What is the Annual Health Check?
It is an annual review of courses which is informed by key data metrics. This provides staff with the opportunity to reflect on the course and its delivery whilst also building a meaningful dataset across multiple years which can be used to inform course reaccreditation processes. It allows for any issues to be identified early and addressed quickly.
This process is part of the MQ Curriculum Lifecycle Framework – you can find lots of useful information about this Framework on the Staff Portal.
Do all courses need an Annual Health Check?
Nearly all of our courses will need an Annual Health Check. Those that don’t are courses that are going through a full reaccreditation review this year, or those that were reviewed for reaccreditation last year.
Why do we run Annual Health Checks?
Regular monitoring of our courses is important to ensure that courses remain fit for purpose and continue to meet all internal and external requirements and standards. The Annual Health Check process is supported by the Course Review Dashboard. This dashboard contains all the key metrics that are needed to perform an annual health check, such as enrolments, success rates, retention, and completions. It also reflects trends across years, allowing you to see whether these metrics are going up, down or staying stable.
For more information on how to use the dashboard there are knowledge articles to assist you that include definitions for each of the metrics and information about how these are calculated.
Reporting your findings
Upon analysis of the course’s data, Course Authorities will complete the Annual Health Check template in the MQCMS, providing a brief commentary on the metrics and flagging any areas where there may be a concern and highlighting any positive numbers or changes.
This commentary is important as it provides interpretation of the metrics within the context of a course, allowing for expert analysis from those who know the course well.
This year we are also requesting specific information regarding potential risks and opportunities within courses arising from the recent evolution of Generative Artificial Intelligence.
Not everything that counts can be counted
The Annual Health Check is designed to be a light touch review that is predominantly data driven and risk based. Of course, we recognise that metrics only tell part of a course’s story and that there are many aspects to a course that cannot be captured by numbers. For this reason, the Annual Health Check template in MQCMS includes fields where you can outline priorities and planned tasks for the course for the coming year. These priorities and tasks may be driven by the analysis of metrics on the dashboards, or they may be driven by other factors. So, whilst the focus may be on metrics, there is space to bring other important issues or factors into the Annual Health Check.
Beyond the Annual Health Check
Once completing the Annual Health Check template in the MQCMS, a Course Authority will either recommend the course continue through without the need for a deeper review at this time or, alternatively, a Course Authority may recommend that the course undergo an In-Cycle Review or a Course Reaccreditation Review.
Where can I learn more?
In the video below, Professor Taryn Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Programs & Pathways) runs through the Annual Health Check: why we do them and what’s involved.
There are some great resources to help Course Authorities complete their Annual Health Check:
Knowledge Articles in MQ Curriculum Manual Wiki:
- Course Annual Health Check Overview
- Course Annual Health Check Checklist
- Annual Health Check – How to submit in MQCMS
Course Review Dashboard resources:
Further questions
Staff who have any further questions regarding the Annual Health Check process can contact maria.kettle@mq.edu.au
Banner image: Photo by Maria D’Addiego-Kettle
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