Managing Benchmarking

The University encourages benchmarking with comparator institutions within Australia and overseas as a method of improving performance and assuring standards. While there is no prescribed methodology for conducting benchmarking exercises, the University expects staff to comply with the following benchmarking principles and code of conduct.

Core Principles

Benchmarking projects undertaken by Faculties and Divisions of the University will:

• support the University’s mission, values and strategic priorities
• be characterised by a commitment to: learning from best practice; the implementation of potential improvements arising from the findings of benchmarking projects; and the sharing of good practices once projects are completed
• be balanced in terms of the value received compared to costs involved in undertaking the projects
• have the approval of the relevant manager or unit head.

Code of Conduct

The following should be taken into account when undertaking benchmarking projects where a request for information is involved:

• Confidentiality: All benchmarking exchanges should be treated as confidential. Publication and external communication of findings should not proceed without the permission of all partners involved in the project.
• Use: Benchmarking information should not be used for other than the express purpose for which it was obtained without prior consent of all participating partners.
• Exchange: The type or level of information exchanged should be comparable between the benchmarking partners.
• Agreement: If a benchmarking agreement is entered into, issues about confidentiality, use and the type and level of information to be exchanged should be included in the agreement.

Authorities and Responsibilities

Approvals and management responsibilities should be assigned in accordance with the normal University organisation structure and reporting relationships, and routine management practices must apply to any significant project undertaken.

Project Initiation

• The Benchmarking Reports Repository must be checked prior to commencing a project to ascertain whether similar projects have or are already being undertaken.
• Benchmarking projects involving a formal request for information from another institution must be approved by the relevant manager or unit head. This can be a Head of School, a General Manager/Director, an Executive Dean, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Vice-President, or, in the case of any large-scale University-wide benchmarking, may be the Vice-Chancellor.
• If the scope of the project affects more than one area, then consultation and agreement between the areas impacted are essential prior to the project’s commencement.
• Special care must be undertaken  when projects  require that the University’s corporate data be shared with other institutions: in this case the relevant data custodian must be contacted and it will be his/her responsibility to ensure that appropriate approvals for the data transfer are obtained from senior management.

Project Management

• The responsibility for running the project will be with the unit manager under whose authority the project was approved or his/her delegate.
• Contact with partner organisations will normally be through the unit manager taking responsibility for the project, unless delegated by him/her. When institutional support is needed for a project to proceed with particular partners, then the responsible manager must contact the relevant Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Vice-President.
• Written agreements with other institutions and organisations with which projects are undertaken must be entered into in line with the Contract Management Framework and signed in accordance with the formal delegations of the University.
• The University expects that benchmarking projects will be funded by the area that initiates, manages and accepts responsibility for the project. If central funds are required such as might be the case for large projects, then a submission must be made through the planning and budgeting process. If a case for special funding is appropriate and the timeframe does not permit submissions through the planning and budgeting process, then the unit manager must approach the relevant Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Vice-President in the first instance.
• When confidentiality considerations allow, benchmarking project reports should  be lodged with the Quality and Reviews Unit as soon as possible after the completion of the project so that they can be recorded in the Benchmarking Reports Repository. The  repository has Adelaide-only access.
• Each year, a summary report on the benchmarking projects undertaken by the Faculties must be submitted to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) as part of the Faculty Performance Report.

Integration with QA Systems

Benchmarking projects are most successful when they are integrated with other initiatives and processes designed to improve outcomes within the University. To this end, the University expects that projects, findings and implementation plans will be embedded into Divisional and Faculty operational and business plans.

Framework Oversight

Overall authority for the maintenance of the Benchmarking Framework rests with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic). However management accountability for the Framework is with the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Learning and Quality). Responsibility for all operational tasks related to the Framework rests with the Quality and Reviews Unit.