Australian Catholic University has a strong commitment to high-quality teaching and learning, research and scholarship, and community engagement. Its reputation as a higher education institution builds, in significant part, on its ability to excel in teaching and learning, informed by research and scholarship, and to produce quality graduates.

Teaching and Learning Plan

The University's Teaching and Learning Plan highlights its commitment to the centrality of teaching and learning in the mission. The Plan formally commits the University to the ongoing development of quality teaching and learning, and directs attention to the following:

• teaching and learning which attends to spiritual, moral, values and ethical perspectives – a key dimension within the University's curriculum. This includes attention to equity, developing awareness of multicultural and Indigenous issues, and sensitivity to social justice;

• the empowerment of academic staff and students to engage in teaching and learning which:

  • meets professional accreditation needs;

  • is critical, well informed, up-to-date with knowledge and research in the substantive disciplines, and innovative; and

  • makes appropriate use of information and communications technologies;

• the systematic development and use of course and unit documentation, learning experiences and resources to support best teaching and learning practice; and

• the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning processes and outcomes to maintain the focus on excellence, relevance and quality.

The broad principles underlying teaching and learning at the University are articulated in the University's Policy on Quality Teaching and Learning (MS Word 54Kb).

Institute for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning

The Institute for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (IATL) was established in recognition of the importance of excellence in teaching and learning at Australian Catholic University and the nexus between teaching and learning, and research and scholarship. The Institute, which operates within the portfolio of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Professor Gabrielle McMullen, is responsible for a range of activities relating to teaching and learning, academic staff development, and course and unit evaluation. The data arising from students' evaluation of units are aggregated on an annual basis.

More information about Teaching and Learning is available via the ACU National Intranet:

• Teaching and Learning Plan 2006 - 2008 (PDF 172kb)

• Policy on Quality Teaching and Learning (PDF 79Kb)

• Institute for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (IATL)

• Policy on Outside Studies Program (MS Word 74Kb)

• Academic Promotion Policies

• Academic Probation Policies

  • Continuing Appointments

  • Fixed-Term Appointments
     

• Student Unit Evaluations

• Policy on Evaluation of Teaching and Learning (MS Word 47Kb)

• Academic Staff Development

• Induction for Sessional Staff

• Graduate Attributes (MS Word 25Kb)

• Principles and Guidelines - Online Pedagogical Development (MS Word 148Kb)

• Policy on Quality Online Teaching and Learning (PDF 497kb)

• The Revised Strategic Plan 1999 – 2008 (PDF 361kb)