Benchmarking
Benchmarking is a self-improvement tool for that allows an organisation to compare itself with others, to identify its comparative strengths and weaknesses and learn how to improve. Benchmarking is a way of identifying and adopting best practices. At the University of Otago, benchmarking
- improves practices and services
- involves learning about 'best practices' from others
- contributes to continuous quality improvement
- promotes fresh and innovative thinking about problems
- provides hard data on performance
- focuses not only on what is achieved but how it is achieved
- involves the adaptation, not merely the adoption, of best practices
- results in the setting of specific targets
The University of Otago is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) University Management Benchmarking Programme. In September 2003 it hosted the annual ACU Benchmarking Workshop.
The Quality Advancement Unit has a contestable fund to support Benchmarking Projects. To discuss making an application for funding, please use the contact at the bottom of the page. You can download the application form below.
Download the Application form for Benchmarking in Rich Text Format.
Please note: if you are having difficulty downloading Rich Text Format documents, try (for PC users) right clicking the link or (for Mac users) holding down control and clicking the link, and then select a save option. The option will vary depending on your browser, but may read 'Save target as' or 'Download linked file' or similar.
Past Benchmarking Projects
| Year | Department | Improvement Initiative |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Health Sciences Division |
Dentistry Structured Interviews Operational Benchmarking Partner: The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Adelaide |
| 2003 | School of Business and Commerce Division |
Preparation for PBRF in 2006 and Exploration of Accreditation by EQUIS Partner: Aston Business School, Aston University, UK |
| 2000 | Commerce Division |
The MBA Curriculum - Current and Future Needs for the Executive MBA and the Graduate MBA Partners: Graduate Business Education Roundtable (USA); Daniels College of Business, University of Denver (USA) |
| 2000 | Otago University Childcare Association |
Quality Management in Early Childhod Education Partner: The Auckland Hospital Staff Preschool |
| 1999 | Commerce Division |
Academy and Business/Government Interaction Partner: Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden |
| 1998 | Information Services/University of Otago Library |
Document Delivery Partner: University of Wollongong Library, Australia |
| 1998 | Information Services/University of Otago Library |
Library User Education Partner: The University of Queensland, Australia |
| 1997 | Health Sciences Division |
Benchmark Review of Research Conducted by the Ecology and Health Research Centre, Department of Public Health, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences Partners: The Division of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; The Ecotoxicology Research Group, Department of Ecology, University of Lund, Sweden |
| 1997 | Commerce Division |
Internationalising the Commerce Curriculum Partners: Monash University, Australia; University of Strathclyde, UK, University of South Carolina, USA |
| 1997 | Humanities Division |
Department of Art History and Theory Review Partner: The Department of Art History and Theory, University of Essex, UK |
| 1996 | Health Sciences Division |
Comparative Study of Research Output from Selected Australasian University Departments 1993 and 1994 Partners: Universities of Auckland, Canterbury, Victoria, Lincoln, Waikato, Massey, Queensaldn, Sysdney, New South Wales & Melbourne; Monash University |
| 1996 | Health Sciences Division |
Clinical Education in Physiotherapy Partners: School of Physiotherapy, University of Sydney; School of Physiotherapy, Queensland University |