Quality and Standards

The University’s quality assurance system is based around three main processes: Approval; Annual Monitoring; Periodic Review.  These processes are used as a mechanism for assuring and maintaining the standard of the University's awards as well as the quality of the student learning experience.  

The responsibility for monitoring and reviewing academic quality and standards resides mainly with the Senate, though there are also management responsibilities to ensure that adequate resources are allocated.  The Senate has delegated the operational aspects of approval, monitoring and review to three key committees: Undergraduate Studies Committee; Postgraduate Studies Committee; Quality and Standards Committee.

In conjunction with the Deputy Principal (Learning and Teaching), the Academic Registry has responsibility for policy development and operational matters associated with the quality and standards of the University's research, learning and teaching, awards and student learning experience. The Quality and Standards Committee has responsibility for approving proposed policies, on behalf of Senate.

At a national level, the University's processes for quality (both assurance and enhancement) and standards are overseen by the Quality Assurance Agency (delegated to QAA Scotland) and the Scottish Funding Council.

High standards: the minimum acceptable level of achievement that a student has to demonstrate to be eligible for an academic award. Threshold academic standards are set out in the national qualifications frameworks and subject benchmark statements.*

Quality assurance: the systematic monitoring and evaluation of learning and teaching, and the processes that support them, to make sure that the standards of academic awards meet the Expectations set out in the QAA Quality Code, and that the quality of the student learning experience is being safeguarded and improved.*

Quality enhancement: the process by which higher education providers systematically improve the quality of provision and the ways in which students' learning is supported. It is used as a technical term in our review processes.*

 

CONTACT:
All enquiries should be directed to Helen Crosby, Quality Assurance Manager: H.A.Crosby@hw.ac.uk   or +44 (0)131 451 3445.

* As defined by the Quality Assurance Agency