18 July 2011
Rolling out the Higher Education Achievement Report
UUK supports the work of the Burgess Implementation Group, which will be seeking to implement the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) across the sector. The HEAR gives a fuller record of a student's achievement while in higher education.
The BISG has now published a starter pack for institutions who are interested in developing the HEAR for their graduates. For more information please see
here.
16 June 2011
Provision of information about higher education: Outcomes of consultation and next steps
Under new arrangements published jointly today (June 16) by HEFCE, Universities UK and GuildHE, universities and colleges in England will be required to publish a KIS for each undergraduate course they offer. The KIS is an online summary of information about: student satisfaction; learning and assessment; financial costs and support; employment outcomes; and professional body recognition. For more information and a link to the final report and recommendations, please see here.
Any questions should be sent to fiona.hoban@universitiesuk.ac.uk
7 April 2011
Improving the external examining system
Universities UK published today the findings of a review into the external examining system for UK higher education.
The review found that, on the whole, external examining arrangements in the UK are working well, but the degree of consistency should be improved and the transparency for students should be increased. For more information and a link to the final report and recommendations, please see here.
Any questions should be addressed to greg.wade@universitiesuk.ac.uk
31 March 2011
New method for reviewing quality in England and Northern Ireland
The QAA has published today the revised method for institutional review in England and Northern Ireland. This method is designed to be much more robust and flexible, and to place students at the heart of the process. The QAA will make three, and later four, judgments, rather than two as at present. Judgments will be made on: standards, quality and enhancement, and (from 2012-13) on public information. The method will come into force from September 2011.
In order to meet public demands and developments in higher education, we asked the QAA to ensure that each year one particular theme could be looked at in particular detail. A group including the NUS agreed that the theme for all reviews in 2011-12 should be "the first year student experience".
UUK have also published, on behalf of the sponsoring bodies (UUK, GuildHE, HEFCE, DELNI), a protocol setting out how future flexibility in the quality assurance will be managed. This protocol is available here.
Any questions should be sent to fiona.hoban@universitiesuk.ac.uk
8 March 2011
Consultation on public information
The consultation on public information on higher education in England and NI which opened on 29 November 2010 closed this week. We have received more than 740 pages of responses. The consultation responses will be considered by the Higher Education Public Information Steering Group on 29 March, before going forward to the UUK Board on 15 April and then to the HEFCE Board and GuildHE Executive. We expect, jointly with HEFCE and GuildHE, to publish an outcomes circular in June or July 2011.
18 February 2011
Student charters report
In early 2010 the minister for higher education commisioned a sector working group to look into student charters. This group was established as a small 'task and finish' working group, bringing together university and student representatives to explore best and current practice in the use of student charters and other student agreements. Universities UK sat on this group alongside the National Union of Students (NUS), Guild HE and the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).
The final report from the group containing the research findings and overall recommendations has now been published and submitted to the minister for higher education. It provides a good practice toolkit for universities and students' unions to develop charters at an institutional level.
See the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) website to view the final report.
14 December 2010
Cracking the code for quality assurance
The QAA has today published a consultation on how to improve the Academic Infrastructure. The Academic Infrastructure is the core resource for higher education professionals, containing key guidelines about how academic standards should be set and maintained, and about the quality and enhancement of learning opportunities. The consultation closes on 1 March 2011.
13 December 2010
Tackling student complaints
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator has today published a consultation on improving the system for student complaints in England and Wales. In particular, the consultation considers whether the OIA should accept complaints from students studying for Foundation Degrees at Further Education Colleges. It also asks for views on the OIA naming institutions in their reports, and publishing annual information about the number of complaints from students at different universities. The closing date for replies is 14 February 2011.
OIA The Pathway consultation: Second round (opens in new browser window)
29 November 2010
Providing information that helps students make the right HE choices
Schools, colleges, universities, student unions and a wide range of other bodies are being asked to comment on the information that higher education (HE) providers publish to help prospective students choose the course and institution that are best for them.
They are invited to respond to a consultation being conducted by HEFCE, Universities UK and GuildHE. The consultation mainly concerns a proposed Key Information Set (KIS) which all publicly funded HE providers in England and Northern Ireland would be required to publish for each course on their web-sites.
The consultation, 'Public information about higher education: Consultation on changes to information published by institutions (link opens in a new browser window)' (HEFCE 2010/31), is published online. The consultation closes on 7 March 2011.
17 November 2010
UK Professional Standards Framework
The HEA are consulting on a revised UK Professional Standards Framework. Among a number of recommendations, the HEA strongly recommends that all probationary academic staff in HE institutions should be required to complete a relevant HEA-accredited teaching programme (eg. a PG Certificate in HE). ALl postgraduates who teach in UK HEIs should be reuqired to complete HEA accredited provision (equivalent to at least 20 M level/ level 7 credits) as a basic induction into HE teaching. To read more go to
Higher Education Academy: UK Professional Standards Framework (link opens in a new browser window) . The consultation closes on 17 January 2011.
16 November 2010
Improvements to the QAA's Causes for Concern scheme
The QAA have launched a revised scheme for reporting and investigating quality concerns in UK higher education. These changes have made it more transparent, accessible and responsive to developments in the sector. For more information please see
QAA launches revised scheme for investigating quality concerns in UK higher education (opens in new browser window)
26 October 2010
Joint statement on the future of the quality assurance system from HEFCE, UUK, GuildHE and QAA
We would like to encourage everyone to respond to the consultations to develop the quality assurance system for higher education (HE) in England and Northern Ireland.
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education’s (QAA’s) consultation on a draft operational description for a new method for reviewing higher education institutions in England and Northern Ireland, to apply from academic year 2011-12, was published on 1 October 2010 and will run until 26 November 2010.
Your responses are important because the current cycle of audit by QAA comes to an end in summer 2011 and a new system needs to take its place. It is essential that we have a robust method for quality assurance in higher education institutions in place for 1 August 2011.
Two further consultations are planned:
- HEFCE, Universities UK and GuildHE will publish a joint consultation in late November/early December 2010 on changes to the information that institutions publish about HE. This will run until March 2011.
- QAA will consult the sector from late November 2010 on revisions to the UK wide Academic Infrastructure.
The Browne Review ‘Securing a sustainable future for higher education in England’ includes proposals on regulation, assurance of the quality of courses, access to high quality information and helping students make the right choices.
Many of the issues covered by the Browne Review correspond with the principles already agreed for the quality assurance system on which we are consulting, including the importance of a student centred approach, the provision of high quality information and the need to maintain and enhance quality provision.
Your thinking and responses to our consultations will also be helpful in informing the development of further proposals which may follow in the Government’s higher education White Paper this winter and the subsequent broader higher education bill. It is important to know the views of institutions, students and other stakeholders, to ensure a strong body of evidence on which to base decisions in the future.
6 October 2010
Draft protocol for flexibility in the quality assurance system for higher education in England and Northern Ireland
This draft protocol has been produced by the Quality in Higher Education Group, which is jointly secretaried by HEFCE, DELNI, Universities UK and GuildHE (‘the sponsoring bodies’). It explains how future flexibility in the quality assurance system for higher education in England and Northern Ireland will be managed, with particular reference to institutional review. It is designed to be read alongside the QAA’s draft operational description for institutional review in England and NI, published on 1 October 2010.
This draft protocol will be finalised following the closure of the QAA’s consultation on the draft operational description for institutional review (26 November 2010). It will be finalised by the sponsoring body Boards, on advice from the Quality in Higher Education Group. The final version of the protocol will be then published at the same time as the QAA’s Handbook for institutional review, in 2011.
Draft protocol for flexibility in the quality assurance system for higher education in England and Northern Ireland (PDF 40.2 KB Please note this will open in a new window).
3 August 2010
What information do the public, especially prospective students, want about higher education?
HEFCE have published today
research into public information on higher education. UUK are working with HEFCE and GuildHE to prepare a consultation on improving public information on higher education, which will take into account the research findings. This consultation will be published in late 2010. For further information please contact
fiona.hoban@universitiesuk.ac.uk
15 July 2010
Challenges ahead for the Quality in HE Group
QAA have published
a podcast by Professor Philip Jones, Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University and Chair of the UUK/ GuildHE/ HEFCE/ DELNI Quality in Higher Education Group. Professor Jones describes the role of the Group and the challenges which it will be addressing.
8 July 2010
Future arrangements for quality assurance
UUK, GuildHE, HEFCE and DELNI published today the outcomes of their
consultation on future arrangements for quality assurance in England and Northern Ireland. The publication sets out the principles which will underpin the future of quality assurance, as well as how institutional audit will change in the future to be more flexible and public-facing. It will be followed by a QAA consultation on the detail, which will be published in Autumn 2010. Any queries may be directed to
fiona.hoban@universitiesuk.ac.uk
1 June 2010
UUK Statement on standards
UUK published today a
Policy Statement on standards, agreed at Board level, about how standards are secured in UK universities.
8 March 2010
Analysis of consultation on future arrangements for quality assurance
Thank you to all those who have responded to the consultation on future arrangements for quality assurance in England and Northern Ireland (
HEFCE 2009/47). This consultation is now closed.
The consultation responses and recommendations will be discussed by UUK, GuildHE, HEFCE and DELNI, together with the Association of Colleges and National Union of Students. They will then be considered by the new Quality in Higher Education Group (previously known as the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education Group) on 26 March 2010, before going forward to the UUK Board on 23 April, HEFCE Board on 6 May and GuildHE Executive on 13 May 2010. The QAA will then consult on the operational detail of the new institutional audit method in Autumn 2010.
If you have any queries, please contact
fiona.hoban@universitiesuk.ac.uk
25 February 2010
How are the tools used to set and maintain quality and standards working?
The QAA has today launched a major stage in a project looking at how the tools used by UK universities and colleges to set and maintain quality and standards are working.
The tools, known collectively as the Academic Infrastructure, were created to give all institutions a shared framework for setting, describing and assuring the quality and standards of their degrees and other higher education courses.
7 January 2010
New Group to oversee quality assurance
We are pleased to announce that Professor Philip Jones, Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, will chair the new Quality Assurance System in Higher Education Group. This group has been set up by Universities UK, GuildHE, DEL and HEFCE, in order to manage and develop the new quality assurance system in England and NI. The QAA will act as expert advisers to the Group, which will include student and employer representation.
Its first role will be to consider the responses to the current Universities UK, GuildHE, DEL and HEFCE consultation on the future of the quality assurance system (HEFCE 2009/47) and make recommendations for improvements. The first meeting of this Group will take place on 25 February 2010, and further information about the Group's work will be posted on this site. Any questions should be directed to Fiona.hoban@universitiesuk.ac.uk.
1 December 2009
Publication of a consultation: Future arrangements for quality assurance in England and Northern Ireland
We have just published a
consultation on proposals for revisions to the system used for quality assurance of higher education in England and Northern Ireland. This is a joint publication by UUK, the funding bodies for HE (HEFCE and DEL NI) and the other representative body for higher education (Guild HE).
The consultation sets out proposals to make the quality assurance system more flexible and transparent, providing informed information for a non-specialist audience. Consultation responses are requested by Friday 5 March 2010. This is an open consultation and we would welcome views from anyone with an interest in higher education.
Available to download:
full consultation document,
shorter plain English summary,
press release,
podcast interview on contents (scroll down to 3 December).
15 October 2009
QAA films highlight the importance of student engagement
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has launched a series of films to highlight the importance of students taking a leading role in assuring the quality of their own education.
The films were recorded at QAA’s student engagement workshop in June, which was organised to hear directly from higher education providers about the innovative approaches they have taken to engage students in quality assurance and enhancement.
Anthony McClaran, QAA’s new Chief Executive, said: ‘The messages we are receiving in these films show that more and more institutions are taking steps to engage their students in quality assurance processes and are seeing huge benefits. Engaging students allows institutions to gain a better understanding of what the student experience is like at that institution.
‘Promoting student engagement is a high priority for QAA and I am pleased to see that, although there are a number of challenges for institutions, they are making great efforts, and these films show that staff are clearly passionate about this area of work.’
2 October 2009
Response to IUSS Select Commitee report
Universities UK has published a
response to the IUSS Select Committee’s report into Students and Universities, published on 2 August 2009. We have analysed each of the 109 recommendations carefully, and our response is based on a detailed and thorough assessment of the information put forward by the Committee.
1 October 2009
HEFCE publishes report on quality assurance
A report commissioned by HEFCE concludes that there is no systemic failure in quality and standards in English higher education (HE), but there are issues needing to be addressed. This report, from the HEFCE sub-committee for Teaching, Quality and the Student Experience, is published today. Universities UK take the recommendations very seriously and
improvements are in train, working with HEFCE, the QAA and others, to address many of these issues.
David Lammy, the Minister of State for Higher Education, has stated in response to the report:
'We have a
world class higher education system in England, with an excellent reputation for the quality of its degrees and its teaching. This is echoed in the views of our students, who have consistently rated their experiences highly. However, it is essential that the public remains confident in this reputation.
Higher education continues to change and evolve, and our quality measures must change with it; we must never be complacent. This report validates the quality of our system and shows an
impressive willingness in the sector to further improve transparency and the effectiveness of our quality assurance system.'