Document Reference :
Identifier :
Version :
Date coming into force:
Approach to Quality and Standards (A2Q)
QH:A1
1 01
August 15
Date : August 15
Responsibilities
Approved By :
LEAP
Contacts :
University Learning, Teaching and
Assessment Committee
Originator : LEAP
Application to collaborative provision: Mandatory (see below)
Learning Enhancement & Academic Practice
(LEAP): Quality: 01482 466703
Further information: QAA UK Quality Code
Strategic Plan 2011-15
Learning, Teaching and Student Experience
Strategy 2012-15
Summary/ Description :
This document sets out the University’s approach to the enhancement of academic quality, an approach which is being developed on the secure foundations of the robust assurance of quality and maintenance of academic standards. Our approach is directed by the Strategic Plan (2011-15) and the Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy (2012-15) (LTSES) and informed by external expectations and debate. The document articulates the University’s definition of enhancement, specifically making reference to the enhancement of the practice of learning and teaching (the focus of the LTSES) and the enhancement of our systems and processes for managing quality and standards.
Approach to Quality and Standards (A2Q) sets out the principles against which we will continue to develop our systems and processes, and identifies a number of courses of action, including five thematic initiatives and a rolling programme of reviews of existing regulations and codes of practice.
Implementation of A2Q is overseen by a core team reporting to ULTAC, which brings together
Learning Enhancement (Quality) and Academic Practice elements of the LEAP directorate to ensure co-ordination with the implementation of the LTSES.
No explicit reference is made to collaborative provision in the document. Our approach embraces all of our provision, on campus and collaborative, governed by the single framework published in the University’s Quality Handbook.
Approach to Quality and Standards
Learning Enhancement and Academic Practice
Version 1 01 – Aug 15
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Version 1 01 (Aug 15)

Updates references to documentation and recognises the change from Quality Office to
LEAP.
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Strategic Plan ................................................................................................................................. 3
Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy (2012-15) ................................................. 3
Definitions, Vision and Mission .......................................................................................................... 3
Academic quality and academic standards ................................................................................... 3
Enhancing quality: systems and processes ................................................................................... 3
Diagrammatic representation of Institutional oversight of enhancement....................................... 4
A shared responsibility ................................................................................................................... 4
Values and Principles .................................................................................................................... 4
Securing standards – Assuring quality .............................................................................................. 5
Outputs of systems and processes – Institutional oversight ......................................................... 5
A risk-based approach ................................................................................................................... 6
Accuracy of published information ................................................................................................. 6
Enhancing our quality framework ...................................................................................................... 6
First year student experience (11/12) ............................................................................................ 6
Student involvement in quality assurance and enhancement (12/13) ........................................... 6
Employability (13/14) ..................................................................................................................... 6
Faculty approaches to managing quality and standards (14/15) ................................................... 6
Implementation .................................................................................................................................. 7
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Learning Enhancement and Academic Practice
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This document sets out the University’s approach to assuring and enhancing quality and to securing academic standards, building on the solid foundations evidenced in previous
QAA audits (2004, 2006, 2009 & 2011), and our commitment to an enhancement-led approach set out in 2004. It sets out the principles and values that underpin our management of quality and standards and identifies actions we will take to evidence those principles and values.
Strategic Plan
The University’s Strategic Plan (2011-15) aligns and informs our approach to quality and standards (A2Q). Specifically, the Strategic Plan identifies our ‘determination to exceed expectations and … [a]n outstanding student experience is at the heart of the University of
Hull
’. We will achieve these aims by
 Prioritising and promoting the student experience
 Operating quality processes that enhance the student learning experience
 Further encouraging student participation in decision-making processes
Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy (2012-15)
The University’s A2Q supports the Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy
(LTSES). The LTSES identifies the assurance of the quality of the student learning experience as one element of implementation, and highlights our commitment to continuing to maintain standards and enhance the student learning experience using quality processes and curricula reform.
Academic quality and academic standards
In setting out our approach, we adopt the QAA’s definitions of quality and standards:
 ‘Academic standards are a way of describing the level of achievement that a student has to reach to gain an academic award (for example, a degree). It should be at a similar level across the UK.’
 ‘Academic quality is a way of describing how well the learning opportunities available to students help them to achieve their award. It is about making sure that appropriate and effective teaching, support, assessment and learning opportunities are provided for them.’
Enhancing quality: systems and processes
In this document, we define the enhancement of quality as taking deliberate steps to improve our systems and processes designed to manage academic quality and standards. We recognise that improving our systems and processes is one way in which we can enhance the student learning experience.
Responsibility for Institutional oversight of the management of quality and standards rests with LEAP: Quality working closely with ULTAC as the University committee responsible for the Institutional oversight of the practice of learning and teaching.
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Learning Enhancement and Academic Practice
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Diagrammatic representation of Institutional oversight of enhancement
LEAP:
Quality
LEAP:
Academic
Practice
   
Quality and Standards

Learning, Teaching and
Assessment
 
Approach to Quality and Standards

Learning, Teaching and Student
Experience Strategy
 
Systems and processes for managing quality and standards

Practice of learning and teaching
A shared responsibility
We achieve our management of quality and standards through the roles and responsibilities of specific University officers and committees (which include student membership) and through the professionalism of, particularly, our academic staff, each one of whom has a responsibility for, and a contribution to make to, quality and standards.
We achieve clarity of role and responsibility through our quality and regulatory framework, which is informed by external and internal influences, notably:
 The QAA Quality Code for Higher Education
 The Bologna Process
 The Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher
Education Area
 Student feedback
 Working in partnership with our partner institutions
 External feedback made up principally by external examiners; professional, statutory and regulatory bodies; and, employers.
Values and Principles
This document is aligned with and supports the University’s values set out in the Strategic
Plan (2011-15) and LTSES (2012-2015) of
 Empowering people, students, staff and wider communities
 Openness, to debate and freedom of expression
 Engagement, both local and global
 Excellence, academic and social
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In the context of the management of quality and standards, we add the values of being:
 Consultative
 Responsive
 Reflective
 Rigorous
Underpinning our management of quality and standards is the commitment to a quality and standards framework, which is:
 Clear and accessible
 A risk-informed balance between level of challenge and lightness of touch
 Streamlined
 Applied consistently and transparently
This includes locating responsibility at the most appropriate level of the Institution, subject to the requirement for effective Institutional oversight.
We will continue to ensure the rigorous maintenance of academic standards across all of our provision through robust processes governing:
 Programme design and approval
 Learning, teaching and assessment
 External examiners
 Analysis of progression and completion statistics
 Feedback to students on assessment
 Accreditation of prior learning
 Professional accreditation
Our approach to the enhancement of quality is that the foundation of enhancement is the secure assurance of quality. We operate a robust system of quality assurance processes comprising:
 Programme approvals
 Annual monitoring
 Periodic review
A number of mechanisms provide inputs to these processes:
 Feedback from students, employers and graduates
 Providing feedback to students on assessment
 Admissions and induction
 Placement learning
 The analysis of quantitative data
 External reviews
 Professional accreditation
 Complaints and appeals
Outputs of systems and processes – Institutional oversight
We will continue to ensure that the outputs of our systems and processes are monitored and utilised systematically to identify threats to our quality and standards – taking mitigating action as required – and to identify and disseminate good practice.
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ULTAC pays considerable attention to monitoring the outputs of processes such as periodic review and quality enhancement reports through a rolling action plan drawing on recommendations and examples of good practice worthy of wider dissemination.
A risk-based approach
We take a risk-based approach to assuring quality and securing standards by focusing resource on activities deemed to pose the highest risk to quality and/or standards. We will promote the development of a variation of touch in the development and application of our systems and processes, subject always to robust Institutional oversight.
Risk in this context will focus on:
 Risk to academic standards
 Risk to the quality of the learning experience
 Risk to the University’s reputation

Financial risk
We are aware that a risk-averse approach may stifle innovation. Instead, we aim for riskawareness and seek to encourage innovative approaches to enhancing the student learning experience.
Accuracy of published information
We recognise the importance of ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the information that the University and our partner institutions publish about the quality of our provision and the standards of our awards. We will operate clear processes with defined responsibilities to ensure accuracy and completeness of the printed word and web-based information, whether in the form of prospectuses, student handbooks or other related material.
We direct our deliberate steps to enhance our systems and processes for the management of quality and standards in two ways.
First, through a systematic and rolling programme of review and development against the values and principles espoused above.
Second, through a series of thematic initiatives that focus on significant areas of the management of quality and standards, and through which a positive impact on the student learning experience can be demonstrated. Each initiative is taken forward, whether by a working group or other arrangement, through a process of consultation and reflection, drawing on examples of good practice available internally and/or externally.
Where appropriate, initiatives are conjoined with those arising from the LTSES. All initiatives pay particular attention to opportunities for streamlining and variation of touch based on the assessment of risk.
The following themes ran from 2011/12 to 2014/15:
First year student experience (11/12)
Student involvement in quality assurance and enhancement (12/13)
Employability (13/14)
Faculty approaches to managing quality and standards (14/15)
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Learning Enhancement and Academic Practice
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LEAP: Quality is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the University’s
Approach to Quality and Standards. LEAP: Academic Practice work with academic and service areas, the Students’ Union, student representatives, University committees and partner institutions in promoting an inclusive, consultative and reflective approach. LEAP reports to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education).
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Learning Enhancement and Academic Practice
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