Over 2022, Education Futures led the renewal of UNE’s learning and teaching policies, undertaking a comprehensive design and consultation process to transition to a suite of policies that serve effective staff and student experience in learning and teaching.
Policy, particularly rules-based policy, can often be seen as a compliance instrument that exists separately to, or in conflict with, practice. In contrast, principles-based policy provides a framework that supports staff to make informed and effective decisions that are tailored to context. In governance practice, principles-based regulation means ‘…moving away from reliance on detailed, prescriptive rules and relying more on high-level, broadly stated rules or Principles’ (Black, Hopper & Band, 2007: 191). UNE has been pursuing a transition to principles-based policies to overcome the challenges that have emerged over time when prescriptive rules do not serve effective practice.
To complement this transition in policy paradigm, Education Futures has established a team-based approach to designing new policy, drawing on the governance expertise, design expertise, operational expertise and subject matter expertise in our division.
The following policies were all renewed through this process for 2023:
Course and Unit Coordinator Policy
Online Learning Resources Policy
Prizes, Medals and Scholarships Policy
Assessment Policy transition
While most of the renewed policies represent lighter touch streamlining and incorporation of principles, the Assessment Policy was more significantly redesigned to address pain points in key priority areas. The new policy is scheduled to come into effect on 27th Feb 2023 (start of T1), and includes changes in the areas of online examinations, Alternative Assessment, Special Assessment and Supplementary Assessment. However, due to the principles-based design, the new policy has the flexibility to accommodate both current practice and future changes as compliant – this means that no immediate action is required, and the changes the new policy makes possible can be realised over time through a transition approach.
More details on the new policy and the transition approach to realising changes will be communicated through faculty and school channels in the near future.
Reference
Black, J., Hopper, M., & Band, C. (2007). Making a success of principles-based regulation. Law and financial markets review, 1(3), 191-206.