The AgLTAS project: a consensus approach to defining standards for learning outcomes and informing curricula design for Agriculture

The AgLTAS project aims to adapt the nationally agreed threshold, or minimum, learning outcomes (TLOs) for Science graduates to the specialist, Agriculture discipline that is clearly aligned with the conference theme of ‘Sharing Practices’. Led by UTAS, this 2-year project is funded by the Australian Government’s Office of Learning and Teaching, with collaboration from Charles Sturt University, the University of Western Sydney and the University of Adelaide. The AgLTAS project will contribute to the national regulation framework currently being developed across the higher education sector, and is very timely given the current demand for graduates in agriculture and associated disciplines. To develop Agriculture-specific TLOs we will consult with industry stakeholders as well as academics, students and the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture via workshops in most Australian states and an online survey. Collated qualitative and quantitative feedback will inform the development of the Standards Statement for Agriculture by a reference group. Project information and outcomes are disseminated through a series of AgLTAS newsletters and the website (www.agltas.edu.au). The resulting Standards Statement for Agriculture will be trialled to benchmark academic standards achieved in the four collaborating universities that teach Agriculture and related disciplines, which will be disseminated as case-studies that will form the basis for the development of future Good Practice Guides.