Quality and Standards Framework – Collaborative Provision December 2008 Janet Pearce, University...

Quality and Standards Framework – Collaborative ProvisionDecember 2008Janet Pearce, University Quality Officer

Objectives

Gain an understanding of:

> University’s quality and standards framework as it applies to collaborative provision

> How the framework reflects external expectations

> The underpinning values

> How to access relevant parts of the framework

> Roles and responsibilities

Terminology

QAA Definitions:

> ‘Academic standards are a way of describing the level of achievement that a student has to reach to gain an academic award (for example, a degree). It should be at a similar level across the UK.’

> Standards are absolute

Terminology

‘Academic quality is a way of describing how well the learning opportunities available to students help them to achieve their award. It is about making sure that appropriate and effective teaching, support, assessment and learning opportunities are provided for them.’

‘Learning opportunities' is taken to mean the combined effect of the programmes of study and academic and personal support for students’

Terminology

Quality can be:> Assured – evidencing/making transparent (public confidence)> Enhanced

UoH definition of enhancement:> Taking deliberate steps to improve our systems and

processes designed to manage academic quality and standards

Key elements of the framework

Regulations> University programmes regulations (governing award of

credit and progression to the award)> Unfair means > Complaints by students

Codes of practice> Programme approvals> Monitoring and Review> Assessment Procedures> The Collaborative Provision handbook

Communication of changes

>Relevant committee

>Quality and Standards Update

>Staff development

>UQO website

Approach to CP

The University’s approach to collaborative provision:

> A single framework modified appropriately> Definition: programmes/modules delivered in whole or in part

by a partner institution> ‘validated’, ‘franchised’ …> ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ funding

Responsibilities for Q&S(1)

The awarding institution is responsible for the academic standards of all awards granted in its name (QAA Code, Section 2, A1)

Collaborative arrangements should be negotiated, agreed and managed in accordance with the formally stated policies and procedures of the awarding institution (A3)

Responsibilities (2)

The awarding institution is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the quality of the learning opportunities offered through a collaborative arrangement is adequate to enable to a student to achieve the academic standard required for its award (A12)

Q&S are the responsibility of all academic and related support staff – UoH and PI

Responsibilities (3)

Partner Institutions

> Nominate lead academic contact> Identify admin support staff> Liaise with relevant UoH faculty> Internal HE management structure

Responsibilities (4)

>Faculty Faculty Academic Contact and CP Administrator Oversight across cognate disciplines

>University-level Management of partnerships (approval, review,

termination), Quality Audits and legal agreements QSC – the Q&S framework CPC – oversight of implementation of framework

Securing Standards – Assuring Quality

Maintaining academic standards

> programme design and approval> learning, teaching and assessment> external examiners > analysis of progression and completion statistics> feedback to students on assessment> accredited prior learning> professional accreditation

Securing Standards – Assuring Quality

Enhancement – founded on robust QA processes

> Programme approvals> Annual monitoring> Periodic review

Securing Standards – Assuring Quality

Inputs> feedback from students, employers and graduates> providing feedback to students on assessment> admissions and induction> placement learning> the analysis of quantitative data> external reviews> professional accreditation> complaints and appeals

Securing Standards – Assuring Quality

Institutional oversight

> Collaborative Provision Committee> Educational Partnerships Committee> Joint Development Boards

Securing Standards – Assuring Quality

A Risk Based Approach

> Risk to – Academic Standards Quality of learning experience University reputation

> Financial risk

Enhancing the framework

Themes 2008-2011

> Student participation> Diversity of the student experience> Approval, monitoring and review> Employer/stakeholder engagement> Sharing good practice

Values

We value> People, by development and reward> Inclusivity, through equity and diversity> Innovation, through learning and diversity> Partnerships, by cooperation and mutuality

We will be:> Consultative> Responsive> Reflective> Rigorous

Principles

Our management of quality and standards is underpinned by our commitment to a quality and standards framework which is:

> clear and accessible

> increasingly based on a variation of touch reflecting a risk based approach

> streamlined

> applied consistently and transparently

And which -

> locates responsibility at the most appropriate level of the institution subject to effective institutional oversight.

The role of UQO

Developing the framework Advice and guidance Contacts – the collaborative team

> Ms Janet Pearce University Quality Officer (Collaborative Provision) j.pearce@hull.ac.uk 01482 46 6598

> Ms Liz Pearce University Quality Officer (Collaborative Provision) e.pearce@hull.ac.uk 01482 46 6703

> Mrs Cecilia Periera-Yates University Quality Officer (International Provision) c.periera-yates@hull.ac.uk 01482 46 2098