Comparative Study On The Quality Assurance System Of Modern Distance Higher Education Between China And Australia

Developing modern distance higher education is one of the important ways for countries in the world to build a life-long learning society and make education for all in the 21^st century. Building the quality assurance system of modern distance higher education has become the focus of attention. Australia and China's modern distance higher education belong to two different dual institution modes, that is, the former belongs to the integrated dual mode, and the latter belongs to the separated dual mode. Comparing these two relative dual institution modes of distance education will display the similarities and differences between quality assurance initiatives of higher education of Australia and China from different perspectives, and help us to find gaps, develop ideas and grasp the laws.Because of the differences of education management system and education social background, as well as the differences of maturity degree on modern distance higher education between Australia and China, and so on, there are some differences in the quality assurance of modern distance higher education between Australia and China.From the external quality assurance system, the bodies of external quality assurance of Australian modern distance higher education are diversification, including government, social organization, trade organization, etc. The parties' powers are balance and develop coordinated. The process and the result of quality assurance are transparency. Contrast, the body of external quality assurance of China is single. The education executive branch of government is the main quality assurance. The process and results of quality assurance are semi-open.From the internal quality assurance system, in the production of curriculum, Australian universities emphasize the combination of media technology and teaching materials. Comparatively, Chinese pilot colleges incline to the performance of media technology. On the management of learning support services, the former is more mature than the latter. On the evaluation of student assessment, the former takes the examination requirements and evaluation criteria for the students of modern distance higher education the same as for the students who take the traditional education, while the latter adopt the different assessment systems for the modern distance education as to the traditional education.Although there are differences in quality assurance system of modern distance higher education between Australia and China, improving the quality of distance higher education and establishing a learning society are the common purposes of Australia and China's modern long-distance higher education assurance.