Bond University has welcomed its latest audit report from the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA), saying it affirms that it is achieving its goal of providing a unique (high quality) educational experience for its students.
Bond University Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable said the AUQA report commended the University for providing a relevant, internationally focused and personalised education.
“At 10:1, Bond University boasts Australia’s lowest and best student-staff ratio. This distinguishing feature sets Bond apart from all other Australian universities and is looked on favourably by AUQA in terms of the personalised student experience we are able to offer through our small class sizes,” said Professor Stable.
“The report praises the close interaction between students and staff in the Bond classroom. It also commends the mentoring, peer support and the opportunities of international exchanges and internships that are offered to our students.
“Not only are we lauded for the international diversity of our student body, the report also commended Bond University on the successful internationalisation of our curriculum across Faculties and the contemporary currency and relevance that our international focus brings to our programs.
“Our students themselves have also rated us well above sector averages in all three core scales of good teaching, generic skills and overall satisfaction for the five years 2003-2008, which speaks volumes of their perceptions of the high quality education Bond provides,” he said.
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Quality, Teaching and Learning) and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Raoul Mortley, responsible for project managing preparations for the audit process, explained how AUQA set the criteria for the audit.
“AUQA established the internationalisation theme of this cycle’s audit and research/research management was chosen through a joint selection process between Bond and AUQA. To have done so well in both categories speaks volumes for the University and its maturity,” said Professor Mortley.
“The latest AUQA audit also confirms that Bond University has been successful in focusing on students, student care, and student outcomes, as evidenced in particular by its employment outcomes, which are far higher than the sector average,” he said.
Professor Stable said the agency’s recognition of the improvements the University has made in terms of its research and research management were also pleasing.
“Bond has recorded a very high rate of growth in research income received and was commended by AUQA for the research time provided to research-enabled staff through dedicated research semesters,” said Professor Stable.
Overall AUQA made numerous commendations and affirmations, and only five recommendations, which related to micro-level benchmarking processes and the formalisation of the University’s integration of internationalisation initiatives into its various strategies and plans.
“We welcome all recommendations and are committed to addressing them in the near future. This audit praises Bond’s substantial progress in addressing the recommendations of the 2005 audit, and we intend to keep up the good work,” said Professor Stable.Â
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