Nottingham Trent University
Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
VALIDATION SERVICE BUSINESS PLANNING PROCESS
TYPE OF PROPOSAL:
NEW COURSE AT AN EXISTING VALIDATED CENTRE
NEW COURSE AT A NEW VALIDATED CENTRE
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form is initiated by the Collaborative Partnerships Office (CPO).
! This
If this proposal is for a course at a new validated centre it will be considered in
conjunction with a separate form for the centre proposal.
CPO will send the form to the proposed partner for the completion of Section A and will
be the point of contact until the process is complete.
Contact: Julie Page, CPO, julie.page@ntu.ac.uk or telephone + 44 (0)115 848 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).
! Please complete a separate form for each course proposal.
OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE
A.
About the proposal – to be completed by the Centre
A1
Name of Centre
A2
Address
A3
Designation of Centre
A4
☐ Private College
☐ Public University
☐ Further Education College
☐ Other (please state) _____________________________
Name and email address of Centre contact (for this purpose)
A5
Course title
A6
Multiple sites
If it is proposed that a course be delivered at multiple sites please indicate the
location(s) here:
A7
Final Award
A8
Mode(s) of Study (select all that apply)
A9
☐ Full-Time
☐ Part-time (evening)
☐ Part-time (day)
Duration of study
A10
☐ Part-time (day and evening)
☐ Part-time (weekend)
☐ Other (please state)
Does the proposal involve a Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body
(PSRB) or any other form of accreditation? Please provide details:
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A11
Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
Further Education Colleges only:
If a Foundation degree, what is the proposed progression route?
Name of NTU course identified:
Please confirm that initial discussions with all relevant parties have taken place
and name the contacts at the NTU School:
Yes/No delete as appropriate
If no, please indicate here if you wish CPO to provide you with a contact in the
School.
A12
Further Education Colleges only:
Is there any local competition or are similar courses offered at NTU?
A13
Overseas institutions only:
Language of instruction
A14
Overseas institutions only:
Are British degrees recognised by your Country/Government?
A15
Overseas institutions only:
Will your students require any form of additional documentation (other
than the final award parchment) to be provided by the University to aid
recognition of their award?
A16
Student numbers
forecast for next 3 years
New starters 201_ /201_
New starters 201_/201_
New starters 201_/201_
A17
Proposed start date
A18
Will this course have multiple start dates in each year, if yes please give
details?
A19
Number of Exam Boards per year and month(s) of Exam Board?
A20
Please outline how you have researched the market and identified a need
for this course
A21
By what date are you anticipating marketing this course? Please note NTU’s
approval is required to advertise the course subject to validation and permission
to do this is part of the business evaluation.
A22
Brief description of your proposal
A23
Additional comments (if needed)
A24
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:________________________________________
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Nottingham Trent University
Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
Centre action: having completed the section above, please forward this form to Julie
Page, Collaborative Partnerships Senior Officer (Validation Service), 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 staffing implications for CPO administration?
If the answer is yes then see CPO Manager action below
B3
Notification to relevant stakeholders (tick when notified): This will be done
after the initial discussion stage and prior to the form being sent to the potential
Centre
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CADQ
Dean and Associate Dean
College Finance and Planning Manager
Legal Services
B4
Will the centre potentially use the e-library (business and management
journals) or walk in library access (FECs and other local Centres)?
B5
If this is an existing partner please include the dates of the current
Institutional Agreement and Financial Schedule
B6
If this is an existing partner please include details of the current
validated courses, locations and approval period
Course
B7
Delivery site
Period of Approval
The School will need to identify a verifier. If this is an existing partner,
there may be a possibility that an existing verifier can cover the
additional work.
Can an existing verifier be considered?
Yes/No
If yes, please list here the current verifiers and the courses they cover:
Verifier
B8
Course(s) currently verifying
How many days will the verifier potentially be away from the University
during the visit. Or in the case of additional duties, how many additional
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Nottingham Trent University
Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
days
B9
If this is an existing partner, is the Centre compliant with post validation
operational requirements for the existing NTU validated courses
B10
Additional comments (if needed) – if this is an existing partner please include
any relevant background information about this centre that is pertinent in the
consideration of this proposal
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
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
Name of verifier identified for the course, thus confirming that the School
can resource this proposal (see B7 for relevant additional information)
C3
Will the verifier be available to visit at Exam Board time? (see A19 for
relevant information)
C4
Will cover be necessary when the verifier is out of the University?
C5
Does the proposal fit with the strategy of the School?
C6
Further Education College proposals only. Has an appropriate progression
route to NTU been identified and agreed between both parties? (see A11 for
additional information)
Name of course/agreed progression route:
If not, can the School confirm if they require a contact name at the Centre to
discuss this.
C7
Can the School confirm that, if required, the Centre will be allowed to
advertise the proposal ‘subject to validation’ prior to academic approval
C8
Additional comments (if needed)
D.
Outline Financial appraisal - to be completed by the College Finance and
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Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
Planning Manager
D1
For existing partners:
(i) What are the implications on the current Financial Schedule for this
additional business? (for FECs please see D2)
(ii) What is the current size of business and payment history?
D2
Further Education College proposals only. FEC are subject to a standard
Financial Schedule and the fees are set and reviewed annually by CPO.
CPO will attach a copy of the current Financial Schedule with this proposal.
Financial Schedule attached by CPO
☐ Yes
For new FECs a copy of the standard charges are attached ☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ No
Questions D4 and D5 do not apply to FECs
D3
Is the prospective income sufficient to cover resource costs?
D4
Are there any local tax, legal requirements or permissions to be taken into
account or known at this stage?
D5
Is there an intention to charge a set up or consultancy fee?
Yes/No (please 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.
D6
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
1
School Executive appraisal
E1
Purpose: Based on the outline business evaluation, should this proposal be
considered 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 the NTU Collaborative Strategy, and for
overseas proposals, the College Internationalisation Plan and NTU
Internationalisation Strategy?
Is the supporting evidence complete and convincing?
Has the Centre evidenced a market?
Can the School resource this development, i.e. provide a verifier?
Can this additional 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)?
CBE-A3 (Sept 14)
Nottingham Trent University
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Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
Will 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 Meeting 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 traveling staff
at this time? (It is recognised that this could change).
How does the School prioritise this proposal, relative to other
developments?
Does the timescale for development look feasible?
E2
Comments
E3
Decision (please select one)
E4
☐ Reject
☐ Approve outline proposal to go forward to College Management Team
☐ 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: if rework is required please give details of
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
CPO
CPOcollaborativesignoff@ntu.ac.uk
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.
Streamlined sign-off: If the proposal is approved to move directly to full business
case, please advise the College Finance and Planning Manager to move to 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.
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Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
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 to proceed 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 (if appropriate):
Stakeholder
Information they need
How to advise
Head of College
Record of decision
Minutes
Dean
Record of decision
Minutes
Action needed
College Finance and Planning
Manager
Record of decision
Instruction to commence
the full business case
Minutes
CPO
Record of decision
Minutes please email
Original signed form
CPOcollaborativesignoff@ntu.ac.uk
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