Nottingham Trent University
Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
VALIDATION SERVICE BUSINESS PLANNING PROCESS
TYPE OF PROPOSAL:
ADDITIONAL COHORT(S) TO APPROVED COURSES AT
AN EXISTING VALIDATED CENTRE
!
This form is initiated by the Collaborative Partnerships Office (CPO).
This form is for consideration of the financial impact of a proposal to increase the
number of cohorts at an existing validated centre on a course(s) already in approval.
If the proposal is for a number of courses they may all be listed on this one form but
CPO need to bear in mind that the proposal may be across multi-School/College and
need to ensure all stakeholders are informed.
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 where the
course(s) is delivered
A3
Name and email address of Centre contact (for this purpose)
A4
Name of course(s) proposed to have multiple intakes in one academic
year
Course(s):
A5
Academic cycle date (start and end dates)
Current dates
Proposed additional cohort
A6
Progression and Exam Board dates:
Current month of Board
A7
Proposed additional month of Board
If the course is delivered at multiple sites please indicate if the additional
Progression and Exam Boards will be held at all sites, or centrally at one
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location
A8
What is the forecast for student numbers, for each additional cohort:
Name of course
New starters on
additional cohort
201_/201_
New starters on
additional cohort
201_/201_
New starters on
additional cohort
201_/201_
A9
Do you have appropriate academic and support staff in place to teach an
additional cohort?
A10
Do you have sufficient physical resources to support an additional cohort?
(a verifier may be required to complete a delivery site checklist)
A11
What market research have you undertaken (for each course) to warrant
an additional cohort?
A12
Additional comments (if needed)
A13
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
Course
Verifier
Current month
of visit
Proposed
additional visit
B4
Is it necessary for a site visit to take place to check that recourses are
sufficient to accommodate an additional cohort and to complete a
Delivery Site Checklist? (CPO to liaise with CADQ in this respect)
B5
If B4 is necessary could this be undertaken by the verifier during a
routine or on a separate accession?
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B6
What are the travel implications? How many additional days per year will
the verifier be away from the University?
B7
Is a second visit feasible and achievable for the current verifier? Is the
time of year of the additional visit doable?
B8
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 (for VSSC purposes if a delivery site checklist is required)
☐ Dean and Associate Dean
☐ Current Verifier(s)
☐ College Finance and Planning Manager(s). If the proposal involves multiple
courses please ensure all relevant College Finance and Planning Managers are
notified.
B9
B10
Will the additional students 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 (it is recommended that one verifier covers each
course)
C3
Can the School support the verifier making more than one visit to the
Centre per year and allow time for the additional report writing and other
admin associated tasks?
C4
Will cover be necessary when the verifier is out of the University?
C5
If a site visit is required (at a different time to the routine verifier visit) to
complete a Delivery Site Checklist, can the School support this?
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C6
Does the School agree with the rational for this expansion?
C7
Does the School support this proposal in principle?
C8
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
If a separate visit to complete a Delivery Site Checklist is required (see B4
and B5), is this cost covered in the current Financial Schedule or will the
Centre pay for this? (Please give details for invoicing purposes if necessary)
D5
What is the current size of business and payment history?
D6
Is the prospective additional income sufficient to cover the additional
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
1
School Executive appraisal
E1
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
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Collaborative Business Evaluation - VS
Strategy?
Is the supporting evidence complete and convincing?
Is there evidence of a market and demand for multi-cohorts?
Can the School resource this development?
Can this additional work be covered by the existing verifier?
Can the verifier be available to visit twice a year at the time of the Exam
Boards (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
☐
Approve to go forward using the streamlined business sign-off process
E4
(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
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.
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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
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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