Benchmarking 2025

UECA 2025 Benchmarking Project

Introduction

Benchmarking Returns to UECA: Strengthening Direct Entry Programs in a New Era

The latest iteration of the University English Centres Australia (UECA) External Referencing through Benchmarking project has been launched, marking a new chapter in an initiative which underpins quality assurance in English language pathways. For member universities, the reintroduction of benchmarking represents both continuity and renewal, this time with a sharper focus, broader scope, and new relevance for Direct Entry (DE) programs.

From Round One to Round Two

Benchmarking across UECA members was first established to ensure comparability of assessment standards in ELICOS Direct Entry courses. Round One focused primarily on written assessments, student work samples, and cross-institutional moderation. Through peer review and external referencing, member institutions gained confidence that their Direct Entry students were achieving learning outcomes consistent with sector-wide expectations.

The activity and resulting report from Round One were also highly regarded by regulators as clear evidence of compliance with ELICOS Standard P4 requirements. This not only demonstrated the robustness of DE assessment practices but also reassured stakeholders that entry standards into higher education were consistently upheld. With Round Two, UECA aims to extend this work to further inspire confidence among regulators, institutions, and students alike.

Round Two, beginning in October 2025 and extending through 2026, builds on this foundation but moves significantly further. Where the first iteration concentrated on comparability of assessment standards, the new round introduces systematic review of assessment policies, processes, and outcomes through a structured survey instrument. This includes self-review against defined Key Performance Indicators such as embedding ELICOS Standards, monitoring continual improvement, and calibrating assessment tasks across centres.

Crucially, Round Two recognises the transformative impact of Generative AI. For the first time, benchmarking will explicitly examine how institutions are adapting assessment design, delivery, and moderation to maintain validity, reliability, and fairness in the face of AI-assisted writing tools.

EOI – Project Manager

Coming soon.

Position Description (PDF)

Timeline

The timelines below provide institutions with a structured pathway to engage deeply, embed improvements, and contribute to a stronger, more coherent national framework for Direct Entry programs.

October 11, 2025 – Benchmarking Info Session, UECA PD Fest, Melbourne

  • Refining scope and processes from July to October 2025
  • Reviewing assessment policies and processes between November 2025 and March 2026
  • Benchmarking Direct Entry units and assessments from April to July 2026
  • Reflection and consolidation in August and September 2026
  • Final review with outcomes and recommendations between October and December 2026

Reference Documents

Introduction to the UECA Benchmarking Project 2025 (PDF)

Benchmarking Round 1 Report (PDF)

Register your Interest

For Centre Directors

You can register your interest in the UECA 2025 Benchmarking Project here.

Please allow approx. 5 minutes to complete this submission.

Phase 1: Direct Entry Program Assessment Practices

NOW OPEN

You can complete Phase 1 of the Benchmarking Project here.

Please allow approx. 60 minutes to complete this submission.

Phase 2: Self-review of Assessment Policies and Processes

NOW OPEN
You can complete Phase 2 of the Benchmarking Project here.

Please allow approx. 60 minutes to complete this submission.

Post-program Student Performance

You can complete this phase of the Benchmarking Project here.

Please allow approx. 60 minutes to complete this submission.

Pre-Workshop Activities

These three activities are to be completed online, prior to the Rater Training and Standardisation Workshop (see below).

You will be provided with:

  • CEFR introductory materials
  • Annotated and scored sample writing tasks (x2)
  • Sample writing tasks (x2) to be scored and annotated

You will be required to:

  • PWA1: Provide feedback on the CEFR introductory materials
  • PWA2: Provide feedback on the annotated and scored sample writing tasks
  • PWA3: Score and annotate 2 sample writing tasks

Please note, the submissions received from this pre-workshop activity may be used to facilitate discussion during the workshop. Any submissions used for this purpose will be de-identified and anonymised.

You can complete PWA1 here.
You can complete PWA2 here.
You can complete PWA3 here.

Please allow approx. 60 minutes to complete each submission.

Workshop: Rater Training and Standardisation

Information about the Workshop here.

Date: TBC
Time: TBC
Location: TBC

Submit Assessment Inputs

You will need to prepare 4 zipped files to upload. Please prepare these 4 zipped files before starting your Centre’s submission.

  1. Course outline documentation, including learning outcomes. Documents zipped and named ‘Course_Outline’.
  2. Mapping of Learning outcomes to assessment tasks. Documents zipped and named ‘Mapped_Outcomes’.
  3. Assessment Task sheets and accompanying marking rubrics. Documents zipped and named ‘Assessments_Rubrics’.
  4. Student work samples (scanned copies of student work). Documents zipped and named ‘Student_Samples’.

You can complete this phase of the Benchmarking Project here.

After preparing the zipped files above, please allow approx. 20 minutes to complete this submission.

Peer Review of Assessment Inputs

You can complete this phase of the Benchmarking Project here.

Please allow approx. 60 minutes to complete each Peer Review.

Project Feedback

Open from 17 October 2020 to 17 November 2020.

You can complete this phase of the Benchmarking Project here.

Your feedback is much appreciated and will be used to inform future iterations of the UECA Benchmarking Project.