University of SalfordCollaborative Partnership Approval
University of Salford
Collaborative Partnership Approval (V1.2)
Procedure for Collaborative Partnership ApprovalStage 1: Initial Proposal
All academic partnerships must obtain Stage 1 approval from the relevant School Executive Group confirming that the proposal aligns with the School’s strategic and operational plans and that there are resources available to develop the proposal and progress it through the approval process.
It is the responsibility of the Academic Business Development Office (ABDO), with the assistance of the Lead School, to complete this Stage and for international proposals submit this Initial Proposal to International Operations Group (IOG) for its approval. At this Stage International Operations Group will also decide whether, as part of the independent assessment of the proposed Partner, a site visit to the Partner is required. Following approval by IOG the Stage 1 proposal is then submitted to the School Executive Group (SEG) for approval. For UK proposals Stage 1 is considered by School Executive Group only.
Stage 2: Strategic Alignment, Business Approval and Due Diligence
All academic partnerships must obtain Stage 2 approval from Academic Development Sub-Group (ADSG) confirming that the proposal takes into consideration the institutional strategic fit and business case within the University’s Strategic Plan and to ensure that due diligence has been completed and confirmed prior to proceeding to academic quality approval at Stage 3.
It is the responsibility of the Academic Business Development Office (ABDO), with the assistance of the Lead School and the University’s Professional Services, to completeand submit this Stage to Academic Development Sub-Group (ADSG) for its approval.
When submitted to ADSG the Stage 2 proposal should include copies of the approved Stage 1 document and all relevant supporting appendices.
Stage 3: Academic Quality
All academic partnerships must obtain Stage 3 approval from Academic Standards and Quality Assurance Committee (ASQAC) confirming that the proposed Partner’s quality processes: management and organisation structures; relevant staff, physical and learning resources; are able to support the partnership. It also ensures that the appropriate quality assurance processes are in place between the School and the proposed Partner.
It is the responsibility of Academic Business Development Office (ABDO)with the assistance of the lead school and the Quality Enhancement Office (QEO)to completeand submit this Stage to Collaborative Partnership and Programmes Sub Committee (CPPSC) for approval.
When submitted to CPPSC the Stage 3 proposal should include copies of the approved Stage 1 and Stage 2 documents together with all relevant supporting documentation.
References
A list of references to key documents and useful sources of information is provided at the end if this document.
Stage 1: Initial Proposal
This stage is to be completed by the Academic Business Development Office (ABDO) with the assistance of theLead School.
Please refer to Collaborative Provision Policy and Procedure V1.4 (1).
1.1 / University of Salford (UoS)
School(s)
Lead School
School
Collaboration Proposer
(e.g. Dean, Associate Dean) / Name
Phone
Academic Lead
(e.g. Programme Leader, Academic Link Tutor) / Name
Phone
ABDO
Lead Proposer / Name
Phone
ABDO
Project
Support / Name
Phone
Type of Partnership
(See CP Procedure(1))
Partnership Approval Status
(Confirm whether or not this is a new partner to UoS. If not then give details.)
Type of Proposed Activity
(e.g. research / franchise / validation / articulation, progression.)
Proposed Start Date
(month/year)
1.2 / Academic Partner (Proposed)
Partner Institution / Name
Address
URL
Vice-Chancellor / Principal/CEO / Name
Role
Phone
Partner Institution Contact / Name
Role
Phone
Type of Education Provider
(e.g. FE, HE, private, state-funded, university, college, company)
Country Ranking
(e.g. Times(3), QS(4), Ranking Web of Universities(5))
Is the Partner listed on UK NARIC?(NARIC(6))
Unique Partner ID
(If available)
Partner Reputation
(Brief details of how the quality assurance of the Partner is assured.)
Partner Schools / Faculties
(List the Partner’s Schools / Faculties.)
Partner Areas of Research
(List the Partner’s key areas of research activity.)
Student Population
(Undergraduate, postgraduate, research.)
UK Partners
(Has the organisation collaborated with, or is it currently collaborating with, any other UK HEIs? If yes give details.)
International Partners
(Has the organisation collaborated with, or is it currently collaborating with, any other overseas HEIs? If yes give details.)
Ethical and legal compliance
(Is there a high level of risk of bribery, corruption, slavery or human trafficking in the country in which the Partner is located?)
1.3 / The Proposed Partnership
Brief outline of proposed Partnership
Rationale for Partnership including alignment to School and University Strategic Vision
Identify the key benefits of the Partnership
Identify key potential risks of the Partnership, their likelihood and impact.
(Factors to be considered include: location of Partner, level of risk of bribery, corruption, slavery or human trafficking, Partner’s level of previous HE and collaborative experience, scope of collaboration,non-delivery by the Partner, mitigation, etc.)
Details of how this Partnershipwould fit with International Strategy at UoS
Details of whether this Partnership is intended to be solely with the Lead School, with two or more Schools or Institution wide.(List the Schools)
Estimated financial benefits of this Partnership.
(ABDO to liaise with Finance to include UoS projected income, expenditure, surplus and contribution over a five year duration of the partnership.) / Year 0 / Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / Year 4
Income (£)
Expenditure (£)
Surplus (£)
Contribution (%)
1.4 / Approval and Notification
Confirmation that estimated financial benefitshave been agreed by Finance
Name: / Date:
Following completion by ABDO for international proposals the Stage 1 proposal must be submitted to International Operations Group (IOG) for initial assessment against the University’s strategic priorities and approval to undertake due diligence and site visit.
If not proceed directly to School Executive
Stage 1 submitted to IOG by Academic Business Development Office (ABDO)
Name: / Date:
International Operations Group (IOG)
Conditions, Recommendations, Observations of IOG.
IOG to confirm here (with rationale) whether a site visit is required.
(Criteria to be considered in establishing whether or not a site visit is required include: the status of the proposed partner institution; whether it is a new or existing partner; its experience of HE Collaborative Provision;its approach to ethical and legal compliance within its businessandthe risk level of the proposed provision.)
Proposed source(s) of funding for the site visit.
Approved by International Operations Group
Name: / Date:
School Executive Group (SEG) has confirmed that:
- The Partnership is aligned with School Strategic Objectives
- Staff and financial resource is available for development and approval process
- The Operational Plan has been updated accordingly
Comments, Recommendations, Observations of SEG.
Approved by Dean of School (or Nominee) on behalf of School Executive Group
Name: / Date:
Following Approval by International Operations Group please forward to
Quality and Enhancement Manager
•Reported for information to ADSG
•Reported for information to CPPSC
Stage 2: Strategic Alignment, Business Approval and Due Diligence
This stage is to be completed by the Academic Business Development Office (ABDO) with the assistance of the Lead Schoolin consultation with University’sProfessional Services.
Please refer to Collaborative Provision Policy and Procedure V1.4 (1).
2.1 / University of Salford (UoS)
Location
(Does the University already operate / or has it operated in this location?)
Overlap with other UoS Schools
(Provide detail of any input / overlap with other Schools including a summary and outcome of any consultation.)
2.2 / Academic Partner (Proposed)
Full Legal Name of Partner
Trading Name
(if different from above)
Registered Address
Location of study
(if different from Registered Address)
Commentary on appropriateness/academic standing/reputation of the proposed partner.
(Include reference from any current/previous UK partner(s))
Ethical and legal compliance
(Has the Partner demonstrated its commitment to conducting its business and employment practices in an ethical and legally compliant manner, without bribery, corruption, slavery or human trafficking? The evidence collected should be proportionate to the level of risk.)
2.3 / The Proposed Partnership
Proposed Programme Title(s)
(including final award)
Programme Approval Status
(New / Existing)
Mode(s) of Study
(Indicate those applicable.)
Programme Delivery Details
(Indicate proposed commencement dates and projected student numbers.)
Student Numbers
(Evidence to support proposed delivery pattern and projected student numbers.)
Entry Requirements
(Indicate standard entry requirements.)
Language of Study
(Specify whether delivery and assessment will be in the home language or English for each level of study.)
Variation from approved UoS awards
(Will the proposed delivery vary from the programme as delivered at UoS? If so provide a brief outline of any variation from approved award required for the suggested delivery.)
External Review
(Will a new external examiner be appointed to cover this activity?
If NO, please provide details of which external will cover this activityand evidence of their agreement to the extra workload.)
Are there any requirements of any Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) to be taken into consideration?
(If so give details.)
In-Country Recognition
(Will the final awards be recognised as equivalent to local HE awards by the national body for recognising overseas academic awards?)
Are there any specific in-country requirements which would affect the proposed Partnership? If so give details.
(e.g. Government requirementsor Quality Assurance Agency restrictions.)
Potential impact on existing UoS partnerships.
2.4 / Resources
Please provide details of the extent to which UoS services are to be provided to, or required by, the Partner institution,its staff and its students. (Delete as appropriate.)
Student / Staff
Provision of UoS ID card / YES / NO / YES / NO
Access to UoS Library Resources / YES / NO / YES / NO
Access to UoS IT services / YES / NO / YES / NO
Access to UoS email account / YES / NO / YES / NO
Access to Blackboard VLE / YES / NO / YES / NO
Use of other UoS facilities including askusand services (Please specify below.) / YES / NO / YES / NO
Programme Specific Resources
(Summarise any human, technological or physical resources required by UoS or the Partner to support the delivery of the programme.)
Access to UoS Resources
(Summarise any cost implications associated with providing these above resources.)
Student Registration Code
(Probably RE orRX depending on level of access to UoS resources. Please refer to Registration Status Codes (7))
Student Number Control (SNC) (if relevant)
2.5 / Risk Assessment
Initial Risk Assessment
(State risk level as determined by initial risk assessment, Appendix 10)
Commentary on initial risk assessment
Other Supporting Arguments
(Provide any other arguments and evidence in support of the proposal.)
Commentary on business case for the proposal
2.6 / Approval and Notification
Legal Due Diligence
Comments (if any) on the legal due diligence report (Appendix 1).
Legal Services does/does not support the proposal.
(Delete as appropriate.)
Name: / Date:
Financial Due Diligence
Comments (if any) on the financial due diligence report (Appendix 2).
Financial Services does/does not support the proposal.
(Delete as appropriate.)
Name: / Date:
Finance Costings
Comments (if any) on the financial costing model (Appendix 3).
Finance does/does not support the proposal
(Delete as appropriate.)
Name: / Date:
Library Resources
Comments (if any) on the library resource requirements (Appendix 4).
Library Services does/does not support the proposal.
(Delete as appropriate.)
Name: / Date:
IT Services
Comments (if any) on the IT resource requirements (Appendix 5).
IT Services does/does not support the proposal.
(Delete as appropriate.)
Name: / Date:
Marketing & Student Recruitment
Comments (if any) relating to marketing and student recruitment (Appendix 6).
Marketing & Student Recruitment does/does not support the proposal.
(Delete as appropriate.)
Name: / Date:
Student Administration
Comments (if any) relating to Student Administration resource requirements (Appendix 7).
Student Administration does/does not support the proposal.
(Delete as appropriate.)
Name: / Date:
Collaborative Partnership Review
Conditions, recommendationsand observations arising from Collaborative Partnership Review (Appendix 8 and Appendix 9).
Confirmed by Chair of Partnership Review Team
Name: / Date:
Quality Enhancement Office (QEO)
Comments (if any) from Quality Enhancement Office (QEO).
Confirmed by Quality Enhancement Office (QEO)
Name: / Date:
Approved by Dean of School (or Nominee) on behalf of School Executive Group
Name: / Date:
Following completion by ABDO the Stage 2 proposal, together with the approved Stage 1 document and all relevant appendices, must be submitted to Academic Development Sub-Group (ADSG) for approval.
Name: / Date:
Academic Development Sub-Group (ADSG)
Comments, Recommendations, Observations of ADSG.
Approved by Chair of Academic Development Sub-Group
Name: / Date:
Following Approval by Academic Development Sub-Group please forward to
Quality and Enhancement Manager
•Reported for information to CPPSC
Stage 3: Academic Quality
It is the responsibility of Academic Business Development Office (ABDO)with the assistance of the lead school and the Quality Enhancement Office (QEO)
Please refer to Collaborative Provision Policy and Procedure V1.4 (1).
3.1 / Academic Links
Quality Assurance arrangements will be managed by the designated Link Tutor in liaison with the School’s Associate Deans (Academic) for each area, and other members of the programme team as required. The Partner Institution will also appoint a designated Link Tutor.
Associate Dean (Academic) / Name
Phone
Academic Link Tutor at UoS / Name
Phone
Academic Link Tutor at Partner / Name
Phone
3.2 / Quality Assurance
Outline of arrangements for on-going Quality Assurance processes between the University and the Proposed Partner.
(Additional information, as appropriate to collaborative provision type may be included.)
Please provide a summary and/or key points relating to each of the following aspects of the provision. Additional information may be submitted but will only be made available to members on request; please provide sufficient information for members to take an informed decision.
Admissions policies/procedures (if different from UoS policy)
Availability of resources and whether they will allow students to achieve the relevant learning outcomes
Arrangements for Personal Tutoring (if different from UoS policy)
Confirmation that CVs of key programme staff are suitable
Information on staff/student ratios
Information on the student records systems (if UoS system not to be used)
Confirmation that all PSRB conditions (where relevant)are met
Arrangements for independent advice for students
Equality and diversity issues
Key issues relating to the political, ethical and cultural context (where relevant) and indication of how they will be addressed
Highlights of contingency plan should partner fail to discharge its responsibilities
3.3 / Partnership Management
Please confirm that the following arrangements will be in place to support the partnership
(Delete as appropriate.)
Please include any additional arrangements specified by the Lead School.
The School will organise and deliver appropriate staff training and development for staff at the partner institution prior to the first intake of students. This training will cover a range of UoS policies and procedures, including Assessment and Feedback for Taught Awards. Where appropriate, it will also help to establish a shared understanding of the ethos, culture, requirements and standards of UK HE. / YES / NO
The UoS Link Tutor will assume responsibility for internal verification and moderation of assessments. / YES / NO
Staff-Student Committees will be operated by the Partner Institution with both link tutors in attendance. / YES / NO
The School will organise a reciprocal observation of teaching during the first semester of delivery. / YES / NO
The School and the Partner institution will hold Joint Boards of Study in accordance with the University of Salford’s policies and procedures. / YES / NO
External Examiner reports will be shared with the Partner and will be scrutinised through the University of Salford’s annual reporting mechanisms. / YES / NO
Boards of Examiners will be operated in line with the University of Salford’s procedures with both Link Tutors present and a Chair drawn from the University of Salford. / YES / NO
If the answer to any of the above questions is ‘NO’ please provide additional details.
3.4 / Partner Documentation
Please confirm that the following documents have been included with this Stage 3 submission.
(Delete as appropriate.)
The Partner’s academic and administrative infrastructures / YES / NO
The Partner’s academic and administrative infrastructures / YES / NO
Staff structure for the programme(s) concerned including academic and professional support staff / YES / NO
CVs of key programme staff / YES / NO
If the answer to any of the above questions is ‘NO’ please provide additional details.
3.5 / Academic Quality Risk Assessment
Academic Quality Risk Assessment
(State risk level as determined by risk assessment, Appendix 11)
Commentary on academic quality risk assessment
3.6 / Approval and Notification
Following completion by the Lead School the Stage 3 proposal must be submitted to Collaborative Programme and Partnership Sub-Committee (CPPSC) for consideration and from there to Academic Standards and Quality Assurance Committee (ASQAC) for approval.
Confirmed by Dean of School (or Nominee) on behalf of School Executive Group
Name: / Date:
Collaborative Programme and Partnership Sub-Committee (CPPSC) consideration of proposal for Collaborative Partnership Academic Approval
This section is to be completed by Quality Enhancement Office.
CPPSC to confirm that the documentation submitted is satisfactory and provides evidence that the arrangements for delivering and monitoring learning opportunities with the partner institution are secure and effective.
(Delete as appropriate.)
Are there appropriate levels of resources (including staff) committed to the partnership? / YES / NO
Do the governance arrangements for learning and support align with UoS policies and procedures? / YES / NO
Are there adequate safeguards against financial impropriety or conflicts of interest that might affect academic standards or quality of learning opportunities? / YES / NO