A higher education review body has highly commended Moore College on its "high academic reputation" and pinpointed rapid growth as one of its biggest challenges.
The Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) report looked at the college’s actions and performance in relation to the College's objectives and agency’s own ‘Quality Audit Factors’.
These include educational objectives and institutional governance, effectiveness in teaching and learning, resources to support teaching and learning and commitment to quality improvement.
AUQA also commended the college for the high regard in which it is held by students, graduates, external stakeholders and visiting scholars.
Further, the report says the college’s good reputation for teaching and learning is “backed up by some convincing statistical evidence”.
The college’s commitment to academic freedom, building the college community in a way that includes spouses and children, and student learning which produces "confident' and "competent' graduates able to embark on future careers was also acknowledged.
Challenges and growth
The report has also indicated that rapid growth is “the biggest challenge” for the college in the years ahead.
The report says that in light of Moore's intention for future rapid growth, “it may not be possible or advisable to continue with the relatively traditional teaching approach adopted in lecturing to large classes of students.
"AUQA suggests that consideration be given to more flexible approaches to teaching and to more extensive use of electronic media for submission of students’ work.”
In light of the growth, the audit body has said the college should review and strengthen its approach to strategic planning and undertake a review of the key performance indicators it uses.
Moore College's principal, the Rev Dr John Woodhouse has said the report has been helpful in highlighting the college’s many strengths, as well as suggesting where improvements can be made.
"The AUQA audit report provides an independent, high-level assessment of the quality of the College's work. It is very encouraging to see so many aspects of the College commended by the agency. The audit process has also helped us to focus on improvements that we hope will prepare the College to become a "Self Accrediting Institution' in a few years time."
Further encouragement
In all, there are 13 commendations, with ten affirmations of existing policy and a further three recommendations.
The audit included a submission from the college, a site visit and more than 65 interviews with staff, students and members of the college council.
In the final report, AUQA commends the college management saying it is “in tune with students and faculty, and has been particularly successful in creating a college community that is caring and supportive”.
Among other comments, AUQA affirmed the college's plans to increase IT support and encourages Moore in its efforts to plan for IT governance and management.
It commends the college and its management for sharing in a joint vision to integrate Mary Andrews College activities with those of Moore College.
Dr Woodhouse has also been commended for “the high regard in which he is held and for his accessibility to faculty, staff, students and external stakeholders.”
Overall, the report describes the college as “performing very well on the academic front of teaching and scholarship and importantly combines this with the equally significant attention to the development of the individual person through non-academic programs and chaplaincy arrangements”.
