1.1.2 UOW Course Portfolio of the Future
Aligning offerings to UOW’s strengths, campus network and evolving student and industry demand.
Purpose
This initiative strengthens UOW’s approach to course portfolio planning, development and management to ensure offerings reflect the University’s distinctive strengths, support future-focused careers, and respond to evolving student, community, industry and market demand.
It will establish a coordinated, whole-of-institution approach to course portfolio design—supporting innovation, strengthening pathways between qualifications, and enabling a more responsive and sustainable portfolio across UOW’s campuses.
Strategic alignment
| Strategic goal | Implement a UOW approach to course portfolio planning and development that aligns offerings to UOW’s strengths, campus network and evolving student and industry demand. |
|---|---|
| Measure of success | A university-wide course portfolio strategy and framework established and endorsed, with a redesigned course development pathway in operation and initial application across priority areas enabling more timely and coordinated portfolio renewal. |
Context
Higher education is undergoing significant transformation, shaped by changing student expectations, workforce demand, regulatory reform and rapid technological advancement. Universities are increasingly expected to align course offerings with labour market needs, support lifelong learning pathways, and respond more quickly to emerging opportunities. UOW has a strong foundation of course offerings and academic expertise, with an opportunity to further strengthen how its portfolio is planned, developed and managed through a more coordinated and evidence-informed approach.
This initiative responds to:
- The need to align course offerings with evolving workforce and student demand
- Opportunities to strengthen strategic portfolio planning across faculties and campuses
- Increasing expectations for flexible, lifelong and pathway-based learning opportunities
- The importance of data-informed decision-making in course development and renewal
- The opportunity to enhance consistency, efficiency and student navigation across the course portfolio
Approach
The initiative will be delivered through four interdependent work streams, each contributing to a coherent and strategically aligned course portfolio. Each stream has defined objectives, activities, evidence sources and deliverables.
The streams will be implemented across three phases aligned to Horizon 1 of the UOW Strategic Vision 2030 (2026 – 2028).
- Establish an annual course portfolio planning process aligned to institutional priorities
- Introduce a course portfolio “health check” to inform evidence-based decision-making
- Strengthen governance and approval processes to support agility and strategic alignment
- Align course development with labour market data, student demand and institutional goals
- Support coordinated planning across faculties and campuses
- Implement a simplified and consistent course architecture model
- Review and strengthen Honours structures and delivery approaches
- Improve clarity and alignment of delivery modes
- Enhance pathways into, through and between qualifications
- Improve student navigation and experience across the course portfolio
- Improve integration and quality of course data systems
- Reduce manual processes and enhance data accuracy and compliance
- Strengthen course information systems, including the Handbook and subject outlines
- Implement tools to support student planning and progression
- Enable more effective use of data for decision-making
- Establish a university-wide approach to lifelong learning
- Develop frameworks for micro-credentials, short courses and flexible offerings
- Explore opportunities for industry partnership and co-designed programs
- Support new learner pathways and engagement across diverse cohorts
- Enable innovation in course development and delivery models
Indicative timeline & milestones
2026
Key activities
Design and consultation
Key outputs
Portfolio planning model; approval process redesign
Late
2026
Key activities
Pilot and implementation
Key outputs
Course health check; annual planning commenced
2027
Key activities
System and portfolio improvements
Key outputs
Simplified course architecture; systems enhancements
2027–2028
Key activities
Scaling and embedding
Key outputs
Lifelong learning framework; integrated portfolio processes
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