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º£½ÇÖ±²¥ gets vote of confidence

We have received an important vote of confidence from the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education.

The agency carries out institutional audits of higher education institutions every five years, and in its latest review of academic standards and the quality of learning opportunities provided for students at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, the University got top marks. Professor Caroline MacDonald, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Student Experience), was delighted with the outcome and the small number of recommendations for action by the QAA in the institutional audit.

She said: ‘The role of the audit is to look at two aspects of our provision and decide whether the QAA can have confidence in the soundness of our academic standards and the quality of the learning experience available to students both now and in the future. In both cases, the auditors said they had confidence in º£½ÇÖ±²¥, which is the best results you can get.

‘I am particularly pleased that they highlighted the partnership we have with the Students’ Union and the way we listen to students through things like the National Student Survey. It is one of the special features of º£½ÇÖ±²¥. The student voice is important to us and helps us to enhance the students’ learning opportunities.’

The features of good practice listed by the audit team included:

• the proactive use of a range of outcomes from external evaluations to enhance student learning opportunities
• the effective partnership between the University and the Students’ Union to support student representation processes on taught programmes at all levels of the institution
• the development and implementation of comprehensive and responsive structure to support e-learning
• the effect of alignment of strategic aims and inclusive staff development activities in support of the University’s mission
• the systematic programme for admission, induction and support of postgraduate research students at both the institutional and school level.

The audit team made just two recommendations for action. They said it was advisable that all postgraduate research students involved in the assessment of students are appropriately trained and prepared for this work; and that it was desirable for the University to monitor the consistency of the use by programmes and schools of its internally generated performance data for taught programmes.

Professor MacDonald said the University were reacting positively to both recommendations.

She added: ‘The QAA team noted that although postgraduate research students who teach are encouraged to take a specially designed training module this is not a compulsory requirement and they recommended that all postgraduate research students involved in assessment are appropriately trained and prepared. We absolutely agree that such students should be professionally trained.

'They also said some schools took more account of information they get on progression than others and we want to bring everyone up to the highest standards and to be consistent in the use of such data across the institution.’

Another positive achievment
Professor Graham Henderson, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, said: ‘We welcome the report of the QAA Institutional audit and the positive judgements it makes about the soundness of the University’s present and likely future management of the academic standards of its awards, and the quality of the learning opportunities available to students.

‘This achievement ranks alongside the recent double accolade for º£½ÇÖ±²¥ in winning the University of the Year Award and award for Outstanding Employer Engagement Initiative from the Times Higher.

‘The University is particularly pleased to note the five areas of good practice identified by the audit team and the endorsement of º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s approach to enhancing the quality of student learning opportunities and experience. The acknowledgement of the positive relationship between the University, the Students’ Union and students is also greatly welcomed.’

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