Effective academic governance is at the heart of UK higher education (HE). It concerns all academic work of the institution including learning and teaching, research and knowledge transfer, whenever these activities may take place. In relation to students, academic governance will include management of academic courses or programmes, establishing or maintaining academic standards, the management and enhancement of academic quality and the overall student experience.
Expectations of governing body engagement in academic governance is increasing: governing bodies are now required to provide formal assurance on the quality standards and enhancement of their institution’s provision on an annual basis. An Illustrative Practice Note issued in January 2017 by the Committee of University Chairs suggests that the key areas of focus for Governors on academic matters are:
- Academic Strategy
- Academic Performance
- Academic Risk Management
- Academic Student Experience
- Annual Reporting on Academic Quality and Standards
Academic Board
Academic Board is the main body responsible for academic matters within the University. Chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), it has oversight of general issues relating to research, scholarship, teaching and courses at the University, including criteria for the admission of students; the appointment and removal of internal and external examiners, policies and procedures for assessment and examination of the academic performance of students; the content of the curriculum; academic standards and the validation and review of courses, the procedures for the award of qualifications and honorary academic titles; and the procedures for the expulsion of students for academic reasons. It considers the development of the academic activities of the University and the resources needed to support them and for advising the Board of Governors.
Quality and Standards
The Secretary of State, on the advice of the OfS, designated the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) to carry out the quality and standards assessment functions set out in HERA. There are 7 expectations relating to standards, 11 to quality, one to enhancement and one to the provision of information. The University’s latest 2015/16 Higher Education Review (HER) affirmed that the University met all national expectations. ‘Standards’ relate to the academic level at which students need to achieve to gain an award; they are defined in the Quality Code at threshold level in the generic qualification descriptors of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and in benchmark statements at subject level. This is supported by a national credit framework to which our regulations adhere. Standards are further secured by generic institutional assessment criteria aligned to the FHEQ, university-wide terms of reference for Assessment Boards, training for Board chairs and officers and sampling of board meetings and minutes to share good practice and address any issues. Quality’ refers to how the provision is delivered and the Quality Code sets out expectations in 11 areas covering admissions, aspects of teaching, learning and assessment, student engagement, appeals and complaints, research student provision and collaborative partnerships. There are additional expectations relating to the enhancement of learning opportunities and the provision of information about HE.
Accreditation
The University has stringent requirements in place to ensure that academic programmes gain and retain accreditation from professional, statutory and regulatory bodies (PSRBs). The University currently has 158 professional body accreditations with over 30 accrediting bodies, including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). These academic accreditations can be essential for the programme to be delivered and, in other cases, highly desirable in order to attract students and to add ‘employability value’ to the programme.
Student outcomes
The student experience extends to the whole spectrum of learning and teaching, the physical environment and facilities, employability support and outcomes as well as the range of social and sporting activities. The University seeks to optimise its offer to students across all of these areas. One of the University’s key performance indicators focuses on student satisfaction, as measured through the National Student Survey (NSS). The importance placed on student experience and outcomes is evidenced through the role of the Academic Board and the delivery of the Student Success Strategy.
Published: 1 November 2023