Teaching Learning and Quality Committee
10.03.14
Enclosure M
PLYMOUTH UNIVERSITY
TEACHING LEARNING AND QUALITY COMMITTEE
Teaching & Learning Roles and Responsibilities at Plymouth University: a quick guide for students and new staff
This is a very brief guide to the people that support Teaching & Learning (T&L) at Plymouth University. It should help students, new staff and
visitors understand how this area of the university works. It is expected to be a useful resource for induction events, Quality Assurance Agency
(QAA) documentation, accreditation applications and visits, periodic review processes. It may be circulated through staff and student
handbooks.
The business of teaching and learning is managed through a series of Committees, all of which have student representation. The main ones
are:




University Teaching, Learning and Quality Committee
Faculty Teaching, Learning and Quality Committee
School Teaching, Learning and Quality Committee
Module and Programme Staff Student Liaison Committees
In addition there are committees that consider regulations, partnerships with other institutions and School staff meetings. Developments in
teaching and learning are usually developed through Task and Finish groups (T&F) or limited life working parties which are established to deal
with a specific issue in a given time frame. Students are usually members of these groups.
Please note that this document does not address all university roles, because it focuses on teaching and learning, aiming to direct individuals to
the person with specific responsibilities for teaching and learning. Three very important University roles are Deans – who head up each faculty,
Heads of School (HoS) who have overall leadership for all matters affecting their School, and the Dean of Students who has oversight of the
non-academic opportunities and support for Plymouth students through for example the Learning Support and Wellbeing, Careers and
Employability, Widening Participation and Faith Services teams.
While this document aims to capture the main T&L roles, some Schools have different approaches as suits their needs. Not all roles exist in
every School.
Pauline Kneale, PVC T&L
January 2014
(This paper replaces the version approved in 2012)
Page 1 of 7
Teaching Learning and Quality Committee
10.03.14
Enclosure M
Title
Core Responsibilities
Exemplar Activities and Working Processes (these are indicative rather
than definitive)
1 Pro ViceChancellor
Teaching and
Learning
Is responsible for all aspects of the
quality assurance, enhancement and
strategic development of the processes
which support and assure the student
experience of teaching and learning at
Plymouth University.
Works with ADTLs, DHoST&L and all university colleagues involved with
teaching and learning processes, quality and standards matters, and with
student representatives. Has oversight of engagement with internal and
external reviews that bear on taught and research programmes. Drives the
enhancement of learning, teaching and student experience for all members of
the university.
Chairs University
Teaching and
Learning
Committee
Works with colleagues regionally and
nationally to ensure that strategy and
developments align with policy
developments and best practice for
delivery.
Ensures that the university is best represented on national and international
forums to enhance external awareness of practice at Plymouth, and enhances
processes and practices across the university.
2 Associate Dean
Teaching and
Learning
The ADTL has Faculty responsibility
for the strategic leadership and
direction of teaching and learning
development, resourcing and
enhancement, for the implementation
of university policy in the Schools,
and for ensuring that quality
assurance is carried out to a high
professional level in all Schools.
The ADTL supports School, Faculty and university colleagues to implement
enhancement and assurance procedures; Chairs Faculty T&L and other
Faculty committees which will receive and work on policy matters, the
arrangements for quality assurance and student experience for all taught
programmes; represents the Faculty on university committees, and maintains
communications about committee matters with the Faculty; ensures students
are represented on all School and Faculty committees and assures students
are trained and inducted into their roles.
The DHoST&L working with the
school senior leadership team,
reporting to the Head of School, is
responsible for all aspects of
teaching and learning within the
School, working with programme
managers and School and Faculty
administrators.
Activities include oversight of programme and module action plans, coordinating the School action plans, ensuring documentation and online
publicity is student friendly and accurate.
(PVCT&L)
(ADTL)
Chairs Faculty
Teaching and
Learning
Committee
3 Deputy /
Associate Heads
of School
Teaching and
Learning
(DHoST&L)
Chairs School
Provides strategic leadership in enhancing learning and the broader
student experience to raise academic standards and student attainment
within the School through ensuring: research and scholarship informs all
aspects of teaching and learning; university policies and procedures are
implemented in a timely manner; modules and programmes are
Page 2 of 7
Teaching Learning and Quality Committee
10.03.14
Enclosure M
Teaching and
Learning
Committee
4 Programme
Leader
Chairs Programme
Committee and
Staff Student
Liaison Committee
appropriately resourced with trained leaders; programme committees
work effectively; policy and School wide matters (e.g. admissions, marking
criteria, external examiners comments, induction, tutoring,
internationalisation, ….) are discussed at School Teaching and Learning
committees and outcomes disseminated effectively to programme leaders.
Is responsible for the vision and
delivery of a high-quality student
learning experience through coordination, academic leadership,
operational and day to day
management of the programme(s) of
study.
Liaises with internal and external
bodies, eg. staff/student committees,
employers, programme teams and
partner institutions, ALPs, admissions
and student support services,
including Learning Support and
Wellbeing, Sustainability, Careers
and Employability, and the Library.
Supports the Head of School at assessment and award boards. Checks that
external examiners are nominated in a timely way and are fully briefed, and
that they receive a formal written response to their reports.
Works with ADTLs, Heads of School and Associate Heads of School
Teaching and Learning, module leaders and Faculty support professionals to
ensure quality standards, for example, delivery of the Annual Programme
Action Planning process, taking account of pass rates, external examiners’
comments, module reviews, SPQ, NSS, PTES, PRES, KIS.
Delivers and ensures a high quality student programme and experience
through monitoring programme handbooks, websites, course documentation,
online resources, pastoral support, placements, work-based internships,
induction and open days. Ensures review meetings are of the highest
possible standard.
Contributes to the development of individuals and teams (for example through
input to PDR processes, Peer Review processes, Programme Team
Meetings).
Resolves problems affecting the quality of course delivery and student
experience within own areas of responsibility referring more serious matters to
ADTLs/AHTLs /DHTLs as appropriate.
5 Module Leader
Responsible for all aspects of leading
and delivering the design, teaching,
assessment, quality, updating and
enhancement of the module and the
student experience of that module.
Activities include co-ordinating and leading all aspects of teaching, the
assessment schedules, module handbooks, alignment with university and
benchmark learning outcomes, examination processes, module review and
action planning, liaising with the programme managers to respond to external
examiners as appropriate, taking account of NSS and SPQ comments.
Page 3 of 7
Teaching Learning and Quality Committee
10.03.14
Enclosure M
6 Senior Personal
Tutor
Contributes to programme and
School level discussions to ensure
groups, including the student
representatives. alignment between
modules and programmes, and with
external and internal bodies.
Facilitating positive discussions with students, with respect to student
feedback.
Advises and supports personal tutors
in carrying out their role, responding
to their queries and concerns,
cascades and signposts further
sources of support and advice as
appropriate.
Ensures all Personal Tutors are aware of the development opportunities
available to students at Plymouth, eg Plymouth Award, co-curricular modules,
volunteering, as well as the importance which we and employers attach to the
broader HE experience.
Briefs and supports first-time Personal
Tutors
Reports on the Personal Tutorial System to Student-Staff Liaison Committee,
through systematically gathering feedback from student course
representatives and staff on the efficacy of the personal tutoring system and
highlighting issues for programme committees to consider.
Fosters awareness of and liaison with central support service providers such
as Counselling, Learning Development Disability Assist, etc and particularly
ensuring that all tutors know which member of support services staff has
dedicated responsibility for their School.
Supports students who are suspending, withdrawing or transferring.
Facilitates processes involving personal tutors, such as when students are reallocated to another personal tutor.
7 Timetabling Coordinator
Responsible for the delivery of the
Timetable on behalf of a School or
suite of programmes.
Liaison with School colleagues and central Timetable team.
Page 4 of 7
Teaching Learning and Quality Committee
10.03.14
Enclosure M
8 Student
Representatives
for Faculty and
University
business
Represents views of students in
Schools at Faculty and university
meetings. Contributes to strategic
discussions, policy development and
enhancement of the Plymouth
University experience.
Liaison with Student reps for modules and programmes, in UPSU and in
cross faculty forums to seeks student views and opinions on the
experience and quality of their learning.
Feeds back ideas, responses and issues raised in Committees and
informally to students
Supports student(s) in raising issues, ideas or complaints.
9 Student
Representatives
for Programmes
and Schools
Student representatives are elected
to represent the views of students for
modules, programmes and the
student experience.
Actively seeks students’ views and opinions on the experience of the
quality of their learning and liaise with module and programme leaders
formally through staff student liaison committees and informally.
Feeds back ideas, responses and issues raised to students
Support students in raising individual issues, ideas and complaints.
10 Faculty
Business Manager
Responsibility for management of Faculty Supports the Faculty strategic planning process via Faculty Executive /
professional services (functions and
Management Group.
staffing), including teaching quality
Facilitates communications between academic and professional services
processes
within the Faculty (and where necessary external to the Faculty) so as to
ensure that university processes are carried out efficiently and effectively.
11 Faculty
Registrar
Responsible for all aspects of
management and leadership of the
academic administrative functions with
the Faculty, and for contributing to policy
formulation at both Faculty and
institutional level.
Develops and implements, with the
ADTL, the Faculty quality assurance and
programme review and approval
Has responsibility for a range of processes including registration; student
records maintenance; administrative processes related to assessment,
progression and award.
Co-ordination of disciplinary, complaints, appeals, and extenuating
circumstances; graduation and external examiners. Liaises closely with
ADTLs, FBMs, the Appeals Office and Quality Office.
Representation on all University Process Groups, Academic Regulations SubCommittee and University level policy, project and implementation groups.
Page 5 of 7
Teaching Learning and Quality Committee
10.03.14
Enclosure M
process.
Contributes to the Faculty strategic
planning and decision-making processes
with a particular focus on programme
and quality developments.
(Some operational responsibility may be delegated to a Deputy FR where
appropriate).
12 Senior
Administrator
(Programmes) at
Faculty level
Provides operational support at Faculty
level for module and programme records,
student records, assessment, disability
assist information; co-ordination,
oversight for groups of programmes.
Works with FRs, ADTLs, DHOS T&L and programme managers to support
programme delivery and student support at a Faculty level. Responsible for
operational aspects of extenuating circumstances, assessment offences and
student induction.
13 Senior
Administrator
(Quality)
Operational responsibility for
administration of quality processes within
the Faculty.
Works with ADTLs, Programme Managers, FBMs and Faculty Registrar as
appropriate to provide advice and guidance on University quality procedures,
co-ordination of review and approval events, curriculum maintenance,
operational support for new programme development, and for external
requirements (eg, QAA, professional body accreditation, external examiners).
14 Programme
Administrator in a
Faculty/School
Operational responsibility for studentrelated administrative processes for the
programme(s), including registration,
student records maintenance and
provides the first point of contact for
students in the School.
Works well with students and programme managers and module leaders on
all aspects of programme delivery.
15 Subject Forum
Chair
Provides the first point of contact
between university and colleges for their
disciplines, ensuring that university
standards for quality assurance and
enhancement are aligned.
Works to ensure parity of standards across programmes in a subject cluster,
across a number of partner institutions. Co-ordinates annual programme
monitoring and facilitates the sharing of good practice between programmes
and institutions.
16 Academic
Liaison Person
Provides a key link between Colleges
and cognate university faculties in the
development, updating and operation of
university awards delivered by partner
institutions.
Attends programme committees at Partner Colleges, responds to questions
from partners about PU processes, and communicates developments and
enhancements in university processes and procedures.
(ALP)
(In some Faculties this role is combined with the Senior Administrator
(Programmes) role).
ALPs provide the support at programme level, working with programme leads;
Page 6 of 7
Teaching Learning and Quality Committee
10.03.14
Enclosure M
for example in the area of progression to awards delivered at the university.
17 Head of
Quality Operations
Quality Assurance
Advisers
The Quality Office contributes to
strategic development of institutional
policy relating to quality and
standards (including translation of
QAA requirements into institutional
practice); development of institutional
procedures related to review and
approval and external examining;
communication and provision of
advice to wider university community
and partners on these matters.
Provides co-ordination of arrangements for periodic review, institutional
review of partners and approval of provision with external partners at
university level, and the arrangements for QAA Institutional Review. Coordinates responses to QAA consultation (and those of other external
bodies, as appropriate). Has operational responsibility for the
arrangements for approval of partnership programmes.
Co-ordinates arrangements for NSS, SPQ and PTES and reporting of
outcomes. Manages the formal appointment of external examiners and
provides institutional oversight of their reports.
Page 7 of 7