The University has established a systematic and structured benchmarking mechanism as part of the Quality Assurance (QA) processes at the University, departmental and programme levels. At each level of review, external reference points are used to ensure that the academic standards and quality of programmes are appropriately benchmarked.
- Benchmarking at the University Level
- University-level benchmarking is conducted on a regular basis to review various key domains, including learning and teaching, research, and administrative and support services. Under each domain, one to three benchmarking partners are identified.
- For learning and teaching, meetings and telephone conferences with benchmarking partners are conducted to exchange information and good practices, with positive impacts in a variety of relevant areas, such as the following:
- - programme design, QA and quality enhancement
- programme and university review
- evaluation of student feedback
- evaluation of learning outcomes
- benchmarking practices
- Relevant documents are also collected to develop an in-depth understanding of critical areas. A summary of findings is then drawn up to compare the University’s good practices with those of benchmarked institutions and identify good practices from which the University can learn. The University-level benchmarking report is submitted to the Learning and Teaching Quality Committee and, finally, to the Academic Board for consideration.
- Benchmarking at the Departmental Level
- Departmental benchmarking can be conducted alongside a departmental review, with the objective of identifying examples of good practice from benchmarked institutions for improvement and, where necessary, to ensure that departments are given appropriate support to make changes through the benchmarking process.
- The departmental review and benchmarking process has three distinctive features: self-evaluation by the department under review, the appointment of external reviewers to enable benchmarking with external institutions, and the evaluation of a full range of departmental activities, enabling the departments to review and identify examples of good practice for enhancement in five key areas: (i) learning and teaching, (ii) community services, (iii) research, public engagement and knowledge transfer, (iv) planning, resource management and administrative support, and (v) strategic development.
- Upon completion of the process, a departmental review and benchmarking report and action plan is produced and submitted to the Faculty Board for input and endorsement; then to the Academic Planning and Development Committee; and further to the Academic Board for approval.
- Benchmarking at the Programme Level
- At the programme level, feedback is solicited from external senior academics through the programme external review and external examiners (EE) system to benchmark the academic standards and quality of the University’s programmes against those of other international peer institutions.
- For new programmes, an external review is conducted prior to implementation to ensure the demand for and academic validity of the new programmes being developed. Existing programmes are required to undergo periodic review, which focuses on their standards, implementation and management.
- EEs provide constructive comments and advice on programme improvement. EE reports incorporate relevant benchmarking questions, constructing a formal channel to obtain information on external referencing and benchmarking to enhance programme quality in areas such as the following:
- - programme/course design
- academic standards
- learning and teaching
- assessment and student performance
- Programme Committees receive the EE reports and provide follow-up actions and responses to the EEs’ feedback. The EE reports and corresponding action plans and responses are then submitted to the Faculty Board, Board of Graduate Studies and Academic Committee, as appropriate, for approval.
