Ref:
27 July 2016
«Title» «Forename» «Surname»
«Address_for_correspondence»
Dear «Title» «Surname»
On behalf of the <<school>> Validation Team, thank you for agreeing to take part as
an external adviser.
The School is proposing to validate the following courses for delivery from semester
1, 2010 and welcomes your input as an external subject adviser during the process:
List provision to be validated
An overview of the role of the external adviser/validation process and the Learning
Works project is enclosed. Please read this carefully and if you feel you would
be unable to contribute in the way described, please contact me as soon as
possible.
Further detailed information in relation to the process, including access to University
systems, will be made available to you in the near future. I would be grateful if you
could contact me at email to confirm:
 that you accept the duties and terms of appointment as set out in
this letter;
 your preferred email address;
 your preferred postal address for correspondence (if different from
that above).
Your principal role as external adviser is to assure the University that the academic
standards as set in the proposed course(s) are equivalent to those adopted across
the UK Higher Education sector for similar awards.
The University pays a standard fee of £50/£1001 for your contribution throughout the
validation process and a further £50/£1001 for attending a minimum of one meeting at
the University and/or partner institution. If you attend any meetings you will also be
reimbursed for rail travel or 40 pence per mile by car. If you require accommodation
(should you need to stay overnight) or directions to the University (a map can be
provided prior to your visit), please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please also find enclosed an expenses claim form which should be submitted when
the process has been completed and the documentation approved. Please note that
as an external adviser your terms, conditions and duties fall under the Inland
Revenue category of 'employee' status and not that of 'self employed'. Payment can
only be made to you personally via the University payroll into your bank / building
society account and will be subject to tax and National Insurance deductions.
1
£50 for a cluster of up to 3 courses and £100 for 4 or more courses.
I look forward to working with you and would like to thank you on behalf of the
members of the Validation Team.
Yours sincerely
Officer Name
Officer for the Validation Team
Direct Line: 01902 32XXXX
Enc
cc:
Validation Team Leader
XXX (Associate Dean)
Developmental Team Leader
Admin (ASQ) / Payrolls
**NB Please remove status box below before sending contract letter.**
VERSION
APPROVED DATE
REVIEW DATE
4
November 2010
August 2011
OWNER
APPROVED BY
ASQ
ASQ
Overview of the Validation Process for External Advisers 2009/10
Background Information
The University of Wolverhampton is engaged in a curriculum development project
called "Learning Works: Refocusing the Undergraduate Curriculum". This project
aims to:




improve student recruitment, retention and progression
enhance the market attractiveness of our course portfolio
improve student employability and entrepreneurship
create space for academics to broaden their portfolio by engaging in
research, developing knowledge transfer partnerships and providing continual
professional development
Further information about the project can be accessed on the University's website at
www.wlv.ac.uk/refocus.
As part of the project the University is also moving from a 15 to a 20 modular credit
framework. In order to accommodate the validation of courses during the introduction
of the 20 credit framework, a new process has been agreed.
The new method features the integration of quality assurance throughout the process
of curriculum development using a more discursive, consultancy based approach.
This will involve academic staff working alongside key support staff and you, the
external adviser, during the time that the validation documentation is being produced.
Unless a professional body stipulates otherwise, it is not expected that there will be
an end point validation meeting. Instead, it is expected that at least one face to face
meeting will take place, attended by the external advisers and as many members of
the developmental team as possible; this can take place at any stage in the
developmental process, not necessarily at the end.
Personnel Involved in the Process
This approach to curriculum development and course validation approval is
characterised by the fact that everyone contributes to the development process,
including those appointed as validation personnel and external advisers. Those
involved with validation/approval responsibilities will consist of:
 The Validation Lead (A member of staff from an unrelated subject area)
 The External Adviser
 The Quality and Academic Standards Division (QASD) Officer
These three people will be responsible for signing off documentation and evidence at
the end of the process.
Other than these personnel, the Curriculum Development team will consist of subject
staff from the School who will be responsible for module and course design as well
as representatives of all relevant key services involved in the student learning
experience, for example, Institute for Learning Enhancement, Learning and
Information Services, Registry, IT Services.
Role of the External Adviser
The role of the external adviser will be to confirm that standards have been set at the
appropriate levels and the course structure, content and available resources are such
that these standards can be met. This will be done through your involvement
throughout the developmental process. If, at any stage in the process, you have
concerns that you may not be able to confirm academic standards, you should make
this clear to the Officer as early as possible so that the developmental team can
consult with QASD managers and decide whether or not to continue with the
validation. If the decision is taken to proceed, you will play a key role in formulating
the remedial action deemed necessary.
Validation Process
Documentation relating to the proposed activity e.g. Course Specification, Module
Specifications, Process Record, will be made available electronically to all involved.
A username and password will be issued to you. If you anticipate having any
particular difficulties in accessing or participating in this forum for disability-related
reasons, please contact the QASD Officer.
At the start of the process representatives of the developmental team will hold an
initial planning meeting during which they will start to develop a Process Record
which will be updated throughout the process and will contain information on:






The scope of the validation
Information on collaborative partners and / or professional bodies
Membership of the developmental team (including external adviser, the DT
Leader and Validation Lead)
Documentation to be produced
The proposed time-line
Milestone dates, deadlines and proposed meeting dates
Members of the Developmental Team, including the External Adviser will have
access to the Process Record as it is updated throughout the validation process.
You will be given access to the validation documentation on line, and you will be
expected to comment and feedback on line. The QASD Officer will advise of the
method for providing this feedback. A template will be provided to help team
members to ensure that the final documentation conforms to the relevant regulatory,
university and external requirements.
Towards the end of the process, documentation will be revised in line with the
feedback received until it is ready to be signed off. As external adviser you will be
asked to complete a brief report to confirm standards have been set at the
appropriate levels and the course structure, content and available resources are such
that these standards can be met. The Validation Lead and QASD Officer will ensure
the Process Record is complete and the process will be signed off. In order to take
an overview of the process and standards across the University, the University
Quality Enhancement Committee will receive all Process Records and Course
Specifications for ratification.
Once approved the confirmed Process Record will be published on the QASD
website and all interested parties advised that the process is complete.
VERSION
APPROVED DATE
REVIEW DATE
3
05/10/09
31/07/10
OWNER
APPROVED BY
QASD
QASD
Communication Statement
Version 1
June 2009
Refocusing the Undergraduate Curriculum
Communication Statement: Learning Works
What are we doing?
We are reviewing all our undergraduate courses, drawing on past and current
successes, to ensure that all courses are:
-
focused on student needs and demand
supported by consistently good teaching
underpinned by effective resources, both physical and virtual
designed to offer all students the opportunity of a work placement, run
their own business or to participate in volunteering, mentoring or an
international work placement
- integrated with technology
We are listening to students, employers and professional bodies. We are
simplifying the course structures, clarifying course content and reviewing all
course titles.
We are calling this project: Learning Works: Refocusing the
Undergraduate
Curriculum
Learning Works will ensure that our graduates are distinguished by 3
overarching features:
Digitally Literate: our graduates will be confident users of advanced
technologies; they will lead others, challenging convention by exploiting the
rich sources of connectivity digital working allows.
Knowledgeable and Enterprising: our graduates will know how to critique,
analyse and then apply knowledge they acquire in an enterprising way. They
will use knowledge to seek out opportunities to advance their careers and
entrepreneurial drive. Our graduates will constantly nurture their own
intellectual curiosity, and excite others to do the same.
Global citizens: our graduates will bring informed understandings of their
place and ethical responsibilities in the world. They will have personal and
professional values that help them to lead, and take a substantial role in their
local, national and global communities.
As a result of Learning Works: Refocusing the Undergraduate Curriculum
we will:
Communication Statement
Version 1
June 2009
-
improve student recruitment, retention and progression
enhance the market attractiveness of our course portfolio
improve student employability and entrepreneurship
create space for academics to broaden their portfolio by engaging in
research, developing knowledge transfer partnerships and providing
continual professional development
VERSION
APPROVED DATE
REVIEW DATE
01
4 June 2009
AUTHOR
APPROVED BY
Project
Steering
Group
VC