The new UK Quality Code: Assessment theme

The publication of the new UK Quality Code for Higher Education on 29th November 2018 provides a new set of advice and guidance to refer to when reviewing policies and practices. In an earlier post I looked at some aspects of the new External Expertise theme. The subject of this post is the Assessment theme, although rest … Continue reading →

The new UK Quality Code (and a look at the External Expertise theme)

On 29th November the new UK Quality Code was launched by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). Available here: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code It has received an extensive re-design with representatives from institutions and sector agencies from across the sector involved in drafting the Advice and Guidance sections, working to a very tight timescale. Kudos to those involved for producing … Continue reading →

Degree classification report: behind the headlines

In a previous blog post I noted the work of the UUK, QAA and GuildHE on grade profiles and the imminent publication of a follow-up report to ‘Understanding degree algorithms’ (UUK, 2017). The latest report from this work – Degree Classification: Transparent, Consistent and Fair Academic Standards – and an associated Technical report (The Drivers … Continue reading →

Quality management and notions of value [QSN annual conference report]

The annual QSN (Quality:Strategy:Network) conference, held on 13-14 September this year at Aston University, had as its theme ‘A Regulated Quality Future?’ This theme expressed doubt as to whether the established practices of quality management would continue in anything like their current form, although, as it turned out, the main speakers focused more on the … Continue reading →

Notes from the (ARC) Quality network meeting – June 2018

The latest meeting of the ARC (Academic Registrars’ Council) Quality group took place on a pleasantly warm day at City University London. This was the third and final meeting of the year and it appeared, once again, to be a full house. The agenda included the following items: Update on the degree standards / grade … Continue reading →

Pared down and diminished: the new UK Quality Code

The revised UK Quality Code for Higher Education is taking shape, with the Code’s Expectations and practices now published (link opens in a new window) following a period of consultation, and the overall impression is of a diminished role for this framework. Losing its voice The new Code has been developed by the Quality Assurance … Continue reading →

The herald of a golden age

Today (Wednesday 28th February, 2018), the incoming regulator for the sector, the Office for Students (OfS), published the regulatory framework under which the higher education sector in England will operate from 1st April onwards. In the Foreword to the document, Sir Michael Barber claims that the reforms will create the conditions under which an excellent education may … Continue reading →

Degree apprenticeships: put a new badge on it?

The UK Government’s aim to have 3 million people starting apprenticeships by 2020 has led to the availability of new streams of funding and a consequent focus on this area in the higher education sector. With no course fees charged to apprentices, who earn whilst studying towards a qualification, there are obvious attractions; however, the … Continue reading →

From a Desmond to a Douglas: understanding degree algorithms

A report on degree algorithms and how they are designed across the sector has been published by Universities UK (link). The report is based on a sector-wide survey and covers the myriad of approaches used by universities, taking-in the wide range of regulations that contribute to the degree algorithm calculation. I reported on the project’s … Continue reading →

Finding a new chapter and verse

On 11th October 2017 a consultation on the future of the UK Quality Code was published by the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment (UKSCQA) – a new committee made-up of the UK funding bodies, UUK and GuildHE with a remit to review the baseline regulatory requirements – with a deadline for responses of 13th … Continue reading →