Education Committee

Terms of Reference and Membership

The Education Committee has delegated authority from Academic Board for oversight of the strategic and policy frameworks for academic quality and standards and enhancement and student experience, engagement and student success. This is to support the Student Success Plan 2030, wider Strategic Delivery Plans and external requirements and regulation.

The Committee’s work supports a sustainable, innovative and responsive educational portfolio characterised by an excellent and distinctive student experience, fostering student engagement, representation and success in its widest sense. The Committee also provides high-level assurance to Academic Board and via it, to a range of other bodies, including the University Executive and the Board of Governors on frameworks and areas of focus within its remit.

The Committee’s members will collectively and individually model, champion and help communicate a strategic approach to student success and uphold the principles of academic quality, standards and enhancement underpinning this.

Strategic Development and Performance Monitoring

1) To input to the strategic direction, development and review of the Student Success Plan 2030, and the academic quality, standards and student success implications of the University Strategy and its other supporting plans.

2) To periodically monitor high-level performance against Student Success Plan 2030, including delivery of strategic programmes of activity and projects, University strategic KPIs and measures for:

• Access and Participation
• OfS ‘B3’ metrics
• National Student Survey (NSS) and internal student satisfaction surveys/data
• Graduate Outcomes
• Educational gain
• Contributing to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
• Other significant internal and external quality and standards metrics

3) To recommend to Academic Board, and monitor the effectiveness of, a strategic and risk-based Quality Framework underpinning student success.

Regulation and Policy

4) To periodically monitor the effectiveness of the principles and high-level controls in place to support the University applying:

• all relevant Office for Students (OfS) registration conditions and   
• the principles of UK Quality Code for HE   
• and other significant internal and external regulatory requirements and benchmarks.  

5)  To provide high-level assurance to Academic Board and, via it, to the Board of Governors and Academic Assurance Committee, on compliance with all relevant Office for Students (OfS) registration conditions, principles of UK Quality Code for HE and other significant internal and external regulatory requirements and benchmarks.  

6) To approve policy to support student success and satisfying academic quality and standards and enhancement and, on behalf of Academic Board.  

7)  To:   

a) (re)approve academic programmes and programme modifications on the recommendation of Faculty Education Committee and MRAC;  

b)   delegate Chair’s Action or Deputy Chair’s Action approval for:  

      i. external examiner appointments, extensions, reallocations of duties and terminations  

      ii. appointment of panel chairs for validation and approval events, academic appeals, assessment and study boards chairs, committee scrutiny panel members for external examiners, minor curriculum modifications and other relevant bodies.   

      iii. minor curriculum modifications. 

This term of reference may be delegated to a relevant sub-committee. Subject to confirmation. 

8)  To approve policy and regulations relating to student complaints, appeals, academic integrity/misconduct, general misconduct and fitness to practise.  

9) To consider annual and ad-hoc high level assurance on the adequacy of arrangements for:  

• PSRB accreditation   
• Apprenticeship provision through Apprenticeships sub-committee  
• Assessment and Attainment 

10) To:  

a)  seek assurance that any significant academic quality and student experience implications of major amendments to the Academic Regulations are considered (including by the relevant body such as the Graduate School Committee) ahead of Academic Board approval.  

b)   receive Programme-Specific Regulations, escalating any themes or major issues to Academic Board.  

11) To review the headline findings and seek assurance on progress in delivery of the outcomes of any internal or external audits, inspections and assessments around any aspect of academic quality, standards and student success.  

12) To seek assurance that response plans and lessons learned are effective for any material events, non-compliances or ‘adverse’ OfS reportable events related to any aspects of academic quality and standards and student success.  

Sub-Committees of Education Committee

• Apprenticeships Sub-Committee
• Graduate School Sub-Committee

The remits and titles of the remaining sub-committees is subject to review as we deliver Recommendation 4 of the Academic Governance Review.

The Education Committee would meet up to six times per year.

Education Committee Terms of Reference and Membership 2025/26

Published: 31 July 2025