Professor Ian O’Connor, Vice Chancellor of Griffith University, will chair a reference group to provide advice on the implementation of four higher education performance measurement instruments under the Australian Government’s $1.3 billionAdvancing Quality in Higher Educationinitiative.

Minister for Tertiary Education, Chris Evans, today saidAdvancing Quality in Higher Educationwould improve outcomes for students and pursue national quality, participation and attainment objectives, and welcomed Professor O’Connor’s involvement.

“The Gillard Government reforms are ensuring Australian students have access to high quality teaching and learning remains high at a time that the sector is expanding to meet greater student demand for higher education,” Senator Evans said. “The integrated performance measurement instruments will provide a valuable picture on the quality of teaching and learning in Australian universities.”

The measurement instruments include the University Experience Survey, an Australian version of the Collegiate Learning Assessment, the composite Teaching Quality Indicator and the Review of the Australian Graduate Survey.

The reference group will be made up of representatives from the higher education sector, business and student groups, who have been selected by the Government in consultation with Universities Australia.

A total of $30.8 million in Reward Funding has been set aside in 2012 and 2013 for the performance and quality measures to be developed. Under the new Performance Funding arrangements, Reward Funding of $335.1 million over four years is available to higher education providers for achievement against performance targets set out in their Compacts.

As part of the initiative, the Government announced in the 2011-12 Budget that an integrated suite of performance measurement instruments will be developed during the first Compact period from 2011 to 2013 for use in Performance Funding.

“I welcome the expertise the reference group will provide in the implementation of these new performance measurement instruments,” said Senator Evans.

Further information about theAdvancing Quality in Higher Educationinitiative can be found at http://www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/Policy/Pages/AdvancingQuality.aspx.

AQHE Reference Group members: