UTS Offshore Teaching and Learning Activities Operational Directives

These operational directives are presented under UTS policy and have been approved by the Vice Chancellor to ensure the appropriate implementation of the Policy on UTS Offshore Activities with respect to the delivery and management of teaching and learning activities. They apply to:

• the delivery of UTS programs of teaching and learning, including:
  • offshore programs
  • offshore short courses
  • offshore higher degree by research (HDR) courses
• the supply of teaching and learning services, including the provision of:
  • courseware
  • consultancy services
• the management of academic arrangements that provide entry to UTS award programs of teaching and learning in Sydney, including:
  • twinning programs
  • dual programs of study.

At UTS specific meanings are often ascribed to these terms of academic administration. Definitions are provided in section 9.

These operational directives do not provide instruction on matters regulated by Academic Board. They are often derived from and supplemented by position papers and planning documents considered by senior management and approved by the Vice Chancellor. A list of supporting documentation is contained in section 10.

Additional requirements for teaching and learning activities delivered through Modern Standard Chinese as the medium of instruction will be detailed separately. [In preparation — Teaching and Learning Committee, Academic Board.]

The first section of these operational directives details matters of concern to all offshore teaching and learning activities. The second considers where necessary operational directives that only apply to specific activities.

General operational directives

1. Purpose of operational directives

These operational directives are designed to ensure:

• that the quality of the student learning experience and the educational value of the course and any award when offered offshore is equivalent to that delivered onshore,
• an effective and efficient framework for the development and administration of offshore teaching and learning activities to enable the University to meet its statutory and regulatory requirements,
• appropriate academic standards, and appropriate quality assurance practices for the delivery of UTS programs and associated academic arrangements, and to
• clarify areas of responsibility for the different aspects of management of offshore teaching and learning activities.

2. UTS Offshore

2.1 UTS Offshore is the University office that:

• supports and services the faculties in their teaching and learning activities conducted beyond the borders of Australia. In particular it provides project management to facilitate the delivery of the activity by a faculty and its academic management,
• within UTS coordinates all offshore teaching and learning activities in order to ensure information flows and the appropriate use of university resources,
• manages the relationship with offshore agencies and international partners involved in UTS offshore teaching and learning activities, and
• provides advice and assistance to senior management on offshore teaching and learning matters.

2.2 The Director of UTS Offshore reports directly to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International).

2.3 The development of UTS offshore teaching and learning activities will be governed by a three-year rolling business plan, and an annual operational plan.

3. Commercial basis

All offshore teaching and learning activities must be run on at least a cost recovery commercial basis and cannot be subsidised by Commonwealth Grants Scheme funds.

4. Approvals

4.1 The following authorities for executive approval have been approved by Council. These executive approvals for 4.1.1 to 4.1.7 have been embedded in the UTS On-line Course Approval Process (OCAP):

4.1.1 UTS award courses — Deputy Vice-Chancellor

4.1.2 Courseware supply — Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)

4.1.3 Curriculum licensing — Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)

4.1.4 Twinning programs for UTS award courses — Deputy Vice-Chancellor

4.1.5 Dual programs of study, leading in part to a UTS award — Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International)

4.1.6 Non-award courses — Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)

4.1.7 Offshore centres — Deputy Vice-Chancellor

4.2 All approval stages as provided in OCAP must be finalised before different types of UTS teaching and learning activities can commence operation.

4.3 Approval from Council for the delivery of each UTS offshore teaching and learning activity is contingent on a review twice each year (30th June and 31st December). This review will be coordinated through UTS Offshore, and will utilise the Course Performance Review (CPR) data.

4.4 Offshore teaching and learning activities that are approved must commence within a year of approval or be resubmitted through OCAP for approval.

5. Financial management

5.1 The financial management of all UTS offshore teaching and learning activities must be recorded in and through the UTS NEO financial management system.

5.2 Each UTS offshore teaching and learning activity has its own unique UTS FSU activity code and all financial management for each specific activity must use its unique code.

5.3 There will be an annual review and where appropriate adjustment of fees for each offshore teaching and learning activity taking into account changes in CPI, exchange rates, and market conditions as well as the strategic value of each activity to UTS.

6. Intellectual property

6.1 UTS retains and will assert ownership of intellectual property in course and teaching materials developed for the purpose of the delivery of offshore programs.

6.2 UTS retains and will assert ownership of intellectual property in all translations of course and teaching materials, where those translations have been commissioned and paid for by UTS.

6.3 UTS Offshore will coordinate the translation of courseware materials produced in English but to be delivered in Modern Standard Chinese.

Specific operational directives

7. Offshore programs

A UTS offshore program is an award course or program of study approved for delivery to students at a location outside Australia through cooperation with an international partner. These characteristics and particularly involvement with an international partner lead to specific additional procedures.

7.1 Management of offshore programs

7.1.1 UTS Offshore manages the development of each UTS offshore program. In this endeavour it works closely with each faculty responsible for the academic delivery of specific offshore programs.

7.1.2 In the management of UTS offshore programs a distinction is made between project management and academic management.

7.1.3 UTS Offshore is primarily responsible for the project management of UTS offshore programs, as detailed in Appendix 1.

7.1.4 The faculty (or faculties) concerned is (are) responsible for the academic management of each UTS offshore program, as detailed in Appendix 1, as well as its academic delivery.

7.1.5 The project management of UTS offshore programs in operation prior 1 January 2005 may remain the responsibility of the initiating faculty unless or until they inform the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) otherwise.

7.2 Partners

7.2.1 UTS is committed to the development of long-term relationships with other suitable higher education providers for the purpose of delivering one or more UTS offshore programs.

7.2.2 These partnerships must only be developed where there is clear evidence of mutual benefit and development potential.

7.3 Delivery

UTS award programs may be delivered offshore through one of two different types of partnership with an international higher education provider:

7.3.1 Offshore project

Offshore projects are those that deliver programs of study with a pre-defined lifecycle and which usually involve one-off, customised programs for a specific purpose. Offshore projects with a suitable partner in a target location are encouraged.

7.3.2 Offshore centre

Offshore centres are long term arrangements to deliver one or more UTS award programs. They are usually supported by an established infrastructure provided by both UTS and the partner institution. Where numbers permit, UTS will establish both an academic and an administrative support presence as part of the offshore centre.

7.4 Target locations

7.4.1 The Vice-Chancellor will annually approve a schedule of geographic target locations designated as suitable for development as sites for the delivery of UTS offshore programs.

7.4.2 In general, partnerships for the delivery of UTS offshore programs may only be established with providers located in one of the geographic target locations designated by the Vice-Chancellor for offshore program activity, or with one of the University's strategic international partners.

7.4.3 The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), with consideration of any Directives given by the Vice-Chancellor, may approve the development of a proposal for the establishment of a partnership to deliver one or more UTS offshore programs in locations or with institutions other than those specified in the schedule annually approved by the Vice-Chancellor.

7.5 Formal agreements

Partnership arrangements with offshore institutions for the delivery of UTS offshore programs must be supported by a series of formal agreements, renewed on a regular basis:

7.5.1 a Partnership Agreement that deals with the strategic interaction between UTS and the other higher education institution,

7.5.2 an Operations Manual that details academic, administrative and quality assurance interactions between UTS and its partner higher education institution,

7.5.3 a Program Schedule for the delivery of each specific program of teaching and learning, and an

7.5.4 Annual Operational Plan, that agrees on the operational details for the delivery of each program of teaching and learning in the year ahead.

7.6 Approval processes

7.6.1 Approval and review of offshore programs must be conducted in conformance with Council Directives for UTS Commercial Activities, Vice-Chancellor's Principles, and the requirements of Academic Board as appropriate.

7.6.2 No offshore program of teaching and learning may begin before UTS approval processes are fully completed and appropriate in-country government approvals have been secured.

7.7 Recruitment and marketing

7.7.1 As the awarding institution, UTS must retain responsibility for approving marketing and promotional material relating to offshore programs.

7.7.2 UTS must ensure that no inappropriate or misleading statements are used in the promotion of its offshore programs and that its corporate identity is applied in accordance with the Rules governing the use of its logo and emblem.

7.7.3 The appointment of any agents for the purposes of marketing the UTS offshore program or recruiting students for the program must be managed in accordance with the International Office's current terms of business on agent appointment.

7.8 Quality assurance

The Offshore Programs Quality Assurance Committee of the Faculty Advisory Group on International Activities monitors the development and delivery of offshore programs.

7.8.1 All offshore programs of teaching and learning must meet the University's criteria for educational quality.

7.8.2 Criteria for the selection and admission of students to offshore programs must be in accordance with the UTS Admission Policy.

7.8.3 UTS staff must be involved in the delivery of offshore programs of teaching and learning.

7.8.4 Where teaching delivery is localised, or where a partner is licensed to provide a UTS course, moderation and quality assurance procedures must involve UTS staff.

7.9 Records management

7.9.1 The authoritative student enrolment and record system for all students in UTS offshore programs is held in UTS CASS. All UTS offshore students must have appropriate records on that system.

7.9.2 All records relating to UTS offshore students which may be kept by the offshore partner must be accorded the same levels of privacy and protection as those held at UTS in Sydney (refer UTS Policy on the Management and Protection of Personal Student Information).

7.10 Financial management

7.10.1 Fees for UTS offshore programs are collected by the UTS Student Administration Unit Fees Office.

7.10.2 Income derived from the delivery of UTS offshore programs is managed by and through FSU.

7.10.3 For all offshore programs where project management is provided through and by UTS Offshore, the teaching faculty (or faculties) receive 64.4 percent of the net revenue to UTS generated by that program.

7.10.4 For offshore programs in operation before 1 January 2005 where the teaching faculty (or faculties) also provide project management functions to the operation of the program, the teaching faculty (or faculties) receives the net revenue to UTS less 16 percent of gross revenue generated by the offshore program.

7.10.5 Payments to staff for their involvement in a UTS offshore program must be in accord with UTS Enterprise Agreements, HR policy and procedures.

8. Offshore higher degree by research (HDR) courses

An offshore HDR course may be a Masters by research, a PhD program, or a Professional Doctorate.

8.1 Offshore HDR courses are regarded as offshore programs when delivered in cooperation with an offshore partner.

8.2 Offshore HDR courses are regulated financially as onshore HDR programs for the research component of the program of study.

8.3 Offshore HDR courses that are not offshore programs are still regarded as having offshore students and their numbers reported accordingly.

8.4 The appointment of any agents for the purposes of marketing or recruiting students for a UTS offshore HDR course must be managed in accordance with the International Office's current terms of business on agent appointment.

9. Definitions

For the purposes of this statement, the following words shall have the meanings given below:

Admission means the process of applying for, being made an offer to, accepting the offer of admission and being admitted to an award course or a program of study at the University.

Applicant means a person who has applied to the University or its agent for admission to an award course or program of study at the University.

Articulation means the mechanism which enables students to proceed from an external course to a UTS course sometimes, but not necessarily, with credit which has been agreed as part of an articulation agreement with the external provider.

Award course means an integrated collection of academic subjects which constitute study for the award of a UTS degree, diploma or certificate.

CASS is the UTS student administration electronic information system.

A dual program of study is one that leads to two awards for students: one from UTS and one from a higher education provider outside Australia. The two awards will be in identical or similar disciplines, and combination is facilitated through a formally approved cross-credited arrangement.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) means the Australian test of English language proficiency designed to assess the ability of non-native speakers of English who intend to study in the medium of English.

International Office (IO) means the UTS unit responsible for marketing and coordinating admissions of all international students to award courses and study abroad programs.

International student means a student who is not a citizen or permanent resident of Australia and includes those who have student visas, provisional residency, temporary residency, bridging visas, etc.

Local student means a student who is an Australian citizen (including Australian citizens with dual citizenship) or a student who is a New Zealand citizen or a student who has Permanent Resident status.

Moderation is the process whereby UTS assesses the merit and worth of teaching and program delivery on its courses taught elsewhere.

National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) means the Commonwealth of Australia office that provides information about skills and qualifications obtained overseas.

Offer means a formal invitation to a prospective student to commence an award course or program of study.

Offshore activity means an activity where UTS engages in an agreement or operates beyond the borders of Australia, either on its own or in cooperation with one or more international partners.

Offshore centre means a long term arrangement to deliver one or more UTS offshore programs.

Offshore higher degree by research (HDR) course means a UTS Masters degree, PhD or professional doctorate delivered by UTS without a partner beyond the borders of Australia.

Offshore partner means an institution (usually a higher education provider) with which UTS cooperates in an offshore activity.

Offshore project means an offshore program which has been designed and customised for a specific purpose with a pre-determined lifecycle.

Offshore program means a UTS award course or program of study approved for delivery to students at a location outside Australia through cooperation with an international partner.

Offshore short course means a non-award program of study delivered beyond the borders of Australia.

Offshore student means a person who is enrolled in an offshore program, short course or research degree program taught offshore.

Program of study means a collection of academic subjects which may or may not be integrated, and do not in themselves lead to a UTS award of degree, diploma or certificate.

Quality assurance means the review and improvement of processes and outcomes to ensure a high level of quality is maintained.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) means the process of recognising for credit towards a course what an individual student knows or can do, regardless of where or how the student may have acquired the knowledge or skills.

Selection criteria mean a list of requirements designed to establish eligibility and to enable ranking of applicants (where necessary), for an award course or program of study.

Student means a person who has been admitted to an award course or specified subjects of the University and has an active enrolment in that course or specified subjects.

A twinning program is one where students commence their studies on a non-UTS program with a higher education provider outside Australia with the express intent of completing a UTS award in Sydney, assuming regular admission and RPL.

UTS Offshore means the UTS unit responsible for coordinating the University's offshore activities.

10. Related documentation and implementation procedures

Award Course Approval Policy

Council Directives for UTS Commercial Activities

Framework for Dual Programs of Study (116K PDF)

International Relations: Guidelines for Visitors (64K PDF, access restricted to UTS staff)

International Relations: Memoranda of Understanding and Agreements (under review)

Offshore Programs Development Strategy (172K PDF, access restricted to UTS staff)

Twinning programs Framework (191K PDF)

UTS International Plan (208K PDF)

Appendix 1. Offshore program development functions

* Faculty, for programs established before 1 January 2005, if required, as provided for in section 7.1 of these procedures.

UTS Offshore Activities Teaching and Learning Activities Operational Directives approval and revisions tables

Revision/modification history

Published: April 2006