Accreditation and its relationship to quality assurance

1. Accreditation and its relationship to quality assurance Sarah Butler Assistant Director, Development and Enhancement Group Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education

2. National reference points for academic standards and quality • The Academic Infrastructure • The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ) • QAA Subject Benchmark Statements • QAA Code of Practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education • http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/FHEQ/default.asp

3. Standards of programmes • Qualification descriptors of the FHEQ • Subject Benchmark Statements • Programme outcomes • Programme Specifications • Also the Higher education credit framework for England

4. Qualifications and Bologna • Verification of the FHEQ against the Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area (November 2008) • The advisory Group concluded that Master's degrees and by extension Integrated Master's degrees are compatible with completion of the second cycle within the overarching FQ-EHEA

5. Academic standards and quality of learning opportunities • QAA Code of Practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education: • Section 4: External examining • Section 6: Assessment of students • Section 7: Programme design, approval monitoring and review

6. Programme design and approval • Process of peer evaluation and approval with external input • Relationship of programme outcomes to relevant Subject Benchmark, qualification descriptor in the FHEQ and PSRB requirements • Structure and content • Learning and teaching methods and assessment strategy • Resources

7. Annual monitoring of programmes • Multi-layered reflective process • External Examiners’ reports and action plans • Student progression and award data • Student feedback • Module • Programme (internal surveys and NSS) • Staff reflection/evaluation • Document review

8. Periodic Review of Programmes • Broader review of continuing validity and relevance of a portfolio • Analysis of external examiner reports and effectiveness of responses over time • Engagement with PSRBs • Trend analysis of progression and award data • Synoptic review of student feedback (internally and externally derived) • Currency of programme outcomes in relation to FHEQ, Subject Benchmark and PSRB requirements • Effectiveness of teaching and assessment

9. QAA Institutional Audit • Independent scrutiny of institutions on a six year cycle • Evidence-based process of peer review of institutional management of quality and standards • Effectiveness of QA and E processes • Use of the Academic Infrastructure and other reference points • Effective means of ensuring that standards of qualifications are consistent with the FHEQ • Effective means of assuring the quality of learning opportunities • Accuracy and completeness of information published by the institution

10. Transparency and accountability • Publication of QAA Institutional Audit reports • Judgements • Recommendations • National Student Survey (NSS) • Causes for Concern http://www.qaa.ac.uk/causesforconcern/concern.pdf

11. Future Developments • Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills (IUSS) Select Committee Report • Thematic Enquiries Project • HEFCE Teaching Quality and Student Experience (TQSE) Sub Committee Report • National consultation on future quality assurance arrangements • New institutional audit method • Guidelines on the QA of employer responsive provision

12. Leading to: • Review of the external examiner system • More public–facing audit reports for stakeholders • More flexible and responsive audit method • Provision of publicly available information by HEIs on assessment methods, contact and learning hours and their rationale

13. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Registered charity numbers 1062746 and SC037786