Affiliated Research Centre Programme

2013-14 Annual Institutional Monitoring Report Form

Affiliated Research Centre:[ARC]
Research Degrees Coordinator:
Review Period:1 October 2013 – 30 September 2014
Deadline for receipt of completed report:31 October 2014 (or earlier if possible)
Send reports to:
Contact:Helen Castley, Senior Manager Collaborative Provision
/ Tel: +44 (0)1908 659615
Kathryn Mitchell, ARC Partnerships Manager
/ Tel: +44 (0)1908 655710

SECTION 1:INTRODUCTION

The context of this review exercise

1The Open University is proud to offer its research degree programme to students registered directly with the University and also through its Affiliated Research Centres (ARCs). Regular monitoring and review are necessary elements to ensure that the quality of provision meets the expected standardsand that all students receive a parity of experience wherever they are based.

2The standards for UK research degrees are set out in the Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) UK Quality Code for Higher Education Chapter B11:Research Degrees (2012).

3This questionnaire is a means of conducting an annual review of the ARC programme to monitor:

(a)ongoing development for quality enhancement, and progress in areas of development identified by individual ARCs, the review visits and the previous Annual Institutional Monitoring Report

(b)continuity and refinement of practice against the expected standards, now set out in the UK Quality Code for Higher EducationChapter B11: Research Degrees (2012),hereafter referred to as the ‘QAA Code’.

What are we asking you to do?

4To this end, we ask you to:

  • complete and return the 2013 ARC programme annual institutional monitoring form
  • update the mapping of your ARC’s research degree arrangements against the indicators in the QAA Code
  • provide updated supporting documents for your research degree programme

5The 2013 ARC programme annual institutional monitoring formcomprises the following sections:

Section 2 – Supporting Documents

(i)List the documents or weblinks you are providing in support of the information provided in your research degree arrangements mapping document (see (c) below).

Section 3 –Development Areas

(ii)Describe your ARC’s progress in the development areas identified in the most recent review visit report / annual institutional monitoring report and/or development meeting

Section 4 – Programme Evaluation 2013 - 14

(iii)Evaluate the operation of the research degrees programme in your ARC in the most recent academic year (1 October 2013 to 30 September 2014)

Section 5 – Additional Information

(iv)Provide additional relevant information to help us maintain up-to-date information about your ARC and the relationship with The Open University

Section 6 – Closing Statement

(v)Statement from the ARC research degree coordinator verifying the accuracy of information provided.

6Please update themapping of your ARC’s research degree arrangements against the indicators in the QAA Code.

We are asking you to carefully read the document (attached to this mailing), and amend the third column to ensure that it accurately describes how your ARC fulfils the relevant indicator.

Note the evidence required tofulfil the indicator (column 1) and how the OU contributes to fulfilling this indicator within the context of the ARC programme (column 2).

7Supporting documentsto be provided as set out below.

Please review the supporting material we have on file for your ARC (attached to this mailing). We are asking you to send us

  • up-to-date research degree programme publicity material or website addresses where publicity material is located.
  • updated versions of the any of the documents on our file listed in the attachment
  • other relevant documentation not already on our file

Examples of relevant documents are: call for applications, student handbook, organisation chart, research degrees governance chart, research degrees management chart, external audit reports, research degree policy documents, among others.

Please send them to us with this completed annual institutional monitoring form, and list document titles in section 2 OR provide the weblink to the updated document in section 2 below.

SECTION 2:SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

1Please list the name of the document you are sending us in this reporting round, the date of production, and the weblink if applicable

Document name / Date of production / Weblink (if applicable)

SECTION 3:DEVELOPMENT AREAS

1The following development areas were identified at the most recent

  • Annual institutional monitoring evaluation(2012/13)
  • ARC review visit
  • Development meeting

2Please describe how you are addressing these development areas and include timescales. In cases where recommendations are duplicated (for example, because an ARC review visit took place shortly before or after the annual institutional monitoring exercise) you need only provide the information once, cross referencing where appropriate.

2012/13 annual institutional monitoring development areas / Progress
(please include timescales for full implementation where applicable)
ARC review visit development areas / Progress (please include timescales for full implementation where applicable)

SECTION 4:PROGRAMME EVALUATION 2013– 14

1In this section please critically evaluate the operation of the research degrees programme in your ARC over the period of the review (1 October 2013 to 30 September 2014), providing examples to support your statements.

Research Degree Policy, Codes of Practice, Mechanisms for Review [QAA Code indicators 1 – 3]

2YourARC’s QAA mapping document sets out information about

  • research degree policy in your ARC
  • relevant codes of practice
  • how you make this information accessible to students and staff
  • the research degree management/governance structures
  • mechanisms you have in place to measure the effectiveness of, and to review your programme framework.

In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness of thesestructures and review mechanisms over the review period, providing examples to support your statements. If you identified areas of good practice, please highlight, or any particular issues set out the consequences of these, and any further action taken as a result.

3Using the table below, please provide details of your ARC’s performance against the specified performance indicators, using data from the review period 1 October 2013 – 30 September 2014.

DATA FROM REVIEW PERIOD 1 OCTOBER 2013 – 30 SEPTEMBER 2014
Submission of thesis for examination within 4 yearsof intital registrationdate(Applicable to students who were full-time at first registration)
Total number of OU students who submitted in the review period
(FT at first registration / Total number of OU students who submitted within 4 years (FT at first registration) / % of OU students (FT at first registration) who submitted within 4 years / %
Submission of thesis for examination within 6 yearsof initial registrationdate(Applicable to students who were PART-time at first registration)
Total number of OU students who submitted in the review period
(PT at first registration) / Total number of OU students (PT at first registration)who submitted within 6 years / % of OU students (PT at first registration) who submitted within 6 years / %
Examination outcomes for OU examinations taking place in the REVIEW period
Outcome / Total
Award PhD
Corrections and modifications
Substantial amendment
Permitted to resubmit for re-examination following major revision

4Please set out below your ARC’s performance during the review period against any additional key performance indicators (KPIs) your ARC uses to monitor the research degree programme.

5If this information is available, please list theresearch outputs for OU students and supervisorsduring the reporting period, highlighting publications to which students have contributed.

6If this information is available, please list first destination for OU students who completed their degree during this reporting period

Student’s name / Type of employment / Nature of employment / Location

Research Environment[QAA Code indicator 4]

7Your ARC’s QAA mapping document sets out information about

  • research environment including facilities for doing and learning about research,
  • number of research active staff
  • research funding and outputs
  • opportunities for networking and information exchange
  • support for students

In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness of your research environment over the review period, providing examples to support your statements. If you identified areas of good practice, please highlight, or any particular issues set out the consequences of these, and any further action taken as a result.

Selection, Admission and Induction of Students [QAA Code indicators 5 – 8]

8Your ARC’s QAA mapping document sets out information about

  • research degree admissions policy and procedures
  • how you ensure that they are consistently and fairly applied
  • training for admissions staff
  • the responsibilities and entitlements of research degree students
  • how these are communicated to staff and students
  • the induction of students into the research degree programme

In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness, consistency and fairness of your ARC’s selection and admission procedures over the review period, providing examples to support your statements. If you identified areas of good practice, please highlight, or any particular issues set out the consequences of these, and any further action taken as a result.

9In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness of your ARC’s communication of responsibilities of entitlements and responsibilities of students to students and other stakeholders over the review period and the students’ induction into the research degree programme. Did any particular issues arise? If so, please describe the action taken to address these.

Supervision[QAA Code indicators 9 – 12]

10Your ARC’s QAA mapping document sets out information about

  • supervision of research degree students including
  • subject knowledge
  • supervisory skills training
  • composition and availability of supervision teams
  • communication of supervisors’ responsibilities to all stakeholders
  • allocation of time to supervision

In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness of your ARC’s supervision arrangements over the review period, providing examples to support your statements. If you identified areas of good practice, please highlight, or any particular issues set out the consequences of these, and any further action taken as a result.

Progress and Review Arrangements [QAA Code indicator 13]

11Your ARC’s QAA mapping document sets out information about

  • the arrangements for formal review of student progress and forward planning
  • probation assessment
  • general supervision meetings
  • communication of dates and possible outcomes of formal review
  • keeping notes of formal progress meetings
  • keeping notes of supervision meetings

In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness your ARC’s arrangements for probation and progress monitoring, including note taking of progress meetings and supervision meetings over the review period, providing examples to support your statements. If you identified areas of good practice, please highlight, or any particular issues set out the consequences of these, and any further action taken as a result.

Research, personal and professional skills[QAA Code indicator 14]

12Your ARC’s QAA mapping document sets out information about

  • your ARC’s arrangements for developing your students’ research, personal and professional skills
  • how you analyse each student’s existing research and generic skills, and skills gaps, at or near the beginning of registration
  • how you support each student to make a plan to develop the research degree skills they need
  • how you regularly monitor and review each student’s training needs
  • how you provide each student with a structured way of keeping records and reflecting on their own skills development

In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness your ARC’s arrangements for development of students’ research, personal and professional skills over the review period, providing examples to support your statements. If you identified areas of good practice, please highlight, or any particular issues set out the consequences of these, and any further action taken as a result.

Evaluation mechanisms [QAA Code indicator 15]

12Your ARC’s QAA mapping document sets out information about your ARC’s arrangements for collecting, considering and acting upon feedback from

  • student representatives
  • the student body
  • individual students
  • supervisors
  • other stakeholders in the research degree programme
  • how you evaluate the feedback and use lessons learned to enhance your programme

In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness your ARC’s arrangements for obtaining, evaluating and acting upon feedback from students, supervisors and other stakeholders over the review period, providing examples to support your statements. If you identified areas of good practice, please highlight, or any particular issues set out the consequences of these, and any further action taken as a result.

Assessment [QAA Code indicator 16 and 17]

13Compliance with these indicators depends upon OU policy and practice. You may have added further detail in your ARC’s mapping document aboutexamination arrangements in your ARC. In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness your ARC’s arrangements for research degree examination over the review period, providing examples to support your statements. If you identified areas of good practice, please highlight, or any particular issues set out the consequences of these, and any further action taken as a result.

Complaints and Appeals [QAA Code indicator 18]

14Your ARC’s QAA mapping document sets out information aboutyour ARC’s formal complaints procedures. In the context of the information provided in your mapping document, please critically evaluate the effectiveness your ARC’s arrangements forhandling student complaints over the review period, providing examples to support your statements. If you identified areas of good practice, please highlight, or any particular issues set out the consequences of these, and any further action taken as a result.

SECTION 5: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Students located off-site

1OU registered research degree students are expected to spend at least half of their registration at the Affiliated Research Centre.

2Are any of your students located away from the main site of your ARC? If so, please list each student and provide information about the relationship of their location to your ARC (e.g. satellite office, field site,collaborating institution). Please specify the length of time they have been away from the main site, and how often they have returned to your ARC’s main site during the reporting period. For each student, please explain how you are ensuring that research degree training, supervision and third party monitoring, and student representation needs are met.

Student name and PI / Student location and reason / Time away from main site / No of times returned to main site in reporting period / How student is integrated into training, supervision and third party monitoring and representation mechanisms

Sharing good practice

3Are there any areas of good practice/positive achievement which you have not highlighted in your responses to the questions in section 4, which you would like to share with The Open University? Your exemplars could relate to any aspect of the topics above or any other aspects of The Open University Research Degrees programme.

Relationship with The Open University

4Please set out here constructive feedback on the operation of the collaborationbetween The Open University and your ARC in the context of the research degrees programme, and highlight any issues of concern and/or positive achievement.

5Please provide an indication of your anticipated Open University research degree registrations (numbers and expected dates) in the next academic year (2014-15).

6How would you like to see your ARC’s relationship with The Open University develop over time?

Open University Resources

7The Open University launched its Virtual Research Environmentto Affiliated Research Centre colleagues and students in November 2013. The site brings together into one place Open University on-line resources for OU registered research degree students, their supervisors and ARC research degree coordinators, namely:

  • research degree policies, forms and guidance notes
  • on-line library
  • guidance and tools to help students with their supervisors to identify skills they need to develop, plan their acquisition and record achievements
  • supplementary on-line professional/skills development training materials for research degree students in their probation period, which is aligned with the Researcher Development Framework
  • information for research degree coordinators about the ARC programme and managing the institutional relationship
  • careers service

Please can you tell us how, and how much, you and your supervisor colleagues use the Virtual Research Environment?

Which resources are the most useful for you and your colleagues?

Was there something you looked for on the Virtual Research Environment that you were unable to find?

How would you like to see the Virtual Research Environment develop over time?

Would you find a facility to build a community of ARCs useful, using the VRE as a platform?

Please note that we intend to survey student representatives about this separately

8ARC research degree coordinators and supervisors have access to approximately 70% of OU library content. (Students may access 100% of library stock). As licenses are renewed, library stafftake the opportunity to negotiate with publishers in order to extend the amount of stock available to ARC supervisors and research degree coordinators.

Do you and your supervisor colleagues use the Open University’s online library?

If yes, what do you/they use the online library for?

If not, why do you think this is?

Are there any particular journals available through the OU, which students can access but you and your colleagues can not, which you would like to be able to access through the OU library?

Please note that we intend to survey student representatives about this separately