The Teaching Quality Committee (TQC) was established along with the Academic Programmes Committee (APC) following the disestablishment of the Academic Standards & Quality Committee (ASQC). The TQC has as it prime role to maintain and enhance the quality of teaching at the University. It is the clearing house for reporting against initiatives to enhance teaching including monitoring of the implementation of the Learning & Teaching Plan, Learning and Teaching Policies, aspects of the University Strategic Plan 2019-2021 related to learning and teaching, and relevant audits of the University such as that conducted by the Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities, and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Review of the Centre for Flexible Learning (CFL). It monitors compliance with the QoT Policy, and our various measures of Student Success. It considers audits of Flexi-schools and academic misconduct, as detected by the University anti-plagiarism software Turnitin. Any student feedback from the Student Forum, or from the various University student bodies such as USP Student Association (USPSA), also are considered by TQC. TQC provides quality reports to the Senate, and makes recommendations for changes to practice and identifies resource needs, which are reported to the Communications & ICT Committee (CITC).

The University’s E-Learning, Innovations & Technical Enhancements Committee (E-LITE), reports to the Teaching Quality Committee (TQC), and seeks to ensure the University engages in leading edge learning and teaching that is supported by digital technologies in a manner that is pedagogically sound and research-informed (both institutionally and internationally). E-LITE seeks to ensure robust debate occurs about the myriad of options open to the University in this space; and that any innovations are piloted, evaluated and implemented across the institution. It does not seek to stifle innovation at the Faculty or Centre level, but seeks to ensure that decisions about investment in technologies and other innovations are strategic in nature. E-LITE also has an advisory role to the University through TQC on the spending of CAPEX on educational technologies.

The APC focuses on the evaluation of proposals from Faculties of course revisions, and new programmes (the latter requiring Senate & Council approval) in accordance with its Terms of Reference (APC TOR). Staff or Schools review and consider needed revisions based on feedback from stakeholders including Programme Advisory Committees (PAC) and Regional Campus Advisory Committees (CAC), or as result of an external review of programme accreditation applications. These go to Faculty ASQC, and then to APC using approved processes and forms. Minor changes such as conversions from face-to-face courses to online modes may be approved by APC, with more substantive changes requiring Senate approval, in accord with the Senate Delegation of Authority. New programmes require Council approval, and approval by the Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC) Committee for the Accreditation of University Qualifications (CAUQ).

Recent interest has focused on the development and use of Open Education Resources (OER), which is currently being developed by the Centre for Flexible Learning (CFL).

APC and Senate recently approved clear pathways as shown below from USP TAFE qualifications to ensure students who begin further education at the TAFE level, or who return to study as a second chance learner, have a way to upgrade their qualifications to the undergraduate degree level.

Pathway Diagram

USP Chat Service
Lets start: