New Course Structures: The UWA Future Framework

The challenge of deciding how university courses are best structured and delivered is attracting increasing attention both within Australia and in many overseas countries.

Listed below is a selection of resources which provide national and international contexts for the changes being implemented within the UWA Future Framework.

Australian context

• Australian Qualifications Framework - The AQF provides for a unified system of national qualifications in schools, vocational education and training, and higher education.
• The Bologna Process and Australia: Next Steps - In 2006 the then Minister for Education, Science and Training released a paper concerning the impact of the Bologna process on Australia.

International context

• The Bologna Declaration - an agreement which aims to achieve consistency of student outcomes from tertiary education across European universities.
• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - the OECD is an organisation made up of 30 member countries, including Australia, which share a commitment to democratic government and the market economy.
• OECD Education Ministers meeting and forum - they discussed higher education in Athens in 2006.

Universities within Australia

• Monash University Passport Program - involves the following components: volunteering opportunities, student leadership, and study abroad.
• Macquarie University academic programs review (PDF).
• Melbourne Model - The University of Melbourne has recently instituted major changes to its degree structure in reforms known as the Melbourne Model.
• University of South Australia - by 2010 UniSA will require all students to include some Indigenous studies in their course.
• Victoria University teaching and research (PDF) - the University has set out five key commitments which include requiring students to undertake 25 per cent of their course on the job and in the community.

Universities within Asia

• National University of Singapore - undergraduate curriculum comprises both breadth and depth units and they also provide an emphasis on research opportunities for undergraduate students.
• Tokyo University - released an action plan which includes educational reforms.
• Fudan University in Shanghai - has introduced a general, and residential, first year for all students.

Universities within the United States

• Final Report of the General Education Taskforce (PDF) - emerged out of the Harvard University review.
• Brown University – has released a report on its undergraduate curriculum.
  

Universities within the United Kingdom

• University of Manchester - a major strategic review of teaching, learning and the student experience has been instituted at the University.
• The University of Aberdeen – currently engaged in a curriculum reform project.

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