ACADEMIC QUALITY ASSURANCE
2013/14
Appendix 6
ANNUAL MONITORING PROCESS
APPENDIX 6 - AQA MANUAL
PROCEDURAL DOCUMENT ON THE ANNUAL MONITORING PROCESS
1.
PURPOSE
To aid the University in its pursuit of excellence; specifically:

To evaluate and improve course quality

To ensure the best possible student experience within the resource available

To ensure that appropriate action is taken to remedy any identified shortcomings

To identify and disseminate good practice

To build up information needed for the periodic course review process and for external
reviews
2.
FEATURES
2.1
At the end of the academic year each course and subject is reviewed with regard to its
operation that year and a report prepared. In the case of clustered courses a single report
can be submitted, provided this adequately highlights any matters related to each specific
course. It is recognised that some courses run outwith the standard academic year. Reports
must still be submitted for these, as their issues would otherwise not be included in the overall
monitoring process. A report should also be submitted for courses which are "running out",
so that there is a complete record.
2.2
Schools are required to monitor course operation on an ongoing basis throughout the year, to
take prompt action where appropriate, with feedback, and to document matters raised and
their outcomes. The annual course/subject monitoring report is the summative element in this
activity.
2.3
The annual course/subject monitoring report is intended to be an overview and commentary
reflecting feedback from students, external examiners, employers, etc. It is expected that
Schools will collect and retain full information even though this will not be presented in full in
the report. The report will normally be no more than eight sides A4 in length.
2.4
At each level (course/subject; School; partner college; University) an action plan is produced
for those matters which can be addressed at that level. Any issues which are beyond the
remit at that level are referred up (eg by a course to the School and by School to University).
2.5
Service issues are collated from Dean of School reports and taken up with the relevant
Services so that responses and action can be reported to the University at the special annual
monitoring meeting of Academic Standards and Quality Assurance Committee (ASQAC).
2.6
Good practice issues are collated from School reports and discussed at a meeting between
the Dean of AQA, Head of LDU and School Quality Leads.
2.7
The School actions identified through the annual monitoring process are confirmed at
institutional level and integrated into the School's overall delivery plan. The course actions
identified through the annual monitoring process are confirmed by the Dean of School.
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3.
PROCESS
3.1
Course level (including Collaborative Partners)
3.1.1
The Course/Subject Leader is responsible for producing the Course/Subject Monitoring report
(partner course leader for Collaborative provision) , based on a review of the operation of the
course or subject by the Course/Subject Team, and for submitting it to the Dean of School (or
to AQA for Collaborative provision) by the required date(s). The report will be produced on a
standard University template, with a variant for courses/subjects operating collaboratively.
Features of a good Course/Subject report can be found in Appendix 1.
3.1.2
In order to meet the guidance of the QAA Code of Practice (section 2: collaborative provision)
with respect to the monitoring of publicity materials, all Collaborative Partners are required to
submit fact sheets and course specific advertising materials with the Course Leader’s report
for consideration by the University. International Partners who utilise a HE prospectus are
required to submit this with their Course level reports.
3.1.3
Visit reports undertaken by Course Leaders/ Schools for collaborative partners should be
submitted alongside the Course/Subject Leader report.
3.2
School
3.2.1
The Dean of School will receive and consider all course/subject reports (including those
from collaborative partners). The Dean of School in liaison with senior School staff will
prepare a report using a standard University template. This will:
Sign off of all course leader reports and action plans
Confirm receipt/ review of all relevant reports and visit reports, noting outstanding reports
Provide an update to any outstanding issues that have not been resolved through the School
Delivery Plan
Provide detail of any School level actions already resolved
Confirm any issues to be referred to the University (service level actions)
Confirm publicity materials provided by relevant Partner Institutions






Any actions to be taken forward, and those actions to be reported on from the previous year,
should be included within the School Delivery Plan and updated as per the Strategic
Development Service’s guidelines.
The Dean of School will provide an updated report following submission of the on-campus
postgraduate programmes.
3.2.2
The Dean of School has responsibility for ensuring that there is feedback to students and to
external examiners.
3.2.3
The Dean of School and RDT will produce a separate report on the operation of research
degree programmes operating within the School. Any actions to be taken forward, and those
actions to be reported on from the previous year, should be included within the Action Plan.
3.3
UK Partner College/Institution – Institutional level
3.3.1
The Principal (or nominee) of a UK partner institution will receive and consider all
course/subject reports for courses operating within their institution and will prepare a report,
using the standard template, for AQA, identifying issues to be addressed by the
College/institution (action plan) and issues to be referred to the University.
3.3.2
The Principal or nominee is responsible for monitoring institutional action plans.
3.4
Services
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3.4.1
Services provide routes for addressing operational issues throughout the year so that only
those which cannot be resolved by the relevant Director of Services are referred to ASQAC.
3.4.2
These issues will be taken up with the relevant Services and a report on their responses
prepared for the special annual monitoring meeting of ASQAC.
An updated listing of service issues will be completed following receipt of the updated Dean of
School report (taken from on-campus postgraduate provision).
3.4.3
Academic Quality and Awards (AQA) will provide updates to the Schools on Service Issues.
3.5
University
3.5.1
School reports, accompanied by all supporting course reports, will be scrutinised by a group
including representative School Quality leads. The Chair of ASQAC will provide an overall
report to the special annual monitoring meeting of ASQAC to initiate the debate on those
issues which the Committee may wish to endorse as priorities for action and to provide an
update on the actions achieved in the previous year at institutional level.
3.5.2
Partnership Development Office will prepare a report on generic UK partnership course
operation issues for the special annual monitoring meeting of ASQAC; International Office will
prepare a report on generic overseas partnership course operation issues for the special
annual monitoring meeting of ASQAC.
3.5.3
The Head of the Graduate Research School will prepare a report on the operation of research
degree programmes for the Research and Knowledge Transfer Committee (RKTC) and
ASQAC. The report will include an Action Plan identifying Service level and Graduate School
issues.
3.5.4
ASQAC will agree any changes to the annual monitoring process for the subsequent year.
4.
Timetable for annual monitoring process, including feedback
Note:
For specific deadlines please refer to the Academic Quality and Awards
webpage.
All dates refer to the academic year following that under review
Date
Responsible
person/group
Activity
Course level
Ongoing
Course
leader/team
Autumn
Course
leader/team
Course
leader/team
Course
leader/team
Course
leader/team
September January
Ongoing
End
session
of
Collect student data and evidence in preparation for annual review
(e.g. minutes from SSLCs, student results, progression and
withdrawals)
Undertakes review and prepares report, including CAP
Uploads report and any collaborative visit reports to SharePoint
Monitors progress on CAP
Reports progress on CAP to Dean of School and to students
(normally via SSLC)
School level
September January
January
Dean
Reports to be available via SharePoint
Dean
January
Dean
Prepares draft School report, including SAP (updated within the
SDS School Delivery Plan)
Uploads Dean of School report to SharePoint and updates the
School Delivery Plan
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Ongoing
End of
session
End of
session
End of
Session
Dean
Dean
Monitors progress on CAPs, and on SAP (via delivery plan)
Receives progress reports on CAPs from all courses in School
Dean
Reports progress on CAPs and SAP to School
RDT/Dean
Prepare a report on the operation of the School’s research degree
programmes.
Partner College/institution level
Oct/ Nov
Dean/ Principal
Beg Nov
Dean/ Principal
Prepares draft Partner College/institution level report, including
action plan
Uploads report to SharePoint
University level
February
February
NovemberFebruary
Ongoing
February
AQA
AQA
International
Office and
Partnership
Development
Office
SDS
AQA
February
Head of
Graduate
Research
School
End of
session
Chair of ASQAC
Key:
CAP
SAP
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Agrees actions with Services
Prepares draft report on University issues, including UAP
Prepare reports on generic partnership issues
(UK and International respectively)
Monitors progress on SAPs via delivery plan
Considers (UK and International) and draft report on University
issues
Prepares a draft report on University issues and Graduate Research
School issues, including UAP and SAP.
Reports progress on UAP to Schools
Course action plan
School action plan
UAP
SSLC
University action plan
Student-Staff Liaison Committee
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APPENDIX 6 - AQA MANUAL
APPENDIX 1 FEATURES OF A GOOD COURSE/SUBJECT LEADER’S REPORT
1.1
Review
The most successful course/subject reports are those where the report is the outcome of a
review process, and that review forms an integral part of the School’s QAE procedures, since
it clearly:
1.2

is part of an ongoing annual, systematic process of information collection, reflection,
review and action;

engages the whole of the course team;

involves a level and breadth of discussion and consultation which can occur only over the
whole of the year;

makes judgments on the basis of a wide range of information and evidence collected from
a variety of sources;
Report
A good course/subject leader’s report:

follows the template;

shows evidence that it is the result of a review undertaken by the full/ whole course team
and not just an individual;

is evidence based and should demonstrate a variety of evidence sources;

is concise and written in a style which is appropriate to the expected audience;

is evaluative, not just descriptive.
In simplistic terms, a good course/subject leader’s report tells a story, starting with a
discussion of the progress and outcomes of last year’s action plan, through the presentation
and analysis of the main features of the year, leading to the action plan as a logical outcome.
Thus, the report should present this story in a complete and consistent manner. For example,

last year's action plan should be reported on and any outstanding actions should be
picked up and, if necessary carried forward into the current year's plan;

the data should be discussed and appropriate conclusions drawn;

the sections on student and staff feedback should concentrate on the content of the
feedback rather than the process by which the feedback was collected.
As a consequence, the action plan should be based upon:

results of the previous year’s action plan;

information and evidence accumulated during the review;

analysis and evaluation of this evidence.
The rationale for the actions should, therefore, be evident from the analysis and discussion in
the report. If the report has been produced as a result of a review by the course team then
the action plan will have been agreed (to a large extent, at least) and will be a shared plan,
providing a good chance of its completion in the timescales specified.
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As with all action plans, wherever possible the actions should be ‘SMART’, i.e.





Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-framed
The responsibility for the actions should in all instances be defined, bearing in mind the
importance of ensuring that the level of responsibility is appropriate in order that the actions
can be completed.
Dates for completion of actions should be as precise as possible.
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