Degree Approval, Quality Monitoring and Enhancement
All ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ degree programmes are required to meet the conditions for registration as set by the Office for Students (OfS), and as defined in section B of the .
Senate is the ultimate academic authority within the University,Ìýbut cannot be directly involved in decision making on all matters for which it is formally responsible: the range of business undertaken inevitably means that delegation of powers and responsibility to individuals and to committees is necessary. The Academic Quality and Standards Subcommittee (AQSS) is a subcommittee of the Education and Student Experience Committee (ESEC) and has delegated responsibility to oversee the quality monitoring and enhancement (QME) framework and its implementation, and the University regulations.Ìý
Consideration of quality for all postgraduate research (PGR) programmes is routed through the Postgraduate Research Quality Monitoring and Enhancement (PGR QME) Subcommittee which is charged with making recommendations for defining, managing and monitoring programme quality assurance processes for PGR degrees to the Doctoral College Committee (DCC) and to AQSS.
Programme quality approval is the process by which new PGR degree programmes are checked against academic quality and standards expectations. Programme quality review is the quinquennial process of reflecting on existing PGR degree programme delivery and student experience and planning for the next cycle of programme enhancement. The Programme Approval and Review: Postgraduate Research Degree ProgrammesÌýprovides detailed guidance to support these processes.
The annual monitoring process forms part of the University’s evidence in assuring itself and outside agencies of the quality of its PGR degree provision and provides opportunity to reflect on current provision. Annual monitoring evaluates and reflects upon:
TheÌýÌýsets out further information regarding the process.Ìý
Periodic review is conducted at Faculty level and forms part of the Quality Monitoring and Enhance,ent (QME) Framework at the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ. Periodic review evaluates the operation and performance of the entire postgraduate research (PGR) degree provision managed by each Faculty. Periodic review is conducted every five years in accordance with a determined by the Postgraduate Research Quality Monitoring and Enhancement Subcommittee.Ìý A Faculty’s research degree provision may be subject to more frequent review if significant concerns have been identified and/or where there has been notable change to the structure and delivery of its research degree provision. TheÌýPolicy for the Periodic Review of Postgraduate Research Degree ProvisionÌýsets out detailed guidance to support this process.