ANNUAL STANDARDS AND QUALITY EVALUATIVE REVIEW

RESEARCH DEGREES COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMME

UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC CONTACT TEMPLATE

Process and Purpose

  • The focus of this review is on standards and quality assurance/enhancement.
  • The review should provide a commentary on the overall picture of the standards, health and vibrancy of the research degrees programme.
  • The reviewshould be grounded in readily available qualitative and quantitative data and be evaluative, reflective and forward-looking.
  • It has the important purpose of allowing identification of issues affecting academic standards and quality so that these can then be subject to further consideration that informs key strategies.
  • The report will be discussed at Faculty Research Degrees Committee and in a meeting involving the Associate Deans (Academic) and (Students) from which minuted actions will be produced in relation to standards and quality enhancement. It will be subsequently discussed at Faculty Executive from which minuted actions will also be produced, particularly in relation to resource issues.
  • It will inform the Head’s ASQER, the AD(A)’s summary report, the FRDC ASQER, the Director of Graduate School ASQER and the Deputy Academic Registrar (Quality and Partnership)’s report which are submitted to APQG.
  • The Faculty approved report will be submitted to University Research Degrees Committee (URDC).
  • Commentary should be provided on the data and should take particular account of trends.Commentaries on data categories should be restricted to a maximum of 200 words. It is important to highlight positive aspects as well as areas for improvement.

Notes

  • Please comment here if you encountered any problems in gaining evidence (e.g.limited availability of comparable data in other institutions).
  • Please make links to any evidence that you have to support the points made in this report. This may include student feedback (various sources), External Examiner reports, Partner Contact ASQERs or other sources.
  • Please provide copy of this year’s finalised UAC Research Degree Collaborative Programme ASQER to the Partner Academic Contact.

Academic Year under review

/

20____ /20____

Partner Institution

Faculty

Department

Courses covered by this review

Standards and Regulations

Using data from relevant sources please identify issues relating to regulations and standards highlighted in the period under review requiring action and steps taken to address them.

Commentary: Consider Periodic Review, Appointment of Independent Chairs, FRDC Minutes, Professional and/or Integrated Doctorate Course Leaders Reports, Collaborative Academic Contact ASQER reports.
Actions (if any) brought forward from previous report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)
Actions to take forward from previous report / arising from this report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)

SELECTION, ADMISSION AND INDUCTION

Please provide a commentary on postgraduate research student application, selection, enrolment and appropriateness of induction for your programme and identify any trends or issues that need further investigation and / or action.

Commentary: Consider Enrolment (census date 1 Dec); Induction attendance; experience questionnaire for induction activities).
Actions (if any) brought forward from previous report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)
Actions to take forward from previous report / arising from this report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)

Progress, Review and Achievement

Please provide a commentary on student progression, achievement and withdrawal statistics for your programme and identify any trends or issues that need further investigation and / or action.

Commentary: Consider progression (Major Review and Annual Review); withdrawal/non-completion; time to submission/completion rates/FRDC minutes (where relevant)
Actions (if any) brought forward from previous report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)
Actions to take forward from previous report / arising from this report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)

Physical and IntellectualResearch Environment

Provide a commentary on the physical resources andaccess to facilities available and intellectual development and support (including supervision and seminar programmes) for your programme and identifyany trends or issues that need further investigation and / or action.

Commentary: Consider supervisor contact; access to facilities and general research active staff; FRDC minutes (where relevant).
Actions (if any) brought forward from previous report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)
Actions to take forward from previous report / arising from this report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)

Development of Research and Other Skills.

Please comment on the data and evaluate how students on your programme are supported in their Professional Development, including teaching and research skills development where appropriate.

Commentary: Consider Research seminar/graduate school seminar attendance/online resources; GPROF attendance; PRES; uPRES; development opportunities undertaken; annual review; major review.
Actions (if any) brought forward from previous report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)
Actions to take forward from previous report / arising from this report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)

Feedback

Provide a commentary on the response of your programme to student feedback (including the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey, Student Voice opportunities) and the effectiveness of responses to any formal Appeals / Complaints where applicable.

Commentary: PRES; uPRES; FRDC minutes (where relevant); Annual Review Report (Part A); formal student appeal/complaint/independent adjudicator (where applicable)
Actions (if any) brought forward from previous report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)
Actions to take forward from previous report / arising from this report
Action / Comment on progress / completion
(1)
(2)
(3)

Conclusions

Based on your responses above, summarise up to three changes/enhancements planned for the programme, including proposed timescale.

Change/enhancement / Timescale
(1)
(2)
(3)
Identify possible resource issues for consideration by Faculty Executive in the coming year
(1)
(2)
(3)

Please evaluate the effectiveness of the ongoing relationship between partner and the University.

Commentary:

For transnational partnership arrangements, please indicate any potential national, legal regulation, and/or framework, changes which may affect the operation of the partnership.

Commentary:

Please identify any steps required to enhance the management of the programme(s).

Commentary:

Have you formally responded to last year’s Partner Contact Annual Report? Yes/No

Did you send a copy of your last year’s ASQER Report to the Partner Contact?Yes/No

Based on the evidence included in this report, have academic standards been maintained during the year under review?

YesNo

Author / Date
Date considered by FRD Committee
Date considered by AD(A/S)
Date considered by Faculty Executive
Date considered by URD Committee

Please send this report to the PartnerAcademic Contact and the Deputy Academic Registrar, Quality Management Division.