AIntroduction and background

ValAwards_1Validated Awards 2015–2016

AIntroduction and background

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Contents

  • Contents
  • A1Introduction
  • A2What are OU validated awards?

Contents

A1Introduction

A2What are OU validated awards?

A1Introduction

The Open University’s mission

The Open University (OU) was founded by Royal Charter in 1969. It has an international reputation for the quality of its teaching by supported open learning, for its research and for offering a university education to many students who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to study. The University’s mission can be summarised thus:

The Open University is open to people, places, methods and ideas.

Institutional approval and validated awards

OU validated awards are conferred under the University’s Royal Charter. They are of comparable standard to those made to students directly registered with the OU and other UK universities. They are available to institutions entering into a partner relationship with the OU, which requires institutions to demonstrate their ability to quality assure their own provision. Any organisation offering programmes of study at higher education level may seek to become approved by the University and offer programmes leading to its validated awards.

The approval of an institution wishing to offer OU validated awards is required before programmes of study can be validated. Once an institution is approved, a legally binding institutional agreement is drawn up setting out the relationship between the University and the institution and defining their responsibilities.

Authority for institutional approval and review

The authority for approving and for reviewing partner institutions, and validating and revalidating programmes, rests with the OU Senate and is exercised through the University’s Curriculum Partnership Committee for all decisions concerning institutional approval and validation.

The principle of peer review

Institutional approval, institutional review, validation and revalidation processes are based on the principle of peer review delivered through a panel of suitably qualified and experienced people. Authority for all approval rests with the Curriculum Partnerships Committee. The approval process is not complete until the recommendations have been considered at the committee and all conditions have been met.

Each panel must include an appropriate balance in its membership and operate in the context of the University’s requirements for institutional approval and programme approval as set out in this handbook.

The supporting role of the University

In addition to establishing the conditions for institutional and programme approval, the University supports the validation and revalidation processes and seeks to promote and maintain high academic standards by:

  1. providing a framework of policies designed to foster the development of institutions as strong, cohesive and self-critical academic communities
  2. acting as a source of information and advice about good practice in respect of all matters relating to academic quality and standards
  3. providing a forum for debate on matters of academic and institutional development
  4. facilitating collaboration and interaction between the University, institutions offering programmes leading to its awards, and national and international organisations, including professional bodies.

The powers of the University

The assurance of the academic standards of the validated programmes offered as OU validated awards is a matter of prime importance to the University. The University will take any action it considers necessary under its Royal Charter to protect the quality of validated programmes of study and the standard of its validated awards.

Quality assurance

As a UK University, the OU is subject to the requirements and expectations of UK higher education, as represented by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). The QAA publishes the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, guidance on academic credit, subject benchmark statements and a range of associated guidelines. For more information, see

The University expects partner institutions to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the UK Quality Code and to take account of this in their institutional quality assurance arrangements, programme submissions and delivery of validated programmes.

Definitions of key processes for institutional approval and validation

Institutional approval

Institutional approval is the process through which an institution is judged to meet a number of principles set out in Section B1 of this handbook and to provide a satisfactory environment for the conduct of programmes leading to OU validated awards. Approval of an institution is a prerequisite for the approval of any programme of study and it follows that, where institutional approval is withdrawn, programme approval is also suspended or withdrawn.

Validation

Validation is the process whereby a judgement is reached about whether or not a programme of study designed to lead to an OU validated award meets the principles and requirements for that award. OU validated awards must be equivalent in standard to comparable awards throughout higher education in the United Kingdom.

Institutional review

Institutional review is the process whereby a partner institution is critically appraised at intervals of not more than five years, and through which plans for change are considered.

Revalidation

Revalidation is the process whereby a validated programme of study is critically appraised at intervals of not more than five years, and through which plans for change are considered.

Monitoring

Monitoring is the regular internal process by which an institution critically appraises the operation of each validated programme of study and ensures that appropriate standards are maintained. The University requires annual programme evaluation reports from partner institutions and a separate institutional annual report that evaluates the effectiveness of monitoring and other quality assurance arrangements.

OU validated awards

The Centre for Inclusion and Collaborative Partnerships (CICP) manages the approval and review of institutions and the validation of their programmes on behalf of the University. All communications should therefore be directed to CICP at .

A2What are OU validated awards?

The nature of OU validated awards

OU validated awards are designed to ensure that they meet the requirements of the Higher Education Qualification Frameworks of England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ) or where relevant the Scottish Framework (SCQF). See the Regulations for validated awards of The Open University for details.

As of 1 September 2015 all institutions are required to comply with The Open University’s regulations. Some institutions have been approved to operate under dual awards regulations.

  • Standard version: Regulations for validated awards of The Open University
  • Dual awards version: Regulations for validated awards of The Open University for institutions offering dual awards

Partner institutions are responsible for maintaining the academic standards of the OU (see Part A of the UK Quality Code, and are therefore required to align their programmes in the same way.

Approval of new awards

The Senate will take advice from the Education Committee before proposing the establishment of any new type of validated award to the University Council.

The University will consider proposals in the context of its Curriculum Strategy, and the whole range of OU validated awards and their relationship to each other and to the awards of other bodies. In particular, the University will consider:

  • the characteristics and level of the proposed award, what would both distinguish it from existing awards and relate it to them, and the place of the award in the relevant national qualifications framework
  • the suitability of existing awards for the proposed programme of study
  • the likely demand for, and recognition of, the proposed award by institutions, students and employers.

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