As the next key milestone in our Category 1 timeline, we’re going to be running an Internal Evaluative Review (IER) across 12 areas of Unitec during the first two weeks of June. This is a self-assessment exercise that takes those teams through the same process that the NZQA will use for our External Evaluation Review in November. The IER will help us identify strengths and gaps before the NZQA’s visit and will also provide valuable input for the self-assessment report that we need to send in August.
Chris King, the HoPP who is leading the IER process notes explains that it’s not a mock panel or practice run, but rather a real evaluation and review. Although it may seem like extra work for the 12 teams involved, in reality they will be gathering and talking through evidence from the self-assessment that they already do, such as PEPs, monitors reports, student evaluations, course reports, dashboards, moderation, and so on.
Chris said: “The IER will give us an independent view of the progress we’ve made since the last review, and also highlight any additional actions that we may need to put in place or accelerate before November. It’s also a great way of increasing our internal self-assessment capability, as five Unitec staff will be trained to co-facilitate the panel discussions alongside staff from Arahanga.”
The 12 focus areas have been selected to ensure we’re covering a good range of pathways, business areas and programme levels, and also any specific areas that were mentioned in the 2016 EER report. They are:
- Computing (Masters)
- Social Practice (Bachelor)
- Bridgepoint (Bridging Education & Language Studies – Certificates)
- Early Childhood Education (Bachelor)
- Architectural Studies (Bachelor)
- Engineering Technology (Bachelor)
- Plumbing & Gasfitting (Diploma)
- Business (Diploma)
- International Student Achievement & Support
- Māori Learner Achievement & Support
- Pacifica Learner Achievement & Support
- Governance, Management & Strategy