/ Quality Handbook

AQH-I3-5 Operations Manual Guidelines – Model E

Version 2.0 June 2010

Operations Manual
for programmes approved
to be offered in partnership between
the University of Sunderland (the University)
and
[PARTNER NAME] (the Partner)
in accordance with the University’s Collaborative Model E (Distance Learning)

Version History of Template (for QAE use only):

Version / Occasion of Change / Change author / Date of modification / Modifications made
1.0 / Original placed in Academic Quality Handbook / S Sutcliffe / September 2008 / Mainly references to new University structure
2.0 / Updates to University collaborative processes / C Gardner
O Palimeris / October 2009 – June 2010 / Various, to reflect the new CP processes implemented 2009
3.0

Implementation and Modification History (for Faculty use only):

Version / Occasion of Change / Change author / Date of modification / Modifications made / Version signed off by Faculty (date & details)
EXAMPLE / Issued to Partner on approval to run programme / xxxxxxxxx / 20.1.10 / Template annotated to incorporate more details of specific arrangements / FQMSC (minutes 15.02.10 refer)
1.0

Your support and co-operation will be very much appreciated, and any feedback you can provide on the effectiveness of the Operations Manual template would be gratefully received. Please contact Quality Assurance and Enhancement at the University of Sunderland.

CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 MANAGEMENT OF THE PARTNERSHIP

3.0 DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMMES AND MODEL OF DELIVERY

4.0CONTACTS INFORMATION

5.0ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

6.0LEARNING AND TEACHING

7.0 PUBLIC INFORMATION

8.0 ALLOCATION OF STUDENT NUMBERS

9.0 RECRUITMENT AND ADMISSIONS

10.0 STUDENT INDUCTION

11.0 PROGRAMME DELIVERY

12.0 ASSESSMENT

13.0 EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

14.0 PROGRAMME AND PARTNER REVIEWS

15.0 STAFF DEVELOPMENT

16.0 LEARNING RESOURCES

17.0 HUMAN RESOURCES

18.0 STUDENT SUPPORT

19.0 STUDENT COMPLAINTS, APPEALS AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

20.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

21.0 EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

22.0 TERMINATION

23.0GLOSSARY OF TERMS

24.0USEFUL LINKS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1Welcome to the University of Sunderland’s Faculty of xxxxxxxxxxxxxx and the Department of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Your centre has now been formally approved to run one of the University’s programmes.

1.2This operations manual has been designed to promote common understandings about the respective roles and responsibilities of the Partner and University staff involved in the delivery, management, quality assurance, and co-ordination of the University’s collaborative programmes. Mutual understandings are essential to assure parity of the student experience, regardless of the site of delivery. It is designed by the University for use by all University and Partner staff associated with the provision. The University and the Partner are jointly responsible for ensuring that this is issued to all staff who contribute towards programme delivery.It is important to us that staff feel supported and have appropriate mechanisms for:

  • Contacting relevant staff
  • Resolving issues in a timely way
  • Working together in a true partner relationship including full understanding of the University’s processes, procedures and regulatory requirements

1.3It thus amplifies the roles that staff in each organisation are expected to fulfil as laid down in the Memorandum of Agreement that governs this collaboration. Clauses from the Agreement are included as italicised sections throughout the Manual, beneath which the requirements are explained in more detail. The Agreement has been drawn up to reflect the University of Sunderland’s Collaborative Processes - see:

together with its Collaborative Models of Provision paper and relevant sections from the Quality Assurance Agency’s Code of Practice (e.g. Collaborative Provision & Flexible and distributed learning (including E-Learning) (published September 2004)). These Agreements are normally reviewed every six years.

Please refer to the University’s Academic Quality Handbook for all guidelines referred to in this manual, see:

2.0 MANAGEMENT OF THE PARTNERSHIP

2.1In order to ensure appropriate liaison and management of the University programmes, the Partner will provide, as a minimum, appropriate administrative support and at least one full-time member of academic staff with appropriate subject expertise for each programme that is currently operating as discussed below. A maximum number of modules that an individual member of Partner academic staff may lead will be agreed by the appropriate University Faculty.

2.1.1Management Structure: University Of Sunderland

Please refer to:

for details of the University of Sunderland Management Structure.

2.1.2Management Structure: The Partner [To Be Inserted]

2.1.3 Faculty Structure: University Of Sunderland

The Faculty of Applied Sciences / Head of Department / Dean / Associate Dean – Student Experience / Associate Dean – Resources, Research & External Engagement / Associate Dean – Recruitment & Development
Department of Computing, Engineering & Technology / Mr Alistair Irons / Prof John MacIntyre / Dr David Blackwell / Prof Tony Alabaster / Prof Rob Trimble
Department of Pharmacy, Health & Well-being / Dr Jim Smith
Department of Psychology / Dr David Sanders
Department of Sport & Exercise Sciences / Mr Bill Sheldon
The Faculty of Education and Society / Head of Department / Dean / Associate Dean – Student Experience / Associate Dean – Resources, Research & External Engagement / Associate Dean – Recruitment & Development
Department of Education / Ms Christine Farnsworth / Prof Gary Holmes / Ms Maggie Stephenson / Mr Ian Neal / Mrs Linda Wilson
Department of Social Sciences / Mr Kevin Morris
Department of Culture / Dr Felicity Breet
The Faculty of Business and Law / Head of Department / Dean / Associate Dean – Student Experience / Associate Dean – Resources, Research & External Engagement / Associate Dean – Recruitment & Development
SunderlandBusinessSchool / Mr Chris Marshall / Ms Viv Kinnaird / Mr Mike Wyvill / Dr Sonal Minocha / Mrs Sue Stirk
Department of Law / Dr Karen Hadley
Centre for Flexible Learning / Ms Pauline Wonders
The Faculty of Arts, Design and Media / Head of Department / Dean / Associate Dean – Student Experience / Associate Dean – Resources, Research & External Engagement / Associate Dean – Recruitment & Development
Department of Arts & Design / Vacant Post / Mr Graeme Thompson / Mr Phil Whiston / Prof Brian Thompson / MsJudithHills
Department of Media / Guy Starkey

3.0 DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMMES AND MODEL OF DELIVERY

3.1The AGREED University programmes (as defined by the relevant programme specification produced and approved by the University) will be offered at approved sites by Model E.

For a full list of programmes/sites covered by this manual please refer to the Memorandum of Agreement – Quality Assurance and Schedule of Programmes Annexes, available on request from Quality Assurance and Enhancement.

4.0CONTACTS INFORMATION

4.1‘Central’ and key FacultyUniversity of Sunderland contacts (current as at March 2010)

Atkinson, Ms Shirley - Deputy Vice Chancellor /
tel: 0191 515 2460
Elliott, Mr Peter - Educational Partnerships Administrator, Recruitment and Business Partnerships /
tel:: 0191 515 3892
Fidler, Professor Peter - Vice Chancellor /
tel: 0191 515 2036
Gardner, Ms Carol - Senior Quality Assurance & Enhancement Officer, Officer to Higher Education in Further Education Practitioner’s Group and central contact for Foundation Degree Forward /
tel: 0191 515 2065
Greene, Ms Carole - Educational Partnerships Administrator, Recruitment and Business Partnerships /
tel: 0191 515 2806
Mennell, Professor Julie
Deputy Vice Chancellor (from 1st September 2010) / To be advised
Ollerenshaw, Ms Beatrice – Director of Academic Services /
tel: 0191 515 2060
Patience, Ms Sue – Collaborative Provision Manager /
tel: 0191 515 2063
Pritchard, Mr Oliver – Assistant Director (Student & Learning Support) /
tel: 0191 515 2903
Reece, Ms Sue – Director of Student Recruitment and Business Partnerships /
tel: 0191 515 3803
Robertson, Ms Susie – Senior Quality Assurance & Enhancement Officer and Officer for Collaborative Practitioner’s Group /
tel: 0191 515 2069
Rowan, Mr Iain – Assistant Director of Academic Services /
tel: 0191 515 2433
Walters, Ms Andrea – Director of Human Resources /
tel: 0191 515 3427

4.2Faculty, Department, and programme University of Sunderland contacts:[WILL NEED EXPANDING IF PARTNER HAS RELATIONSHIPS WITH MORE THAN ONE FACULTY AND ALSO IN RESPECT OF EACH PROGRAMME COVERED BY THE MANUAL]

Dean of Faculty / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Faculty Associate Dean (Student Experience) / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Faculty Quality Management Sub-Committee Chair / xxxxxxxxxxxx
HE in FE Practitioner’s Group nominee#
Centre Leader / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Programme Assessment Board Chair / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Programme Board of Studies Chair / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Module Assessment Board Chair / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Module Board of Studies Chair / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Programme Leader / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Administrative staff / xxxxxxxxxxxx
General Enquiry Telephone number for the Faculty / xxxxxxxxxxxx

4.3Partner Contacts

HE in FE Practitioner’s Group nominee#

# HE and FE Practitioner’s Group nominees (of the HE in FE Group) have agreed to act as a central channel of communication for their College/Faculty; e.g. to facilitate submission by the University (via the Faculty Quality Officer) of external examiner’s reports to relevant College staff via this named nominee.

5.0ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The sections below represent broad responsibilities that are described in more detail in relevant sections of this Manual.

5.1The University has responsibility for:

  • The Award
  • Quality assurance of the programmes and the quality of the student experience
  • Programme planning, design and review (including approval of modifications to modules/programme and curriculum development)
  • Programme assessment
  • The provision of the University Centre Leader and Programme and Module Leaders at the University
  • The quality assurance of the partnership
  • The approval of Partner staff appointed to support the delivery of programme materials
  • The approval of public information including marketing materials in respect of the provision
  • Programme admission decisions and the registration of students to the University’s student records system (SITS)
  • The issuing of offer letters to students
  • Information services support (providing any agreed access to the University’s Library services)
  • The appointment of and liaison with external examiners
  • The organisation, management and operation of Assessment and Studies Boards
  • Amendment and discontinuation of programmes with agreed notice
  • Provision of transcripts of results and final award parchments

5.2The Partner has responsibility for:

  • Adhering to University policy and procedures
  • The co-ordination of student applications
  • Student records management
  • Information services support, e.g. ensuring agreed levels of library facilities at each site of delivery together with any other agreed specialist resources
  • The submission of reports to the University and other, timely, information on registered students as may be required
  • The co-ordination of staff and student feedback from each Partner site of delivery
  • The submission of public information including marketing materials to the University for approval following any in-house Partner approval
  • Student Induction for University Programmes.
  • Student academic and pastoral support.

6.0LEARNING AND TEACHING

6.1Learning and teaching of the programme will be as described in the student handbook and programme and module guides

7.0 PUBLIC INFORMATION

7.1General

The University reserves the right to publicise its collaborative programmes in its own publicity materials and in other publicity materials agreed with its partners.

7.2Marketing and Promotion

7.2.1The University will be responsible for: receiving and approving the accuracy of publicity materials prior to their implementation and regularly monitoring these and other information issued to registered or prospective students in respect of the collaborative provision.

7.2.2The Partner will be responsible for:

a)submitting to the University, publicity materials in respect of the collaborative provision, for approval prior to their implementation;

b)publicising locally the availability of the programme(s) and the recruitment and admission arrangements.

8.0 ALLOCATION OF STUDENT NUMBERS

8.1The number of student places per annum will be agreed with the University in accordance with the Financial Annex to the Memorandum of Agreement.

9.0 RECRUITMENT AND ADMISSIONS

9.1General

9.1.1The University will be responsible for:

a)liaison between the Partner and the University regarding the offering of conditional (and, subsequently, unconditional) places on the programme;

b)issuing conditional and unconditional place offers, including admissions Terms and Conditions, (and, where appropriate, to specify the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score requirements) to student applicants in accordance with University programme regulations;

c)approving/declining non-standard entry applications in accordance with the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) procedures of the University.

9.1.2The Partner will be responsible for:

a)forwarding completed student application forms to the University prior to the programme start date;

b)communicating with the University regarding University approval of non-standard entry applications.

9.2Entry Criteria

The normal entry criteria for admission to the agreed University programmes are detailed in the relevant University programme specifications and University of Sunderland academic regulations accessible through:

Any articulation routes will also need to be approved by the relevant University Faculty Quality Management Sub-Committee (FQMSC).

9.3The Application and Registration process

9.3.1The University will be responsible for:

a)providing student registration forms to the Partner;

b)ensuring that students are registered at the start of their programme and accurately inputting student information onto the Student Records System (SITS);

c)generating a University student ID for all registered students and issue of a welcome pack to include an email account that will allow access to the University website;

d)designing data reports drawn from the University Student Records System (SITS) as necessary, egg to inform monitoring reports.

9.3.2The Partner will be responsible for:

a)returning completed student registration forms to the University;

b)providing the University with accurate student progress information as necessary in a timely fashion.

9.4Re-enrolment

  • All students whose studies cover more than one academic year will be required to re-enrol at the beginning of the subsequent year, once progression is confirmed by the University Programme Assessment Board.
  • The University will send “Re-enrolment” forms to the Partner, from where they will be forwarded to students as appropriate with instructions for completion. The Partner will ensure that Re-enrolment forms are completed by students and returned to the University via the Centre Leader in accordance with the deadline specified by the University.

10.0 STUDENT INDUCTION

10.1General

10.1.1The University will be responsible for: inducting registered students as University of Sunderland students.

10.1.2The Partner will be responsible for: inducting registered students to their programme of study.

10.2Information to be provided for students

  • Contact details for students (to be completed by the Partner and the University)
  • Study skills information
  • Information about pastoral support
  • Programme Regulations
  • Procedures and Administration
  • Information on student and learning support including careers advice
  • Information on the University’s Library services and those of the Partner
  • An assessment cover sheet
  • A mitigation form
  • Assignment extensions
  • Changes to personal details
  • Withdrawal from the programme
  • Leave of absence
  • Appeals and complaints procedures
  • Health and safety information

10.3Student Induction programme content

10.3.1Student induction will normally include:

  • Introduction to the Partner and the University – roles, access to facilities, contact details
  • Information regarding pastoral support
  • An overview of programme structures and assessments
  • Discussions on study and assignment writing skills
  • The opportunity to discuss expectations and what students want to achieve from the programme
  • Advice on reading material
  • Details on what students can expect from their tutors
  • An overview of the programme regulations on re-assessment and mitigation, plagiarism etc
  • Administration information such as how to access the University of Sunderland Library services including on-line resources (where access to these is permissible)
  • Networking and introduction – sharing work experiences/expectations
  • Election of representatives for the Partner staff/student liaison committee
  • Student feedback mechanisms
  • Schedule of assessment
  • Consideration of results
  • Procedure for publication of results

11.0 PROGRAMME DELIVERY

11.1University Responsibilities

11.1.1The University will be responsible for:

a)designing and developing the structure and curriculum of the programme and the associated modules approved to be delivered by the Partner;

b)approving alterations to programme and/or module content, mode of delivery and assessments;

c)developing and issuing to the Partner learning and teaching materials to support delivery of the programme at the centre by tutor supported distance learning;

d)designing and issuing to all staff an Operations Manual detailing the precise arrangements to facilitate the delivery, quality assurance and management of the programme;

e)producing handbooks for students relevant to the programme of study;

f)establishing, Chairing and managing Programme and Module Boards of Studies as required for the programme and the associated modules.

11.1.2The Partner will be responsible for:

a)day-to-day management, co-ordination of operation and delivery of the approved programme in line with the Operations Manual including the delivery of teaching and other means to facilitate learning using the materials provided by the University;

b)ensuring that all appropriate guides and handbooks are issued to students;

c) establishing a technology assisted learning environment for the programme(s), e.g.,to facilitate access to on-line facilities by registered students.

11.2More broadly, the University is responsible for the day to day management, co-ordination of operation and delivery of the approved programme and its associated modules including any agreed teaching of full-time/part-time/full-time notional (as appropriate) sessions that may be based at the University. The Partner will be responsible for day to day management, co-ordination of operation and delivery of the programme (and its associated modules), including the teaching of full-time/part-time/full-time notional sessions that will be based at the partner’s premises.

11.3Where appropriate, the Partner will be responsible for the supervision of work-based assessments, appropriate training for student mentors, and the risk assessment of practice placements.

11.4The structure of the programme is included in the programme specification approved by the University. The University is responsible for the design and development of the structure of the programme and its composite modules. The University Academic Board (via the Faculty Quality Management Sub Committee) is responsible for approving any modifications to the programme. The University Programme Leader/Centre Leader will ensure that Partner staff, including the Assistant Programme Leader, are consulted should modifications to modules or the overall programme be proposed by the University during the year. Partner staff must be made aware of any changes to the University modules/programme so that any potential issues can be identified and addressed in advance of operation of the revised module. Should the Assistant Programme Leader wish to propose a modification this should be discussed in the first instance with the University Programme Leader/Centre Leader. (It would be useful if such changes could also be communicated to the University Library – particularly if these could affect the University’s library provision).