145677-Tempus-2008-Rs-Smgr

145677-TEMPUS-2008-RS-SMGR

INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE AT SERBIAN UNIVERSITIES

Training visit

MiddlesexUniversity, London, United Kingdom

June 29th - July 1th, 2009

REPORT

INTRODUCTION

About MiddlesexUniversity

MiddlesexUniversity has a long and proud history as a provider of high quality education in north London.The origins of Middlesex date back to the opening of St Katherine’s College, Tottenham, London in 1878. Since then Middlesex has grown organically and through merger: in 1973 between Enfield College of Technology, Hendon College of Technology and Hornsey College of Art. 1974 saw the addition of Trent Park College of Education and New College of Speech and Drama, 1994 the London College of Dance, 1995 the North London College of Health Studies and 2005 the opening of the Dubai Campus.

Middlesex aims to be a global University. Based in North London, Middlesex recruits widely across the world and works in partnership to deliver outstanding higher education in many countries.

MiddlesexUniversity is an established UK University based in London with a substantial international presence. The University serves 31,000 students worldwide and has many business and public sector clients. Middlesex is recognised for its commitment to the success of its culturally and internationally diverse students, the quality of its teaching, the promotion of lifelong learning, the excellence of its research and the strength of its partnerships and international activity.

MiddlesexUniversity is dedicated to being an excellent University committed to:
Inspiring its students to achieve ambitious goals through the delivery of outstanding innovative, career-focused courses that result in highly valued qualifications to begin and develop successful professional careers. Developing new knowledge and professional skills through scholarship and research for the benefit of our students, business and public sector organisations and the wider community.

The University has transformed itself over the last decade to deliver best practice teaching and state of the art facilities to its students. As a major and highly respected expert in international higher education it has also continued its work to become the international partner of choice and establish non-UK Middlesex campuses.

In 2000 the University operated from 7 UK campuses and 2 smaller satellite sites. In 2008 it will deliver teaching on only 4 UK campuses, with the majority of its operations at its premier, development campus at Hendon. Middlesex welcomed students to its first non-UK campus, in Dubai, in 2005 and has significantly expanded its teaching through and with academic partners the world over. Nearly one third of all students studying a Middlesex programme do so without attending a Middlesex UK campus.

A phased programme of development has transformed the Hendon campus since the turn of the millennium. The Sheppard Library, the largest building ever erected by the University, opened to wide acclaim from students and professional librarians in 2003. The original 1930s CollegeBuilding was completely refurbished and a glazed roof added to create an internal quadrangle in 2005. In September 2008 two more major facilities open: the Hatchcroft building comprising specialist laboratories and lecture theatres; and a new Student Centre - The Forum - area which delivers quality meeting, networking and social space.

MiddlesexUniversity has 4 schools which are hubs of excellence across a related range of subject areas:

-The School of Arts and Education,

-The BusinessSchool,

-The School of Engineering and Information Scineces,

-The School of Health and Social Sciences.

As a leading international university MiddlesexUniversity is committed to excellence in research; the uncovering of new knowledge is a core element of our mission.

The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) found 77% of Middlesex University research to be 'internationally recognised', and Middlesex University’s schools and research centres are acknowledged as being of an international standard across a number of areas. This RAE success is the result of significant investment in staff and facilities. MiddlesexUniversity now attracts more research students than any other new university in London.

The engagement of teaching staff in research, scholarship and the development of professional practice underpins the quality and relevance of the curriculum, and is vital to knowledge transfer with business and communities across the world. MiddlesexUniversity works hard to bring together researchers from across the study disciplines to explore real-world challenges that are not restricted to single subject solutions.

MiddlesexUniversity has regional offices across the world. It offers:

Franchised Programme – a University Programme, or part thereof, leading to a qualification of the University, designed, assessed and quality assured by the University but delivered at and by a Partner Institution,

Joint Programme – a University Programme, or part thereof, leading to a qualification of the University, developed, delivered and assessed jointly with a Partner Institution (or Institutions) and quality assured by the University,

Validated Programme – a Programme of study, developed, assessed and delivered by a Partner Institution, awarded by and ultimately quality assured by the University.

The University is responsible for the academic standards of all qualifications granted in its name. In developing collaborative provision the University ensures that the student experience at collaborative partners is consistent with that provided within the University, that academic standards are equivalent to those of comparable qualifications within the University, and that collaborating partners reflect the ethos, mission and values of the University.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AT MIDDLESEXUNIVERSITY

Quality Enhancement across University

MiddlesexUniversity is commited to ensuring that students have a high quality learning experience, and that the standards of qualifications are set at appropriate levels.

The QAA Audit process has placed broad confidence in the sondness of the University’s menagment of the quality of its programmes and the academic standards of its awards. Similar confidence is placed in the capacity of the University to continue t osecure and maintain quality and standards in the future. These judgmements represent the highest level of confidence that can be placed in an institution, and are a postive endorsement of academic standards and quality at Middlesex.

In addition tosetting and assuring quality and standards the University is actively angaged in the continued enhancement of quality.

University menagement structure

• Board of governors has the following primary duties:

1. To play an active role in the high-level strategic planning process by contributing to:

-The development of the University’s mission, vision and educational character

-The development of strategic priorities

-The setting of measureable targets to support the University’s development and budget

-The monitoring of achievement against objectives

-The development of plans to address major weaknesses

2. To serve on one or more committees of the Board as required. The current Board structure has four established standing committees:

-Audit Committee

-Finance and General Purposes Committee

-Governance/Nominations Committee

-Senior Conditions of Staff Committee

-plus one task group to oversee the development of the University’s Estates Strategy.

3. To play an active role in one or more of the following as required:

-Overseeing the management of financial, human and physical resources

-Internal audit processes

-The development of senior post holder pay policy and framework for the pay and conditions of service and all other staff

-The recruitment of new governors

-Contributing to the regular monitoring of the financial health of the University

4. To comply with the Instrument and Articles of Government, the Standing Orders and Code of Conduct and any other related governance policies and procedures.

5. To participate fully in the life of the University community by attending where possible ceremonial and public events and taking an active interest in the work of the University community.

6. To get to know the University through meeting relevant staff, reading relevant papers and participating fully at Board and Committee meetings.

7. To promote the University in the wider community. Governors are free at all times to speak and act in what they believe to be the best interests of the University. However governors are not mandated by any group to express views that are not held by them personally. Therefore governors can make a valuable contribution in terms of skills and expertise but cannot lobby on behalf of any group.

8. To contribute to the University’s business in an effective, efficient, open and transparent manner.

9. To observe the seven Principles of Public Life as set out in the first and second reports of the Committee of Standards in Public Life (the Nolan Committee).

10. To undertake such training and induction as required to carry out the role of a member of the Board.

• Chancellor

• Vice Chancellor

• Executive which consist of:

Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Director, Internationaland Marketing, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Finance and External Relations, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Director of Corporate Services.

• The Academic Board of the University is responsible for:

-general issues relating to the research, scholarship, teaching and courses at the University, including criteria for the admission of students; the appointment and removal of internal and external examiners; policies and procedures for assessment and examination of the academic performance of students; the content of the curriculum; academic standards and the validation and review of courses; the procedures for the award of qualifications and honorary academic titles, and the procedures for the expulsion of students for academic reasons. Such responsibilities take account of the requirements of validating and accrediting bodies

-considering the development of the academic activities of the University and the resources needed to support them and for advising the Executive and, through the Executive, the Board of Governors thereon; and

-advising on such other matters as the Board of Governors or the Executive may refer to the Academic Board.

Chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, the Academic Board consists of up to 30 members and meets three times a year.

At MiddlesexUniversity there is a Centre for learning and Quality Enhancement (CLQE), which is responsible for the assurance of academic standards and the enhancement of academic quality across the University. The main CLQE functions are to:

-lead the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies, policies and procedures related to academic standards, quality and learning development (including the use of learning technologies),

-enchanceUniversity practices with respect to quality assurance; and to teaching, learning and assessment methods (including the use of learning technologies),

-ensure University respodns to external academic quality and learning development agendas,

-support academic menagers and staff in implementig innovation and good practice in academic quality, and teaching, learning and assessment practices,

-provide guidance and trainig related to academic quality and learning developmnt,

-assume overall responsibility for the provision of cross-University e-learning technologies, and support academic menagers and staff in the use of these technologies,

-support schools and partners in their preparations for external reciews, inspections, audits and accreditaions, and

-prepare the University and pratners for QAA audit and similar exercises.

Each school is led and menaged by a Dean appointed through a competitive process. Deans of School report to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic. Schools generally appoint associate Deans with responsibility for the following functional areas: learning, quality and enhancement, academic development, research and business.

The academic structure of each School is divided into a number of discipline-based Academic Departments which focus on: the development and delivery of associated academic programmes, research and bisiness development. All academic staff are assigned to an Academic Department. Each Department is headed by a Head of Department. Groups of closely related programmes are headed by Programme Directors, who have responsibility for the overall menagment of the programmes, assisted by programme leaders with responsibility for the operational menagment of one or programmes within this group.

Directors of resources determine, and line menage, the School Student Supoport Team staffing structure.

Each school establishes a committee structure in line with the terms of reference detailed under Academic Board and its sub-committees. The mainsSchool committees are:

-School Academic Planning, Quality andLearning Enhancement Committee,

-School Research Committee,

-School Accreditaion Board.

School may decide to establish three separate committees to deal with the business of the Academic Pllaning, Quality and Learning Enhancement Committee. These would be:

-School Academic Standards and Quality Committee,

-School Academic Planning Committee,

-School Teaching and Learning Committee.

School may also choose t oestablish further sub-committees for specific purporses if they wish.

Subject and Programme Planning

Planning approval allows both the School and the University to ensure that a significant change to the current portfolio of academic provision makes business sense in terms of student demand, income generated and the resources required to run it and fits within the University regulations, before proceeding to validation. A Programme cannot proceed to validation or review until all Academic Programme Planning Gropu (APPG) conditions have been met.

Planning approval is the overall responsibility of the Academic Programme Planning Group (APPG) which acts on behalf of the University’s Academic Planning and Corporate Strategy Committee (APCSC).

The Academic Planning Manager (APM) co-ordinates and manages the University level operation of this process.

The School to which a Programme is linked is responsible for obtaining approval for all new or significantly changed Programmes.

Procedures

Planning

1)Complete the APPG Form (the application form is designed to collect relevant information that enables APPG to decide whether or not to give planning approval for the proposed change in academic provision. It also serves to provide advanced notice to relevant sections of the University about proposed changes (including new, revised or withdrawn provision) in academic provision that affect marketing, the recruitment and admission process, timetabling, teaching, accommodation, provision for learning resources, etc.)

2)Any submission to APPG will first have the approval of the appropriate School Committee. The School must ensure that a strong case has been made for the proposed change in academic provision. Both the School Committee and APPG assess the proposal on the following criteria:

a)clear evidence of market potential

b)staff expertise and availability (or ability to employ new staff) to support high quality provision

c)availability of any specialist facilities or ability to secure these

d)financial viability of the programme

e)research activity of staff related to the Programme (for postgraduate programmes in particular)

f)evidence of progression opportunities (e.g. undergraduate/postgraduate/professional programmes at MiddlesexUniversity or elsewhere)

g)consistency with the academic regulations; relevant academic policies; existing provision and the University’s Mission, Vision, Strategic Objectives and Corporate Plan

h)the impact of the proposed new development on existing provision including Subjects/Programmes which may be withdrawn as a result of the new development.

3)The School Quality Manager sends the completed application form, including the business plan and approval signatures, to the APM at least 10 days in advance of the relevant meeting. Proposals arriving late risk not being considered until the meeting thereafter. The Group may not consider any proposal not supported by a fully completed and accurate application form. In such cases any omitted requirements need to be provided prior to the Group giving approval to proceed to Validation/Review.

The APPG Meeting

The APPG considers the proposal under the criteria outlined above. Criteria (a), (b), (c) and (d) are considered paramount and all four must be met prior to a new Subject/Programme being approved by APPG to proceed to Validation.

The following outcomes are possible:

• not approved

• unconditional approval to proceed to Validation or Review
• conditional approval to proceed to Validation or Review (conditions must be met within next 2 meetings of APPG) (NB. APPG approval lasts for 9 months and will then expire).

Closure/Deletion of a Subject or Programme

Planning

1)The School obtains approval for the proposal from the appropriate School Committee

2)The School ensures that a strong case has been made for closure taking into account each of the following criteria:

a)teaching quality of Subject/Programme

b)student demand of Subject/Programme

c)quality of research supporting Subject/Programme

d)income-generating potential of the Subject/Programme

e)economic viability of the Subject/Programme

f)future development potential of the Subject/Programme.

The School should use the approved proforma

3)Each criterion should be scored on a scale of 1-4 (where a score of 4 is acceptable and a score of 1 unacceptable) and each score should be justified by a brief summary. The maximum score is 24.

4)The School submits a proposal for each Subject/Programme to be considered for closure to the APM at least 10 days in advance of the next meeting of APPG.

The APPG Meeting

The APPG considers the proposal and rationale presented by the School. The scores are assessed as follows:

• any Subject or Programme with less than 16 points in total may be closed
• any Subject or Programme with two or more scores of 1 will be closed
• any Subject or Programme with a score of 2 or less in quality of teaching or economic viability of the Programme will normally be closed irrespective of whether a total score of 16 points is achieved.

The group may comment upon or change the scores allocated by the School.

In making the final decision APPG considers the appropriate timescale for closure, and the consequences of closure, such as impact on other taught Programmes and the University’s profile of provision.

Deferral of a Review

Requests to defer a Review are submitted to APPG for consideration and must include a full rationale if approval is to be received, for example as a result of changes to PSRB requirements.

Reporting

The APM communicates the outcome of APPG to theQuality Managers or equivalent. The outcome clearly states the decision reached including any conditions of approval.