General Education Board of Studies

Terms of reference

  • The development, management and oversight of the University's
    programme of General Education.
  • The approval of courses to be listed in the General Education
    programme.
  • Monitoring and maintaining the quality of the General Education
    programme through course and teaching evaluations, programme reviews and reviews of student learning outcomes.
  • Proposing any limits to courses in the General Education programme.
  • Advising the University through Education Committee on changes to
    regulations governing the General Education programme.

The General Education programme contains a diverse range of courses. These courses are organised into six schedules: one schedule
open to all students and five faculty-specific schedules.

Proposals for General Education courses are submitted by faculties to the Board, which evaluates each proposal to determine whether the course meets the criteria for General Education. The courses are required to meet the general aims of University courses, that is to:

  • Provide a sound knowledge and understanding of the subject studied.
  • Develop understanding and appreciation of philosophical bases,
    methodologies and characteristics of scholarship and research.
  • Develop the capacity for critical, conceptual and reflective
    thinking.
  • Stimulate intellectual openness and curiosity.
  • Provide an opportunity for students to learn the value of working
    to achieve personal and professional goals both independently, and in
    collaboration with others.
  • Contribute to the flexibility which graduates are increasingly
    required to demonstrate in the complex modern work environment.
  • Enhance the communication abilities and literacy, and quantitative
    understanding of graduates.

Specific criteria apply to General Education courses.
They will:

  • Supplement, extend and reinforce the knowledge, attributes and
    skills gained within specialised fields.
  • Expose students to disciplines and paradigms outside their own
    specialisation, and to the ideas and methods of cross-disciplinary research.
  • Equip graduates with a deeper understanding of the international
    and global dimensions of knowledge, and the distinctive qualities of
    Aotearoa/New Zealand.
  • Bring together students from diverse disciplines and provide them
    with opportunities to engage with different ideas and concepts.
  • Promote tolerance and respect for the values of other individuals
    and groups, and awareness of human and cultural diversity.

Committee members and term of office

An inter-faculty Board of Studies, reporting to Education Committee, manages the General Education programme including the selection, assessment and review of courses.

Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor
(Academic)
 
Professor B Kool - Chair Ex-officio 
Faculty Representatives   
Associate Professor J Brown, Arts Ex-officio
Ms S Laurenson, Business and Economics Ex-officio
Associate Professor D Lines, Creative Arts and Industries Ex-officio
Dr P Bullen, Education and Social Work Ex-officio
Associate Professor A Mason, Engineering Ex-officio
Associate Professor C Noonan, Law Ex-officio
Dr L Wilkinson-Meyers, Medical and Health Sciences Ex-officio
 Associate Professor B Fedrizzi, Science Ex-officio
Academic Administration  
Ms  M Le Heron-Denney, Academic Programmes Office Ex-officio
gecoordinator@auckland.ac.nz Ex-officio

Committee Secretary
Rachel Kim
Email: gecoordinator@auckland.ac.nz

Schedule of meetings

Date Time 
06.03.2024 3.00pm
27.05.2024 11am
09.09.2024 11am
04.11.2024 11am