Template for Collaborative Provision Course or Programme
Name of New Course or Programme:
MSc in Biotechnology1
Collaborator Institution/s:
Humboldt Universität
Type of Award:
Joint Award
Type of Collaborative Provision:
Joint Provision
Degree Awarding Body or Bodies:
School (University of London) & Humboldt Universität
Lead Academic (LSHTM):
Professor Joe Bloggs
Lead Academic/s (Collaborator Institution/s):
Professor Hans Glock
Full, Part Time or Flexible Study:
Full Time
Faculty or Faculties:
Faculty of Public Health & Policy
Minimum Registration Period:
12 Months
Maximum Registration:
12 Months
Projected Intake Over Five Years:
Year 1 – 20 students
Year 2 – 25 students
Year 3 – 25 students
Year 4 – 30 students
Year 5 – 35 students
Minimum/Maximum Student Numbers
Minimum 15 and maximum 40
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The answers provided in the right hand column on this page are example answers only, provided for guidance when completing this section of the template.
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To complete this template please refer to the Code of Practice for Identifying, Designing and Managing Collaborative Provision
Contents
Template for Collaborative Provision Course or Programme ........................................................ 1
Rationale for Introduction of Course/Programme........................................................................ 3
Competitor Programmes ................................................................................................................. 3
School Context ................................................................................................................................. 3
Collaboration Management Group ................................................................................................ 3
Regulations & Governance ............................................................................................................. 3
Application Procedure & Admissions ............................................................................................ 4
Registration ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Orientation ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Pastoral Support ............................................................................................................................... 4
Monitoring Student Progression..................................................................................................... 4
Examination Boards or Examiners’ Meetings .............................................................................. 4
Arrangements for Award of Degree............................................................................................... 4
Graduation ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Collaboration Management Groups Constitution & Terms of Reference ................................ 5
Constitution ................................................................................................................................... 5
Terms of Reference ..................................................................................................................... 5
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To complete this template please refer to the Code of Practice for Identifying, Designing and
Managing Collaborative Provision
Rationale for Introduction of Course/Programme
This section should present a detailed rationale for the introduction of the proposed
academic provision.
This section must discuss:
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collaborator/s’ reputation and history;
collaborator/s’ level of expertise in the proposed subject area;
reasons why the collaborator/s is the most suitable institution/s with whom to team up
with to deliver the course/programme;
collaborator/s’ experience of running courses/programmes of this type;
collaborator/s’ experience of delivering collaborative provision course/programmes;
benefits to the School and to students in delivering the course/programme with the
collaborator.
Competitor Programmes
This section should provide information on competitor courses/programmes and details on
how the School and collaborator will differentiate themselves from existing
courses/programmes.
School Context
This section should discuss how the proposed course/programme will fit with the School’s
vision, mission, strategy and values and outline discussions that have taken place with
colleagues in the School who may be involved with the course/programme. These
discussions may be with Module Organisers of existing modules that the Academic Lead
may wish to include in the programme, or with a course team where there is some overlap of
content and potential concerns regarding internal competition.
Collaboration Management Group
Most collaborative provision courses and programmes are required to establish a
Collaboration Management Group (see Section 3.1 of the School’s Code on Identifying,
Designing & Managing Collaborative Provision). Use this section to detail the constitution of
the group, the frequency of meetings and the pattern of matters that you plan to discuss at
scheduled meetings (i.e. July = sign off student handbooks, November = planning for
management of February examinations).
General constitution and terms of reference for Collaboration Management Groups are set
out in Appendix A and should be adapted specifically for this course or programme.
If you are proposing validated external or collaborator supported provision please outline
how you will manage communications with the collaborator/s.
Regulations & Governance
In this section the Academic Lead should confirm the regulations that students on the
course/programme will be expected to follow. For example if a student makes an appeal or
complaint, which institution’s procedures will be followed? In cases where a joint award is
being developed, there will be the need to adapt School and collaborator regulations to
produce a shared regulation for a particular component, i.e. examination of PhD students.
Any newly created shared regulations or procedures must be appended to this document for
approval by the validation panel on behalf of Senate.
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To complete this template please refer to the Code of Practice for Identifying, Designing and
Managing Collaborative Provision
Application Procedure & Admissions
The Programme Specification will include detailed information on admissions requirements.
This section should state where responsibility lies for admissions arrangements and the
systems that will be used to process applications. The Academic Lead is expected to liaise
with the Head of Registry (Admissions & Student Finance) to agree arrangements between
the School and the collaborator/s.
Registration
This section should outline registration arrangements, confirming which institution/s the
students will register with and how this will be managed. The Academic Lead is expected to
liaise with the Head of Registry (Student Records & Assessment) to agree arrangements
between the School and the collaborator/s.
Orientation
This section should detail how students will be inducted to the School and the collaborator
institution/s and any special arrangements that will need to be put in place to facilitate this.
Pastoral Support
This section should detail the support that students will receive whilst they are studying and,
crucially, who will be responsible for providing this support. For example, if a student has, or
suspects that they have, a disability, where should they seek support and guidance?
Alternatively, what level of support will be available to them in finding accommodation?
Monitoring Student Progression
The progress of students should be monitored by the Collaboration Management Group. In
this section, the Academic Lead should outline how this will work in more detail to ensure
that struggling students are supported and that all students are offered appropriate advice
and insight on their performance at specific stages of the course or programme.
Examination Boards or Examiners’ Meetings
This section should be used to confirm arrangements for examination boards (for courses)
and examiners’ meetings (for research students). For example, where will these be held,
who will Chair them, who is responsible for taking minutes and following up on action points,
who will appoint external examiners, who will ensure that deadlines of awarding bodies are
met etc?
Arrangements for Award of Degree
In this section the Academic Lead should set out the arrangements for the award of the
degree. For example, who is responsible for producing certificates and transcripts, what will
certificates for dual and joint awards look like, who will be responsible for sending out
certificates and transcripts etc? The Academic Lead is expected to liaise with the Head of
Registry (Student Records & Assessment) to agree arrangements between the School and
the collaborator/s.
Graduation
This section should set out arrangements for graduation. For example, where will students
attend graduation, who is responsible for communicating arrangements with them, are they
allowed to pick where they graduate for joint awards etc?
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To complete this template please refer to the Code of Practice for Identifying, Designing and
Managing Collaborative Provision
Appendix A
Collaboration Management Groups Constitution & Terms of Reference
These example terms of reference are provided for adaptation for both new and existing
collaborative courses/programmes. If an existing collaborative provision course/programme
already has a similar group in place the name does not need to be changed to Collaboration
Management Group however the group will need to ensure it is in line with the expected
constitution and terms of reference and to produce an annual report if required (see Section
3 of the Code of Practice on Identifying, Designing and Managing Collaborative Provision for
more information on reporting requirements).
Constitution
Minimum Membership
(Small scale initiatives – see Code of Practice, Section 3, for guidance)
Chair
Academic Lead of lead institution. If there is no lead institution (i.e. for a joint award) then the
School and collaborator/s will decide who is best placed to act as Chair.
Members
Academic Leads from each institution taking part in the collaboration.
Secretary
Professional Services staff involved with the course or programme.
Additional Membership
(Medium/large scale initiatives – see Code of Practice, Section 3, for guidance)
Members
Academic members of staff involved in delivering and managing the course/programme
The quorum for the Collaborative Management Groups is 75% attendance.
Terms of Reference
The role of the Collaboration Management Group is to have an oversight of all aspects of the
course/programme with a special emphasis on identifying potential risks and establishing
mechanisms to manage the course/programme, including but not limited to:
A. Making all decisions relating to the entry of students to the programme, from all
institutions, with input from the Officers within each institution normally tasked with
making admissions offers;
B. Reviewing recruitment to the programme in the light of anticipated targets and
continuously reviewing the targets themselves to decide whether they are appropriate;
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To complete this template please refer to the Code of Practice for Identifying, Designing and
Managing Collaborative Provision
C. Having input into requests for suspensions of regulations, interruptions of study and
extensions to submissions deadlines, before approval is granted by the relevant
institution;
D. Acting as a conduit between the collaborator institutions to ensure that information on
disabled student requirements, such as reasonable adjustments for example, are put in
place for the student’s arrival or adjusted if necessary (the student’s permission to share
information must be sought by the home or lead institution/s prior to any disclosure of
information);
E. Reviewing orientation arrangements for students at all sites, identifying any areas for
improvement and working with the collaborator institutions to develop orientation
activities generally;
F. Reviewing the effectiveness of pastoral and welfare support systems and identifying
developments required to ensure that students are supported appropriately at all
institutions;
G. Reviewing the effectiveness of administrative arrangements for the course or programme,
such as registration, IT and Library provision, certificate production, upgrade and
examination arrangements etc, devising and driving enhancements where required;
H. Regularly reviewing the academic progress of all students registered on the programme,
taking account of the different timings of formal and informal progression review
monitoring activities at both institutions. The Collaboration Management Group will need
to agree an approach to take in cases where it appears that a student is underperforming;
I.
Establishing mechanisms for obtaining feedback from students outwith the methods
already employed by both institutions, i.e. participation in national surveys. This includes
agreeing how to act on feedback and ensuring that responses are made available to
current and future cohorts;
J. Proactively participating in any complaints and appeals cases made at any collaborator
institution, providing information and input in a timely fashion in order to meet deadlines
for responding to students;
K. Reviewing pass, withdrawal and completion rates to determine trends and any actions
required as a result;
L. Reviewing the financial viability of the programme, making recommendations to all
institutions on an annual basis regarding the continuation of the programme.
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To complete this template please refer to the Code of Practice for Identifying, Designing and
Managing Collaborative Provision