About the Institution Assessment Framework (IAF)

The IAF is an initiative of the Higher Education Group in the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). The purpose of the framework is to produce a comprehensive assessment of institutional achievements based on quantitative and qualitative data from universities and external sources.  The university data is collected annually by way of the Institution Assessment Framework Information Collection (IAFIC).  Prior to 2005, the IAFIC was known as  the Educational Profiles Data Collection.

The information form the collection supplements other data sources for the Institution Assessment Framework (IAF), which assesses higher education providers’ performance in four key areas:

• organisational sustainability;
• achievements in higher education provision;
• quality of outcomes; and
• compliance with legislation and programme guidelines, including acquittal of funding.

Additionally, IAFIC data is used for:

• providing an early estimate of student load;
• budget estimates;
• monitoring of equity programmes;
• reporting to Parliament on Indigenous Education outcomes; and
• monitoring of research activities and performance.

A detailed extract from DEST is provided below.

DEST Explananation of the IAF

"Universities are accountable to the Commonwealth Government through the Institution Assessment Framework (IAF).   The IAF, which replaced Educational Profiles in 2004, is founded on the responsibilities of the Commonwealth to ensure that the institutions it funds are sustainable and deliver the outputs for which they are funded, that their outcomes are of a high quality and that they comply with their legal obligations.  The IAF produces an across-the-board assessment of institutional achievements based on quantitative and qualitative data from universities and external sources.  The Commonwealth assessment of an institution forms the basis of strategic bilateral discussions between the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) and an individual institution. 

The data for the assessment are in large part drawn from information that is publicly available, or already produced by universities, or already collected routinely from universities.

The Framework has four principal elements:

1. Organisational sustainability

• strategic focus
• risk management
• financial viability

2. Achievements in higher education provision

• teaching/learning
• research and research training
• equity and indigenous access

3. Quality outcomes

• systems and processes
• teaching/learning
• research
• AUQA audit

4. Compliance

• financial acquittal
• national governance protocols
• workplace reform
• programme guidelines and legislation

Detailed bilateral discussions between DEST and individual institutions occur only biennially unless there is a specific need for additional meetings (for example, if concerns arise from the assessment). Discussions on Funding Agreements with each institution for the allocation of Commonwealth supported places are conducted in the first half of each year through a separate process."