Dr Chris HaslamDr Chris HaslamDean of Corporate Planning and Dean of Corporate Planning and

DevelopmentDevelopmentUniversity of Chester, United KingdomUniversity of Chester, United Kingdom

Internal and external Internal and external institutional quality institutional quality

assurance … a healthy assurance … a healthy tension?tension?

2nd Conference on Internal Quality Assurance 2nd Conference on Internal Quality Assurance atat

Higher Education InstitutionsHigher Education Institutions3030thth November & 1 November & 1stst December 2006, Bern December 2006, Bern

(Switzerland)(Switzerland)

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Ich danke Ihnen herzlich für Ihre Einladung, hier vor Ihrer Ich danke Ihnen herzlich für Ihre Einladung, hier vor Ihrer Konferenz sprechen zu dürfen.Konferenz sprechen zu dürfen.

Die Vorträge waren alle sehr interessant und ich hoffe, dass Die Vorträge waren alle sehr interessant und ich hoffe, dass dieser Vortrag auch Diskussionen und Debatten anregt.dieser Vortrag auch Diskussionen und Debatten anregt.

Es tut mir leid, dass mein Deutsch und Französisch leider Es tut mir leid, dass mein Deutsch und Französisch leider nicht gut genug sind, diesen Vortrag ganz auf Deutsch zu nicht gut genug sind, diesen Vortrag ganz auf Deutsch zu halten – es würde den ganzen Tag dauern. Ich hoffe halten – es würde den ganzen Tag dauern. Ich hoffe deshalb, dass Sie meinen Beitrag auf Englisch akzeptieren.deshalb, dass Sie meinen Beitrag auf Englisch akzeptieren.

Bitte unterbrechen Sie mich, wenn Sie etwas nicht Bitte unterbrechen Sie mich, wenn Sie etwas nicht verstehen oder möchten, dass ich etwas wiederhole.verstehen oder möchten, dass ich etwas wiederhole.

Wir sollten nicht die Fehler finden, sondern die LösungenWir sollten nicht die Fehler finden, sondern die LösungenHenry FordHenry Ford

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Scope of sessionScope of session

The UK’s external quality assurance The UK’s external quality assurance frameworkframework

The effect of external review on internal The effect of external review on internal quality assurance and enhancement quality assurance and enhancement systemssystems

Pre-requisites for external and internal Pre-requisites for external and internal institutional quality assurance?institutional quality assurance?

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The UK’s external quality The UK’s external quality assurance frameworkassurance framework

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UK drivers for quality assuranceUK drivers for quality assurance To facilitate national and international benchmarkingTo facilitate national and international benchmarking

To inform interested stakeholders … who are To inform interested stakeholders … who are increasingly demanding value for moneyincreasingly demanding value for money

To secure consistency and comparability in baseline To secure consistency and comparability in baseline standardsstandards

To stimulate product enhancement … and a raising To stimulate product enhancement … and a raising of standardsof standards

For accountability purposes For accountability purposes (income c.41 billion CHF (income c.41 billion CHF employing c.1.2% of the total UK workforce)employing c.1.2% of the total UK workforce)

Protection (and marketing) of the reputation of UK Protection (and marketing) of the reputation of UK higher education in a global marketplacehigher education in a global marketplace

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The UK quality assurance landscape: The UK quality assurance landscape: principlesprinciples

Responsibility for assuring quality and Responsibility for assuring quality and standards resides with each institutionstandards resides with each institution

Published sector-wide student surveysPublished sector-wide student surveys

An external institutional-level review system An external institutional-level review system … with publication of information about … with publication of information about quality and standards quality and standards (direct cost c.34 (direct cost c.34 million CHF per year)million CHF per year)

Implementation of a UK ‘academic Implementation of a UK ‘academic infrastructure’infrastructure’

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The UK’s ‘Academic Infrastructure’The UK’s ‘Academic Infrastructure’

A qualifications framework setting out the A qualifications framework setting out the attributes of each award levelattributes of each award level

Subject benchmark statements Subject benchmark statements

A requirement for institutions to publish a A requirement for institutions to publish a detailed specification for each study detailed specification for each study programme …. a contract of engagement?programme …. a contract of engagement?

A A Code of PracticeCode of Practice for quality assurance for quality assurance

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The UK’s ‘Academic Infrastructure’The UK’s ‘Academic Infrastructure’

A A Code of PracticeCode of Practice for quality assurance for quality assurance

- Postgraduate research programmes- Postgraduate research programmes

- Collaborative provision- Collaborative provision

- Students with disabilities- Students with disabilities

- External examining- External examining

- Academic appeals and complaints- Academic appeals and complaints

- Student assessment- Student assessment

- Programme approval, monitoring and review- Programme approval, monitoring and review

- Career education, information and guidance- Career education, information and guidance

- Placement learning- Placement learning

- Recruitment and admissions- Recruitment and admissions

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Internal institutionalquality assurance and

enhancement

Internal institutionalquality assurance and

enhancement

External quality assurance organisation

(Quality Assurance Agency)

External quality assurance organisation

(Quality Assurance Agency)

‘The UK Academic Infrastructure’‘The UK Academic Infrastructure’

Code ofPractice

Code ofPractice

ProgrammeSpecifications

ProgrammeSpecifications

QualificationsFramework

QualificationsFramework

SubjectStatements

SubjectStatements

6yrinstitutional

auditreports

6yrinstitutional

auditreports

Higher EducationAcademy

(QE activity)

Higher EducationAcademy

(QE activity)

Closing the loop … ?

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The effect of external review on The effect of external review on internal institutional quality internal institutional quality

assurance systemsassurance systems

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Growth in the quality assurance ‘business’ … QA Growth in the quality assurance ‘business’ … QA Units, ISO9001, EFQMUnits, ISO9001, EFQM

Extensive quality assurance frameworks detailed Extensive quality assurance frameworks detailed through regulations, ordinances, handbooks and through regulations, ordinances, handbooks and manualsmanuals

Establishment of quality and standards (or similar) Establishment of quality and standards (or similar) deliberative committees at institutional and, deliberative committees at institutional and, increasingly, at sub-unit levelincreasingly, at sub-unit level

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Increased engagement with students and Increased engagement with students and other stakeholders … other stakeholders … questionnaires, focus questionnaires, focus groups, consumer feedback mechanisms, groups, consumer feedback mechanisms, alumni trackingalumni tracking

Accurate marketing of programmes … Accurate marketing of programmes … expectation managementexpectation management

More careful programme design, delivery More careful programme design, delivery and assessment … and assessment … improved student improved student retention, progression and achievementretention, progression and achievement

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Enhanced peer involvement (UK and Enhanced peer involvement (UK and overseas) in programme design, assessment overseas) in programme design, assessment and review … and review … a more robust product with a more robust product with greater consistency of standardsgreater consistency of standards

Clear publication of procedures, Clear publication of procedures, expectations and commitments … expectations and commitments … mitigating mitigating potential litigation?potential litigation?

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But … some frequently asked questions …But … some frequently asked questions …

Are detailed quality assurance frameworks Are detailed quality assurance frameworks improving product design, delivery and improving product design, delivery and outcomes … or stifling creativity and outcomes … or stifling creativity and dynamism?dynamism?

Are internal quality assurance systems Are internal quality assurance systems becoming increasingly over engineered … and, becoming increasingly over engineered … and, critically, eroding ownership amongst the critically, eroding ownership amongst the academic community?academic community?

How does management strike an appropriate How does management strike an appropriate balance between ‘control’ and promoting balance between ‘control’ and promoting academic freedom?academic freedom?

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External quality assuranceExternal quality assurance– the lessons learned?– the lessons learned?

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HasHas provided public reassurance both in provided public reassurance both in the UK and overseas … other countries the UK and overseas … other countries have followed the UK approachhave followed the UK approach

Students and other stakeholders Students and other stakeholders dodo have a have a much stronger voice and opportunities to much stronger voice and opportunities to exert a positive influenceexert a positive influence

The number of external audit ‘failures’ is The number of external audit ‘failures’ is very low (… but …)very low (… but …)

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Must offer value for money … and test reality Must offer value for money … and test reality not an artificial image of desired realitynot an artificial image of desired reality

Reports must be clear, timely and accessible Reports must be clear, timely and accessible to a variety of audiences … the benefits of to a variety of audiences … the benefits of ‘learning from’ publications‘learning from’ publications

External organisations and their reviewers External organisations and their reviewers must have recognised expertise and up-to-must have recognised expertise and up-to-date understanding of institutionsdate understanding of institutions

Should external quality assurance offer Should external quality assurance offer formal, as opposed to implied, accreditation?formal, as opposed to implied, accreditation?

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Internal quality assuranceInternal quality assurance– the lessons learned?– the lessons learned?

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Quality assurance framework needs to be Quality assurance framework needs to be owned … ‘what’s in it for me?’ owned … ‘what’s in it for me?’

Avoid over-engineering and bureaucracy Avoid over-engineering and bureaucracy … a small quality committee with cross-… a small quality committee with cross-institutional representationinstitutional representation

Essential to quickly disseminate good and Essential to quickly disseminate good and poor practice … from both internal and poor practice … from both internal and external review processesexternal review processes

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Establish clear action plans … possibly linked to Establish clear action plans … possibly linked to business planning cyclesbusiness planning cycles

Self assessments must be reflective and critical Self assessments must be reflective and critical … not bland statements of fact. Encourage … not bland statements of fact. Encourage openness … there should be no surprisesopenness … there should be no surprises

Sustained commitment at senior level to QA and Sustained commitment at senior level to QA and QEQE

Ensure intervention is in inverse proportion to Ensure intervention is in inverse proportion to riskrisk

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In conclusion …In conclusion …

Evidence to suggest that external reviews Evidence to suggest that external reviews dodo make make a positive differencea positive difference

Institutions Institutions areare more self critical and their processes more self critical and their processes are more explicit, transparent and consistentare more explicit, transparent and consistent

… … but it is also important that the cost/benefit but it is also important that the cost/benefit balance is correct …balance is correct …

External and internal review needs to be in proportion External and internal review needs to be in proportion to perceived riskto perceived risk

… … need to remember that students’ interests come need to remember that students’ interests come firstfirst

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Success is not final, failure is not Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to try and fatal: it is the courage to try and find a successful outcome find a successful outcome acceptable to all that counts.acceptable to all that counts.

Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

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Herzlichen Dank für Ihre Herzlichen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit und Ihr Interesse. Ihre Aufmerksamkeit und Ihr Interesse. Ihre

Fragen beantworte ich gerne.Fragen beantworte ich gerne.

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Contact informationContact information

Dr Chris Haslam Dr Chris Haslam

Dean of Corporate Planning and DevelopmentDean of Corporate Planning and Development

University of ChesterUniversity of Chester

Parkgate RoadParkgate Road

Chester Chester

CH1 4BJCH1 4BJ

Telephone: Telephone: +44 (0) 1244 513208+44 (0) 1244 513208

(Switchboard +44 (0) 1244 511000)(Switchboard +44 (0) 1244 511000)

Email: Email: c.haslam@chester.ac.ukc.haslam@chester.ac.uk

Web address: Web address: http://www.chester.ac.ukhttp://www.chester.ac.uk