Nottingham Trent University
Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
VALIDATION SERVICE BUSINESS PLANNING PROCESS
TYPE OF PROPOSAL:
ADDITIONAL DELIVERY SITE AT AN EXISTING VALIDATED CENTRE
!
This form is initiated by the Collaborative Partnerships Office (CPO).
This form is for consideration of a new delivery site of an existing validated centre and
for the delivery of existing NTU validated courses. The proposal may be for a multiple
courses to be delivered at the proposed new site. All courses may be listed on this one
form but CPO need to bear in mind the proposal may be across multi-School/College and
need to ensure all stakeholders are informed.
If more than one additional site is proposed a separate form for each is required.
CPO will send the form to the partner for the completion of Section A and will be the
point of contact until the business evaluation process is complete.
Contact: Julie Page, CPO, julie.page@ntu.ac.uk or telephone + 44 (0)115 v848 8181 (if
dialling internally extension 88181)
or Chris Cox, Manager, CPO, christopher.j.cox@ntu.ac.uk or telephone + 44 (0)115 848
8196 (if dialling internally extension 88196).
OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE
A.
About the proposal – to be completed by the Centre
A1
Name of Centre
A2
Address and location(s) of existing NTU approved sites
A3
Name and email address of Centre contact (for this purpose)
A4
Address and location of proposed additional site (if more than one site is
being proposed please use a separate form for each)
A5
Name of course(s) proposed to be delivered at the additional site (if this is
a new course then please complete a Business Evaluation Form for a new course
proposal)
Has the site been acquired? Please give details:
A6
A7
Are any internal alterations required to prepare the building fit for
purpose. Please give details:
A8
Please give details here of any specialist equipment to be installed (for
each course)
Name of course
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A9
Please comment on existing or planned library provision, computing and
other resource based learning
A10
What is the forecast for student numbers, for each course:
Name of course
New starters
201_/201_
New starters
201_/201_
New starters
201_/201_
A11
Proposed start date
A12
Are you planning to have multiple intakes, if yes please give details (i.e.
month of each intake)
A13
Do you have appropriate academic and support staff in place to teach the
existing course(s) at the new site
A14
What’s the rationale for this proposal?
A15
What market research have you undertaken (for each course) to warrant
a new location?
A16
Additional comments (if needed)
A17
Please enter your name here as confirmation that this proposal has
received authorisation via an appropriate committee at Centre level:
Signed___________________________ Date:___________________
Name of Committee:________________________________________
Centre action: having completed the section above, please forward this form to the
Collaborative Partnerships Office (CPO) at CPOcollaborativesignoff@ntu.ac.uk
B.
About the proposal – to be completed by the Collaborative Partnerships
Office (CPO)
B1
Name and email address of contact at CPO (for this purpose)
B2
Does the proposal have implications for CPO administration?
If the answer is yes then see CPO Manager action below
B3
Name of current verifier for each course to be delivered at the new
proposed site. Please include all sites currently visited by the verifier
Course
Current sites of delivery
Current verifier
B4
Will additional verifiers be required?
B5
What are the travel implications? How many additional days will the
verifier be away from the University?
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Nottingham Trent University
B6
B7
B8
Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
Notification to relevant stakeholders (tick when emailed): This will be done
after the initial discussion stage and prior to the form being sent to the potential
Centre
☐ CADQ to confirm type of event/approval required. Please indicate here as
there will be cost implications. Verifier visit/Panel visit (delete as appropriate)
☐ Dean and Associate Dean
☐ College Finance and Planning Manager(s). If the proposal involves multiple
courses please ensure all relevant College Finance and Planning Managers are
notified.
☐ Legal Services
Will the new site potentially use the e-library (business and management
journals) or walk in library access (FEC and other local Centres)?
Additional comments (if needed)
CPO action: having completed the section above, please email this form to the
contact at the link School (Dean and Associate Dean) and with a copy to the College
Finance and Planning Manager. If the proposal includes courses from more than one
School please ensure that the form is sent to all Schools concerned.
CPO Manager Action: if the answer to B2 is yes then notify the PVCA
C.
Consideration of the proposal – to be completed by the School
C1
Name of the lead contact person in the School (for this purpose)
C2
Can the School resource this development? Can the current verifier(s)
cover the additional duties or will an additional verifier(s) required? (see
B3 for information)
If additional verifiers are required please provide names of potential candidates:
C3
If the current verifier is able to cover this can the School confirm they
have taken into consideration the additional administrative duties the
verifier be required to undertake? i.e. an additional report to write,
reading of CSQR etc.
C4
Can the School support the additional time out of the University by the
verifier?
C5
Will cover be necessary when the verifier is out of the University?
C6
Does the proposal fit with the strategy of the School?
C7
Does the School agree with the rational for this expansion?
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Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
C8
Can the School confirm that, if required, the Centre will be allowed to
advertise the proposal ‘subject to validation’ prior to formal approval
C9
Does the School support this proposal in principle?
C10
Additional comments (if needed)
D.
Outline Financial appraisal - to be completed by the College Finance and
Planning Manager
D1
What are the implications on the current Financial Schedule for this
additional business?
D2
If this proposal involves another NTU College please ensure you liaise with
the relevant College Finance and Planning Manager.
☐ Yes
☐ Not applicable
D3
Have any additional costs been negotiated and agreed?
Yes/No (delete as appropriate)
If not, please give details of the current state of play:
D4
Is there an intention to charge a set up or consultancy fee?
Yes/No (delete as appropriate)
If yes, will this be negotiated with the Centre, please give details. CPO will require
details in order to invoice the centre following academic approval.
D5
What is the current size of business and payment history?
D6
Is the prospective income sufficient to cover resource costs?
D7
Are there any local tax, legal requirements or permissions to be taken into
account or known at this stage?
D8
Additional comments – are there any other considerations to take into account
before moving to the full business case
School/College action: having completed sections C and D above, please forward this
form to the Administrator to the Dean for the School Executive Agenda
Gate
School Executive appraisal
1
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E1
Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
Purpose: Based on the outline business evaluation, should this proposal be
approved for development?
Prompts for consideration:
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Does the proposal fit with the School’s collaborative strategic plan?
Does the proposal fit with NTU’s Collaborative Strategy, and for overseas
proposals, the College Internationalisation Plan and NTU Internationalisation
Strategy?
Is the supporting evidence complete and convincing?
Is there evidence of a market?
Can the School resource this development? i.e. provide a verifier?
Can this work be covered by an existing verifier or is a new one required?
Can the verifier be available to visit at the time of the Exam Board (is it a
busy time at NTU)?
Will teaching cover be required while the verifier is visiting the Centre for
the required period of time?
Can the School confirm that the verifier can commit time to other related
verifying duties, in addition to the visit. For example report writing, reading
CSQRs, commenting on EE nominations, attending VSSC when necessary,
attending the Verifier Annual Meetings and the biennial Collaborative
Partners Conference.
For overseas proposals, can the School confirm the host Country is
considered financially stable, ethically sound and safe for staff travelling, at
this time? (It is recognised that conditions can change).
How does the School prioritise this proposal, relative to other developments?
Does the timescale for development look feasible?
E2
Comment
E3
Decision (please select one)
☐ Reject
☐ Approve proposal to go forward to College Management Team
E4
☐ Approve to go forward using the streamlined business sign-off process
(proceed to full business case immediately for submission to College
Management Team)
☐ No decision possible: rework is required. Please give details of the
missing information
Date of meeting
E5
Signed (Chair)
Administrator action: Please ensure the above box is completed and signed and that
the decision is recorded in the minutes. Please provide the Dean with a copy of the
form and advise stakeholders of the decision.
Stakeholder
Information they need
How to advise
Dean
Record of decision
Minutes
Action needed
Original signed form
Record of decision
Minutes - please email
CPOcollaborativesignoff@ntu.ac.uk
CPO
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Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
Dean action: If the proposal is approved, please forward the business case to CMT and
request an agenda item for you to present the proposal. If this proposal is cross-School
(but in the same College) please liaise with the other Dean(s) to align all proposals to be
submitted to the same CMT for consideration.
Streamlined sign-off: If the proposal is approved to move directly to full business
case, please advise the College Finance and Planning Manager to prepare a full business
evaluation.
Gate
2
College Management Team appraisal
F1
Purpose: To determine whether this proposal:
 Is attractive to the College;
 If there are any conflicts of interest;
 If this proposal can be progressed to a full business case with a view to
being made operational.
Assumption: That the School has appropriately assessed the outline case.
Prompts for consideration:
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Does the proposal fit with College and University objectives?
Are there any cross College/University implications, positive or negative?
Can the College support the development timescales?
Are College resources needed in order to progress? Can these be supported?
Does this proposal warrant priority, in relation to other course proposals?
Are there other University partners in the same locale/country? Will this
proposal present a conflict of interest with the provision delivered there?
Does CMT support this proposal in principle?
F2
Comments
F3
Decision (please select one)
☐ Reject
☐ Approve proposal to go forward to full business case
F4
Date of meeting
F5
Signed (Chair)
Administrator action: Please record outcome on this form and advise stakeholders of
decision and instruction to commence full business case
Stakeholder
Information they need
How to advise
Head of College
Record of decision
Minutes
Dean
Record of decision
Minutes
Action needed
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Nottingham Trent University
Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
College Finance and
Planning Manager
Record of decision
Minutes
Action needed
Original signed form
CPO
Record of decision
Minutes - please email
CPOcollaborativesignoff@ntu.ac.uk
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