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Program Review Procedures

Parent Policy

Program Review Policy

HDR Programs are to be evaluated by a series of separate reviews managed respectively by Research Graduate School Committee (RGSC) and each of the academic units responsible for HDR Program delivery. These entities currently comprise: Monash Research Graduate School (MRGS), each of the 10 faculties, Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) and each PVC-led campus. Each will be reviewed by an appropriate panel at least every six years.

Individual reviews are expected to address the programs and responsibilities as relevant to the respective entity. The MRGS Review will address the policy and legislative framework which underpins HDR Program delivery at Monash, the processes and structures which formulate, review and refine this framework and the services provided by the MRGS to support RGSC, academic units, staff, current and prospective students. Faculties, MUARC and PVC-led campuses will focus on the implementation elements of the HDR Programs within their organisational unit particularly as they relate to the University’s HDR legislative, policy and procedure frameworks. In particular, campus reviews should be mindful of the split between faculty and local school/department responsibilities. Faculty and responsible campus reviews could be conducted specifically for HDR Programs or could form part of a broader organisational unit review, whilst still addressing all of the HDR requirements and including within the broader review Terms of Reference those detailed in this procedure document.

Terms of Reference

The terms of reference for each review are to be drawn from the levels of responsibility defined in the Code of practice for supervision of doctoral and research masters candidates and the policy and procedures for HDR course approvals. Specifically the MRGS review will consider the University’s responsibility to ensure that appropriate policies are developed and implemented university-wide and within the faculties, schools, departments and centres of the University and compliance with laws, regulations, guidelines and codes of practice governing the conduct of research and research training. Other HDR entity reviews will consider selection and admission procedures, supervision arrangements and workload of supervisors, levels of supervisory support and student satisfaction, management of student grievances, research masters examinations, coordination of postgraduate research programs, provision of resources and support programs (including scholarship support for PVC-led campuses), dissemination of information on requirements and procedures, HDR load, completions and outcomes. Where an HDR Program course involves collaboration with a transnational partner institution or sponsorship body, most often in the form of a scholarship program, cotutelle or joint award arrangement, it should be considered both in the RGSC review and the relevant faculty review.

The Research Graduate School Committee will publicise on its website the schedule of HDR Program Reviews planned during the six-year review cycle and provide access to the MRGS HDR Program Review web page/s.

Section 1: Self-review report


Self-review is the first phase of the review process. The HDR entity under review documents its directions, progress, achievements and strengths, as well as areas for development and improvement, in relation to:
  • the strategic case for the HDR programs provided;
  • research training and academic case: course structure (including required coursework, if applicable), operation and educational design, standards, outcomes as appropriate according to the split between faculty and local school/department responsibilities;
  • the business case: supervision matters, resourcing, program management, quality assurance, and cross-institutional issues;
  • response to a standard performance data portfolio supplied by MRGS
  • compliance issues including Monash regulations and policies, the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and other Australian government protocols, and where relevant, Malaysian and South African Government protocols, and
  • other matters as appropriate and identified in the Terms of Reference above.
The review must be publicised throughout the HDR entity and to external stakeholders, together with a call for submissions to be directed to the secretary to the review panel. The deadline for submissions is set by the secretary in consultation with the Dean or Pro Vice Chancellor.

The relevant Pro Vice Chancellor or Dean in consultation with the Associate Dean responsible for research degrees is to appoint a team to lead the self-review and produce a self-review report on the basis of information and data relating to the terms of reference. The self-review report forms the basis for the review that is to follow. The report consists of a completed self-review document and should be structured to reflect the terms of reference and include future action plans with priorities for implementation.

Led by the PVC (Research and Research Training) MRGS will follow a similar process for its self review with its report focussing on policy and procedure development, governance and compliance structures and support programs provided.

Additional information about self-review processes can be found at AUQA Self-Review for Higher Education Institutions.

Responsibility

Dean, Director PVC of the HDR entity being reviewed
Associate Dean responsible for research degrees
Faculty (or campus) manager
Faculty (or campus) research officer
HDR (or Research) Committee or equivalent
Secretary to the review panel
Self-review team

Section 2: Review panel

The role of the review panel is to validate the self-review report through commendations of good practice, affirmations of proposed action plans and recommendations for further actions.

Review panels for HDR entities are to be nominated by the relevant PVC or Dean in consultation with the appropriate Associate Dean responsible for research degrees or HDR coordinator of the program/s being reviewed.

Selection of panel members is based on their experience and expertise with regard to the terms of reference. Panels normally include the following:
  • panel chair: normally a senior Monash academic with significant experience in research training from central administration or a faculty or HDR entity other than the one being reviewed;
  • two senior academics from relevant areas external to the entity being reviewed (an external to Monash perspective is encouraged and required for the MRGS review);
  • one member of the HDR entity that is currently supervising HDR students;
  • one HDR candidate and one recent HDR graduate.
The secretary to the review panel is an appropriately experienced Monash member of professional staff, normally a nominee of the faculty manager or in the case of the MRGS review, the General Manager.

Responsibility

Dean, Director or PVC of the HDR entity being reviewed
Associate Dean responsible for research training
Faculty manager
HDR (or Research) Committee or equivalent
Secretary to the review panel

Section 3: Review process

The secretary to the panel is to provide the review panel members with the self-review report and supporting documentation, with an invitation to request any additional documentation they may require.

The secretary to the panel is to convene the review visit in consultation with the relevant Dean, director or PVC and panel members.

During the visit the panel is to meet with interested parties, tour facilities, receive submissions and requests for interviews, and at the end of the visit, present preliminary findings. A sample calendar of events is available to assist in the preparation and undertaking of the visit.

Responsibility

Dean, Director or PVC of the HDR entity being reviewed
Review panel members
Secretary to the review panel

Section 4: Review report

The chair of the review panel works closely with the secretary to prepare the review report which must be submitted to the Dean, director or PVC within two months of the review visit.

The review report is an annotated copy of the self-review report plus an executive summary indicating commendations of good practice, affirmations of proposed immediate priorities and medium or longer-term developments and recommendations for further actions. The report may also include recommendations for issues that could be considered in other HDR entity reviews, in particular the MRGS or campus or a specific faculty review.

Responsibility

Chair of review panel
Secretary to the review panel

Section 5: Follow-up action plan

On receiving the review report, the Dean, director or PVC in consultation with the Associate Dean responsible for research degrees, the faculty or campus manager, Research Administration Officer and HDR (or Research) Committee or equivalent:
  • review the panel’s recommendations and their assigned priorities;
  • report major issues or findings to other relevant committees;
  • develop an action plan (and if necessary modifies the faculty or other HDR entity operational plan);
  • oversees implementation of the action plan.
A sample template for a standard action plan is available.

Responsibility

Dean, director or PVC of the HDR entity being reviewed
Associate Dean responsible for research degrees
Faculty or campus manager
Faculty (or campus) Research administration officer
HDR (or Research) Committee or equivalent

Section 6: Review reporting

The secretary to the review panel must submit the review report and implementation plan to their faculty board or campus executive committee or in the case of the MRGS review, to Academic Board) within two weeks of development of the action plan, for consideration and endorsement. This action plan will then be made available on the MRGS web page for consideration at forthcoming program reviews. Twelve months following the review, the Dean or PVC must provide a report on the implementation of the action plan to the faculty board or campus executive committee (or in the case of the MRGS review, to the Academic Board).

Responsibility

Dean, director or PVC of the HDR entity being reviewed
Secretary to the review panel

Contact Person: Policy Mrgs