commended on the implementation of the Learning and Teaching Centre s Peer Assisted Learning Service program, which is valued by students Quality of Teaching and Academic Staff Development The Teaching and Learning Centre at ICMS provides a range of other teaching and learning services, including services to all staff to improve teaching and learning throughout the College through targeted workshops and individual consultations. AUDIT REPORT 7

18 ICMS has no Teaching and Learning Committee with responsibility for the development of a teaching strategy or the monitoring of teaching practices. Decisions on teaching and learning matters are made variously throughout the institution at school level, Executive level or at the Academic Senate. However, there is an overall lack of academic debate on, and hence a lack of clarity around, teaching and learning models and implementation. ICMS needs to further develop the oversight and responsibility of teaching and learning decision making and implementation across the institution. Recommendation 4 It is recommended that the International College of Management, Sydney develop and implement a teaching and learning plan to promote good practice in teaching across the College Principles of Teaching and Learning Applied learning and service culture development are stated to be core principles of teaching and learning at ICMS. The industry training program is used to support the applied learning principle (section 2.2.4). The development of a service culture is embedded at the subject level as an integrated theme. ICMS has established mechanisms aimed at ensuring the consistency of these teaching principles. The service culture aspect is developed through subjects that provide industry experience and the appointment of staff with industry currency, who are able to integrate real life scenarios into the learning experience. Students comment favourably on the ability of teachers to illustrate in meaningful ways how the principles of a service culture are manifested, thereby linking theory and practice. Teaching and learning documentation has recently been developed to now include a program outline, subject outline, schemes of work and lesson plans. Schemes of work are identified in the College as the working document for the teacher; ICMS identifies them as a basis for reviewing and updating material, a detailed subject description for moderation by external examiners, and a tool for continuity if changes of teaching staff occur. The Panel found no evidence of moderation by external examiners or of the use of external people to benchmark subjects. However, the combination of documents does provide a way to identify intended learning outcomes, resources, assessment and alignment with the goals of ICMS. Although the interrelation between these documents needs refinement, the combination of these documents is an effective way to ensure that ICMS s core principles are embedded consistently across the College s teaching and learning program. Affirmation 5 The International College of Management, Sydney s processes, including the schemes of work, which ensure that the College s core principles are embedded consistently across the teaching and learning program, are affirmed Industry Placement ICMS states that its goal is to produce work ready graduates. A mechanism ICMS uses to achieve this goal is the industry training program. The industry training program is positioned as a central experience in the course for students, occurring after introductory subjects are completed and followed by more advanced subjects that build on the industry training experience. ICMS has developed a network of industrial placements that it uses to full advantage to support its industry placement program. 8 AUDIT REPORT

19 The mandatory industry training period is 600 hours for diploma programs and 1200 hours for associate degrees and bachelor degrees. Assessment of the industry training placement is through workplace supervisors performance reports together with students workplace assignments. Through interviews with current students, alumni and employers of graduates, it is apparent that the industry training program is rated very highly by all stakeholders, and that graduates are able to gain employment as a consequence of their industry training placements. Some students are offered work arising from their industry training placements and subsequently withdraw from the course, which contributes to the attrition rate (section 2.1.2). Employers speak positively of the program and the level of preparedness and professionalism of the students. The Industry Training and Development Department oversees the industry training program. This department supports students in securing a placement, monitors students during placement, provides a point of contact with the College for those on placement (through and the Colleges learning management system) and oversees the submission of supervision reports and assignments. Students communication with the College while on industry placement is expected to benefit from improvements to the College s learning management system (section 2.4). Commendation 4 The International College of Management, Sydney is commended on its engagement with employers to ensure relevant industry experience for its students, allocation of students to appropriate placements, and monitoring of students during industry placement Teaching Innovation Two innovative teaching approaches developed by ICMS are the Professional Performance Program and the Foundation Program. The Professional Performance Program (PPP) aims to provide students with the principles of professional conduct associated with high levels of professionalism. Although not a formal component of the course, it is a condition of enrolment that students adhere to the principles of the PPP. Teachers integrate aspects of PPP into their lessons, and topics such as grooming are discussed in class when the opportunity arises. The PPP aims to support the College s vision to produce graduates who are the employees of choice. This approach supports the service culture and ethos that permeate ICMS s goals and was commented on by external stakeholders and employers of ICMS graduates. ICMS is developing a foundation program to be implemented later in This program is to be a pathway to ICMS s associate and bachelor degree programs, and there are plans that it will make use of blended and distance learning. While a foundation program, as a pathway into a degree program, in itself is not innovative, the Panel noted that ICMS is exploring this in the context of international delivery by distance education and also as a further mechanism in preparing students for award studies, providing ICMS with a further strategy to address issues with student progress rates. This is a new step for ICMS and it will be important for the College to ensure the use of appropriate expertise in distance education for the development of the Foundation Program. ICMS is encouraged to have the program independently validated. The Foundation Program is currently in the final stages of development, with first enrolments tentatively scheduled for September AUDIT REPORT 9

20 Affirmation 6 The International College of Management, Sydney s development of its Foundation Program as a mechanism to provide a pathway and preparation of students into its associate degree and bachelor programs is affirmed Feedback The College has mechanisms to gain feedback from students, including through surveys (of all subjects each semester), class representatives, individual meetings of students with the Dean, the students association, and regular meetings with students known within the College as town hall meetings. The town hall meetings are a popular highlight of the feedback mechanisms used by ICMS and are appreciated by students as an opportunity to hear the Executive of the College present reports and plans, ask questions, give feedback, and seek an immediate response from the Executive. Students indicate they feel free to provide feedback to individual teaching staff. The College has recently identified a number of priorities for future improvement through its feedback processes, such as reviewing the links between the College s graduate attributes and generic skills (Affirmation 4), strengthening the alignment between subject learning outcomes and assessment tasks, and reviewing the design of assessable items involving group work. Commendation 5 The International College of Management, Sydney is commended for its student feedback mechanism of regular town hall meetings, which engage students in the progress and plans of the College and provide an open forum for questions. 2.3 STAFF RESOURCES ICMS has a large percentage of casual staff, who bring to the College a blend of current industry experience and qualifications, and whose industry experience is valued by ICMS and students. Chart A6 in the Portfolio (PF p18) identifies that of 66 academic staff, 60 are casual. The Panel observes that academic staff have high workloads, some in excess of 25 contact hours per week, and that at any one time 37 per cent of the academic staff have more than 20 hours of contact time per week. The Panel was informed that workloads are averaged across the year, resulting in some semesters with high workloads and other semesters with low workloads for staff. Many sessional staff have served at the College for more than 10 years. The use of sessional staff has worked well for the College in the past when the College could rely on its university partner for imparting an academic culture. Sessional staff generally are less accessible to students and peers, less able to sit on committees, not required to be engaged in scholarship or research, and generally are not in a position to comment on academic curriculum. ICMS will need a larger core of experienced academics to develop an academic culture. ICMS acknowledges this as an issue and has developed a five-year staffing strategy aimed at improving the full-time staff numbers. 10 AUDIT REPORT