Welcome slide

A more risk-based approach to quality assurance in higher

education in England

June 2012 consultation events

Heather Fry Director (Education Participation and Students), HEFCE

To outline:

• Main features

• Underlying principles

• Key proposals

• Continuing emphases: e.g. the student interest and educational enhancement

Purposes

Applied to • QA system as a whole -

Review, progress monitoring, QAA Concerns scheme

• All providers with access to HEFCE funding

• All other QAA subscribers

But no risk categories

Taking a more risk-based approach

A system based on where we are now, and which:

• continues to align with and be built on institutional quality assurance

• yet is robust and rigorous, facilitating HEFCE’s statutory duty

• is universal, requiring all providers to engage with UK HE Quality Code

• continues to engage with and benefit students

• has a continued focus on enhancement

• aligns with HE Better Regulation Principles

Q 1

RBQA principles

• Maturity of track record of institution – wide assessment of HE determines frequency of review (a risk-based approach)

• Route A: Institutions who have not yet undergone two institution - wide external reviews of HE provision

• Route B: Institutions who have undergone two or more institution wide external reviews of HE provision

• Fast track option for FECs who have undergone IQER to move from Route A to Route B during 2013-15

Q 2

Proposals: Routes A & B

Proposals: period between Review

What should the frequency be?

•Route B: options between 6 to 10 years

•A longer interval than the current 6 years has pros and cons:

• Advantages – further reduces frequency of external assurance for those with maturity of such assessment

• Disadvantages - International reputation and student interest: out of line with review intervals in the rest of UK and rest of Europe; not clear enables enhancement focus; more risk of Q&S failures

Route A frequency would adjust in relation to Route B

Q 4,5

Proposals: Variations in Review

We are consulting about where risk might alter some aspects of review :

• in the nature of review, core and ‘module’ approach

• in intensity

• taking account of PSRB activity

Q 3,6

A risk-based approach needs to be supported by mechanisms to address ‘out of cycle’ Q &S issues that may arise between

Reviews

The QAA Concerns Scheme already acts in this way, we propose:

•Better publicizing QAA’s Concerns Scheme, including to students

•Further OIA and QAA cooperation - ‘Clusters of complaints’

•New annual review of data by a panel, with referral to QAA for further investigation of concerning ‘outliers’:

• What is the data that should be considered?

• The composition of the panel Q 7

Proposals: ‘Triggers’

Students are central to the approach:

• Continued involvement in review

• Ability to invoke QAA Concerns Scheme promoted

• Package of proposals designed to robustly assure reputation and thus protect the student interest

Emphases: Student engagement

Enhancement focus retained:

• Judgment on enhancement of student learning opportunities

• Annual thematic element of Review

• Universal review means the full range of quality and standards will be experienced and good practice will be shared through reports

Emphases: Educational enhancement

The proposals are designed to:

• take forward Government policy

• build on where we are now

• robustly assure quality and standards of English HE

• ensure a continued enhancement focus exists

• ensure the continued international reputation of English HE

• protect the student interest

The consultation is open to anyone to respond

We look forward to hearing from you

Risk-based quality assurance: A summary

• Outcomes will go to the HEFCE Board in October, resulting in a letter of guidance to the QAA

• The outcomes of the consultation will assist the QAA as they consult on the Operational Description for this new approach in December 2012

• New approach comes into force for start of 2013-14, although first reviews will only take place from January 2014.

Next steps

If you want to contact me:h.fry@hefce.ac.uk

General enquiries: qualityconsultation@hefce.ac.uk