© National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation 2010

1-29-1 Gakuen-Nishimachi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8587 Japan
www.niad.ac.jp

IndexI. Basic information on the country ·········································· 2
II. The higher education system ············································· 3
1. History of UK higher education ················································· 31) Historical overview ······················································· 32) Recent developments: 2007 to the present······································ 6
2. Organization of the educational system ·········································· 8
3. Types of institution ·························································· 91) Overview ································································ 92) Statistics ································································ 10
4. Admission ································································· 11
5. Courses and qualifications····················································· 131) Courses ································································· 132) Credits ·································································· 143) Qualifications ···························································· 144) Transcripts ······························································ 155) Degree awarding powers ···················································· 166) Student assessment - to test intended learning outcomes ·························· 16
6. Responsible authorities and higher education related bodies·························· 16
7. Student unions ······························································ 17
8. Tuition fees ································································ 18
9. Financial support for students·················································· 18
10. Modes of study······························································ 20
11. Legislations ································································ 20

III. The quality assurance system ·················································· 21
1. Summary of the UK quality assurance system ······································ 21
2. Internal quality assurance ····················································· 22
3. External quality assurance framework ············································ 231) Institutional audits and reviews ·············································· 232) The academic infrastructure ················································· 243) Teaching quality information ················································ 274) Student surveys··························································· 28
4. Other quality assurance initiatives ·············································· 301) Research assessment······················································· 302) Accreditation by professional, regulatory and statutory bodies ····················· 30
5. History of quality assurance in UK higher education ································ 31

IV. The details of quality assurance organization: Quality Assurance Agency for Higher
Education (QAA) ·····························································33
1. Overview of the organization··················································· 33
2. Mission and purposes ························································ 34
3. The works of the organization ·················································· 34
1) External review ··························································· 34
2) The academic infrastructure ················································· 383) Other works ··························································· ·· 38

Sources and references ········································ 40
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

1

I. Basic information on the country
Name of country

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

CapitalLondonMajor language

EnglishPopulation*

60,975,000

Nominal GDP**

2,803,000 million USD (2007)

Nominal GDP per capita**

46,041 USD (2007)

Public spending on education
as a percentage of the total
government spending**
Public spending on
education as a percentage ofGDP**

All levels of education(OECD average 13.4%)
All levels of education

11,484 USD

Public spending on higher
education per student**

7,993 USD

Organization of education
system***Cycle of academic year****HE level

2.3%(OECD average 3.1%)
5.3%(OECD average 5.4%)

Spending per student at
higher education level**

Progression rate into higher
education***

11.7%

HE level

1.0%(OECD average 1.3%)

English domiciled students, aged 17-30
2000/01 - 40%

2005/06 - 43%

See II-2. Organization of the education system, page 8.
The full academic year for higher education runs from 1 August to 31
July. Organization of the teaching year is at the discretion of theindividual institution. Although the organization of teaching
traditionally reflected this three-term system, institutions are
increasingly organizing their teaching along the two-semester
system.
Several universities have introduced courses that run twice a year,with two different start dates: in autumn (as normal) and also in
spring.

Source:* The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Overview of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Irelandwww.mofa.go.jp** Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT): International Comparative Education
Statistics 2008-2009*** Universities UK: Higher Education in Facts and Figures, Summer 2008**** European Commission: Eurybase - The Education System in England, Wales, Northern Ireland 2007/08
www.eurydice.org/

2II. The higher education system
1. History of UK higher education
1) Historical overview
The first universities evolved
The first universities, those of Oxford and Cambridge, evolved as private bodies during the twelfth
and thirteenth centuries. Although other bodies, such as the Inns of Court (law) and Royal Collegesof Medicine and Surgery, became increasingly important as providers of professional training andregulation of competence, it was not until the nineteenth and early twentieth century that the
major civic universities were founded in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. These remained
private foundations, albeit with occasional government financial aid.
In the first half of the twentieth century, a number of university colleges developed, catering
mainly to local students taking University of London external degrees. These subsequently became
universities in their own right.
University education in Scotland also has a long history. Four universities - St Andrews, Glasgow,
Aberdeen and Edinburgh, known collectively as the four ancient Scottish universities, - were
founded in the 15th and 16th centuries. Four further universities were formally established as
independent universities between 1964 and 1967.

Expansion in higher education - the latter half of 20th century
The Barlow Report (1946) recommended a doubling of university student numbers, especially inscience subjects, to meet the need for scientific manpower. Both government subsidy foruniversities and student numbers greatly increased in the immediate postwar period.
The Robbins Report of 1963, published by the Committee on Higher Education, recommended
substantial expansion in higher education. It expressed the view that ‘courses of higher education
should be available to all those who are qualified by ability and attainment to pursue them and whowish to do so’. The principles and recommendations of the Robbins Report formed the basis for thedevelopment of the university sector for subsequent years. Then, a number of ‘new universities’
were founded in the 1960s. (Note: In more recent years, the term ‘new universities’ has come todenote institutions which gained university title since 1992.)
Many institutions had been originally set up by charitable endowment to enable working-class men
and women to advance their general knowledge and industrial skills on a part- or full-time basis.
Such institutions, known as polytechnics, were later maintained and regulated by local authorities.
Other higher education institutions were originally established as colleges for training teachers. A
significant number of these were provided by churches. They were subsequently maintained andregulated by local authorities.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

3

The Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) was established in 1964 for the validation ofprogrammes at higher education institutions, such as polytechnics and higher education colleges,
which did not have their own degree-awarding powers.

1986 - RAE initiated
The first Research Assessment Exercise was carried out in 1986 to provide ratings of the quality of
research conducted in universities and higher education colleges in the UK. The rating are used to
inform allocation of funds by the higher education funding bodies. Further RAEs were carried out
in 1989, 1992, 1996, 2001, and 2008.

The Education Reform Act 1988
Under the Education Reform Act 1988, polytechnics and higher education colleges in England andWales were no longer under local authority control, and became autonomous institutions. The
Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC) and the Universities Funding Council (UFC) werecreated. The PCFC funded over 50 polytechnics and colleges previously funded by local education
authorities. The UFC funded all 52 universities in the UK.

The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 and the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992
The Act dissolved PCFC and UFC, and created new bodies to fund all higher education institutionsin their respective areas of the UK: Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE); Scottish
Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC); and Higher Education Funding Council for Wales(HEFCW). Since April 1993, these bodies have funded all higher education institutions in the UK.
In England and Wales there remained a ‘binary divide’ between the university sector and the
public/polytechnic sector. However, as universities began to offer vocational courses and work
alongside business and their local communities, and non-university institutions undertook
scholarship and research, the distinction between them became increasingly blurred.
Consequently, the Act abolished the division between universities and polytechnics, ending thebinary divide in higher education.
It dissolved CNAA and enabled the former polytechnics to gain degree-awarding powers and to use
the word ‘university’ in their title. Other higher education institutions were able to apply to the
Privy Council for taught degree-awarding powers, research degree-awarding powers and university
title.

1997 - The Dearing Report
During the early 1990s, despite a rapid expansion of the higher education sector, public funding
for institutions fell by around 25 per cent per student, putting considerable pressure on
universities and colleges. In 1994, faced with increasing demand for higher education, thegovernment imposed a ceiling on growth in full-time undergraduate student numbers.
Against this background, in May 1996, the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education4

was established to make recommendations on the purposes, shape, size and funding of higher
education. The Committee, chaired by Sir Ron Dearing, first took the fundamental review of higher
education since the Robbins Report of 1963, and reported in 1997. Key themes andrecommendations included:•

A new ‘compact’ for higher education between the state, individuals and their families,
graduates and institutions in which each should contribute to, and receive benefits from,higher education.

•

An increase and widening of participation, mainly through two-year courses of higher
education provided in colleges of further education.

•

Implementation of measures to improve standards in teaching and to ensure thecomparability of qualifications.

•Greater emphasis on the regional role of universities and colleges.

•

The ability of universities and colleges to govern and manage themselves to obtainmaximum efficiency and effectiveness.

•

Support of excellence in research.

The Committee also made a number of recommendations concerning the funding of higher
education, including a proposal that full-time students in higher education should pay some of thecosts of their tuition fees. The government response to the Dearing Report was published in 1998.

1997 - QAA established
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) was established to provide an integrated
quality assurance service for UK higher education. It is an independent body funded bysubscriptions from universities and colleges of higher education, and through contracts with themain higher education funding councils.

The Higher Education Act 2004
In October 2001, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) announced a wide-ranging andfundamental review to help the higher education sector improve and expand. This announcement
was followed up in January 2003, by the White Paper, ‘The Future of Higher Education’, which set
out the government's strategy for the reform of higher education in England, as well as a number ofmeasures which would affect the rest of the UK. The strategy focused on packages of measures insix key areas:•

Strengthening research through increased spending•

Improving links between higher education and business•

Promoting excellence in teaching in higher education through the creation of new
professional standards and a new national body•Continuing to expand higher education to increase participation towards 50 per cent•Ensuring fair access to higher education for young people from lower-income families•

Reforming funding through the introduction of a new graduate contribution scheme

The Higher Education Act 2004 legislated for these proposals. The Act allowed higher education

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

5

institutions in England to charge variable tuition fees of up to £3,000 per year, rising only with
inflation until an independent review is undertaken in 2009. The Act also introduced newarrangements for student support, allowing students to take out a tuition fee loan for the fullamount of their fees, and providing a means-tested maintenance grant.
One of the Government’s main aims for higher education is to raise and widen participation. The
Act established the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) in England. OFFA is an independent body, separate
from, but supported by, HEFCE. The main role of OFFA is to promote and safeguard fair access tohigher education for under-represented groups, in the light of the introduction of variable tuition
fees in 2006-07. Any institution that intends to charge the maximum tuition fee needs an ‘Access
Agreement’ approved by the Director of OFFA. Although OFFA covers England only, there aresimilar arrangements in place in Northern Ireland.
Following the White Paper of 2003, which proposed the creation of a Teaching Quality Academy,
the Higher Education Academy (HEA) was set up in 2004 to work with the UK higher education
community to enhance the student experience. The HEA has worked with institutions andprofessional bodies to develop national professional standards in higher education teaching.

2) Recent developments: 2007 to the present
DIUS created
A new government department with responsibility for higher education, the Department for
Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), was created in June 2007 with the mission to invest inscience and research, skills and innovation to secure the future prosperity of the UK. DIUS bring
together responsibilities for higher education previously held by DfES and the Department ofTrade and Industry. DIUS had six Departmental Strategic Objectives:•

Improving skills•

Building social and community cohesion•

Pursuing excellence in research and knowledge•

Accelerating commercial exploitation of creativity and knowledge•

Strengthening further and higher education•

Encouraging science and innovation in the public sector

These departmental objectives support the wider government objectives set out in DIUS’ two PublicService Agreements (PSAs). PSAs are agreed targets that define the key improvements that the
public can expect government to deliver for the period from April 2008 until March 2011.

•

PSA 2: Improve the skills of the population, on the way to ensuring a world-class skills baseby 2020•

PSA 4: Promote world-class science and innovation in the UK

With regard to the Objective ‘Strengthening further and higher education’, DIUS launched awide-ranging debate on the future of higher education, seeking contributions from individuals,

6higher education organizations and employers. This debate will result in the publication of a new
HE framework for England setting out a vision for higher education over the next 10 to 15 years.

BIS created
In June 2009, the government created a new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS),
whose role is to build Britain’s capabilities to compete in the global economy. The new Department
was created by merging the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and
DIUS to form a single department committed to building Britain’s future economic strength.
BIS is the institutional realization of the approach to promoting British competitiveness andproductivity as set out in the White Paper ‘Building Britain’s Future: New Industry, New Jobs’,
produced jointly by BERR and DIUS in April 2009.
In November 2009, the Government has unveiled a new framework for the future success of higher
education, setting out the important role universities will play in securing the country’s economic
recovery and long term prosperity. The higher education framework, Higher Ambitions, sets out astrategy for universities to remain world class, providing the nation with the high level skills
needed to remain competitive, while continuing to attract the brightest students and researchers.
Key measures set out in the framework include:•

More competition between universities, giving greater priority to programmes that meet theneed for high level skills;•

Business to be more engaged in the funding and design of programmes, sponsorship ofstudents, and work placements;•

Creating more part-time, work-based and foundation degrees to make it easier for adults to
go to university, with routes from apprenticeships through to Foundation Degrees and othervocational programmes;•

Encouraging universities to consider contextual data in admissions, as one way of ensuringthat higher education is available to all young people who have the ability to benefit;•

Universities setting out clearly what students can expect in terms of the nature and qualityof courses offered;•

Sustaining our world class research base by continuing to focus on excellence, concentrating
research funding where needed to secure critical mass and impact; and•Encouraging collaboration between universities on world class research, especially in highcost science.

Source: European Commission: Eurybase - The Education System in England, Wales, Northern Ireland 2007/08
www.eurydice.org/
European Commission: Eurybase - The Education System in Scotland 2007/08

www.eurydice.org/

Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Higher Education in the United Kingdom, 2005
Department for Education and Skills (DfES): The future of higher education, 2003
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS): Departmental Report 2009, 2009
Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) Website: Announcements - New Department for
Business, Innovation & Skills to lead fight against recession and build now for future prosperity
http://www.dius.gov.uk/news_and_speeches/announcements/bis
Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS): Higher Ambitions, 2009

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

7

2. Organization of the educational system
A wide range of institutions will deliver courses at each level - from schools and colleges to further
education colleges and universities. These levels - primary, secondary, 16 to 19, further educationand higher education - are broadly explained below.

Higher education‘Higher education’ is provided by a number of universities, higher
education colleges and a small number of university colleges.

Further education

Further education colleges and many six form centres provide various
courses for students of all ages.

16 to 19 education

Post-16 education provision is provided by a number of institutions many secondary schools will provide ‘tertiary education’ for ages 16+
to 18+.
Provision is also available from six form colleges or tertiary colleges(England and Wales only) and also further education colleges.

Secondary education‘Secondary education’ is compulsory across the UK between 11 and 16.
(In England, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
has confirmed plans to raise the ‘schools leaving age’ in England to 18
by 2013.)
Most pupils will move from a primary school to a secondary school atage 11, although in some areas there are middle schools that cater tochildren from the age of 8 or 9 to 12 or 13.

Primary education‘Primary education’ is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 11 inEngland, Wales and Scotland (4 and 11 in Northern Ireland).

Concerning the Diagram of education system in each administrative part of the UK, the following
information in the Eurybase (www.eurydice.org/) will be useful:
For England, Wales, Northern Ireland - Eurybase: The Education System in England, Wales,
Northern Ireland 2007/08, ‘6. Higher Education’, page 1
For Scotland - Eurybase: The Education System in Scotland, ‘6. Tertiary Level Education’, page 79.
Source: Higher Education and Research Opportunities (HERO): Structure of education provision in the United
Kingdom www.hero.ac.uk

8

3. Types of institution
1) Overview
Universities
Universities are diverse, ranging in size, mission, subject mix and history. They are self-governingand independent. In England, the older universities were established by Royal Charter or statute or
Act of Parliament. The Privy Council has the power to grant university status to an institution thathas necessary characteristics.
Former polytechnics were given the status of universities under the Further and Higher Education
Act 1992. These are sometimes called ‘new’ universities, although many of them have their origins
in vocational colleges that have a long history. The existing ‘old’ universities include manyfounded in the 1950s and 1960s, the ‘civic’ universities, founded by Royal Charter in major cities
in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and the first colleges of the University of Wales, which were
established in the 19th and early and mid 20th centuries.
Universities have their own degree-awarding powers. They range in size from under 4,500 students
to over 32,000 students. The combined schools and colleges of the University of London have over
124,000 students; and the Open University, whose part-time students study by distance learning,
is even larger with over 158,000 students.
There is one privately funded university – the University of Buckingham, which provides courses
mainly in business, information systems and law.

Colleges
Higher education colleges also vary in size, mission, subject mix and history. Like universities,
they are self-governing and independent. Some colleges were founded up to 150 years ago, and asignificant number were established as church colleges. Some award their own degrees and otherqualifications; in other colleges, qualifications are validated by a university or national accrediting
body.
Higher education colleges with degree awarding powers and over 4,000 students are eligible toapply for university title. Smaller colleges with degree awarding powers can apply to the Privy
Council for the right to use the title of ‘university college’.
Colleges range in size from small specialist institutions with 460 students, to large multi-discipline
institutions of 13,700 students. The average size of higher education colleges in the UK is 3,500
students. Many colleges cover a wide range of subjects, while some specialise in one or two areas,such as art and design, dance and drama, agriculture, or nursing.

Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Higher Education in the United Kingdom, 2005

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

92) Statistics
Number of institutions (As of August 2008)
Higher Education Institutions

Universities*

England133

90

Scotland

20

14

Wales

12

3

Northern Ireland

4

2

169

109

UK total* Federal institutions such as the University of Wales and the University of London are counted as one
university. This list excludes foreign higher education institutions operating in the UK.
The Open University operates in all countries of the UK; its headquarters is based in England.

Number of students (by mode of study, 2007/08)
Undergraduates
Full-time

Postgraduates

Part-time

Full-timePart-timeAll

England1,011,955

493,060

206,865

210,300

1,922,180

Scotland

123,290

35,62026,32024,955

210,180

Wales

66,81035,475

11,405

11,855125,540

Northern Ireland

29,950

8,810

3,790

5,645

48,2001,232,005

572,965

248,380

252,755

2,306,105

UK total

Academic staff at higher education institutions (by grade, 2006/07)
Full-timePart-time

Total

Professors

14,915

1,570

16,485

Senior lecturers & researchers

28,9704,680

33,650

Lecturers

31,14520,78551,930Researchers

30,7705,970

36,740

Other grades

7,880

23,31031,190113,685

56,310169,995

Total

Source: Universities UK: Higher Education in Facts and Figures, Summer 2008
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA): Students data by institution, table0, 2007/08; Staff data tables,
Summary of academic staff (excluding atypical) in all UK institutions, 2006/07
http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/component/option,com_datatables/Itemid,121/

10

4. Admission
Determination of student numbers
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, overall student numbers for the higher education sector asa whole are determined by the government. The higher education funding bodies make allocations
to institutions to meet overall student number plans and set targets for student numbers to
institutions. The purpose of these targets is to ensure that institutions deliver teaching activity forthe funding provided.
For a few subject areas, there is a greater degree of central control. Undergraduate medical anddental courses are subject to quotas, in order to ensure that the number of medical and dental
students required to meet national needs is delivered. Nursing and midwifery provision is largely
funded by the health authorities which contract with institutions for the delivery of specified
numbers of trainee nurses and midwives.

Entry/admission requirements
The traditional requirement for entry to degree study is two or three General Certificate of
Education Advanced-level (GCE A-level) passes, as well as a minimum number of General Certificate
of Secondary Education (GCSE) passes at grade C or above. These remain the most common form ofentry qualification held by young entrants to higher education. However, many entrants to higher
education are now older (over 21) and many such mature entrants hold other qualifications.
A wide range of other qualifications is acceptable for entry. They include GCE A-levels in applied
subjects (formerly Vocational Certificates of Education (VCEs), Edexcel BTEC National
Qualifications and the International Baccalaureate. In Wales, a Welsh Baccalaureate qualification isavailable in several schools and colleges; the Advanced qualification is also acceptable for entry tohigher education institutions.
Access courses provide another route, particularly for mature entrants. These programmes wereoriginally designed for students over the age of 21 without formal qualifications but, since 2003-04,
the lower age limit has been reduced to 19. Some access courses provide guaranteed entry to
specific undergraduate courses on successful completion.
Most institutions also welcome applications from mature candidates who have had appropriate
experience but may lack formal qualifications. Many institutions give credit for prior study andinformal learning acquired through work or other experiences (Accreditation of Prior Learning(APL) or Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)).
It is the individual institution that determines the admissions requirements for each programme.
These requirements are set out in the institution’s undergraduate prospectus. Many courses
require some or all of the qualifications for entry to be in specific subjects or range of subjects andat specific grades. Institutions and programmes vary in terms of the competition for places. For
some highly oversubscribed programmes, such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and law,

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

11

applicants may be required to take an additional admissions test. Examples of such tests include
the Bio Medical Admissions Test and the UK Clinical Aptitude Test.
In 2002, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) introduced a points scoring
system for expressing entry requirements to higher education. The ‘UCAS Tariff’ establishes
agreed comparability between different types of qualifications including Scottish and Irish
qualifications, the Welsh Baccalaureate, the International Baccalaureate and some vocational
qualifications. However, higher education institutions are not obliged to express their entry
requirements in these terms.
In all cases it is the individual institution which decides which applicants will be offered a place.

Admissions procedures
UCAS is the single clearing-house for applications for admission to full-time undergraduate (firstcycle) courses at all higher education institutions in the UK. UCAS is a company limited byguarantee and a charity. UCAS does not set admissions requirements or decide on the admission ofindividual students, but provides information to prospective students on the choice of course,
institution and entry qualifications normally required.
Applications must be made to UCAS by 15 January for entry the following September (by 15
October for applications to Oxford or Cambridge universities, or to courses of medicine, dentistry
or veterinary medicine). Applicants may only submit one UCAS application form in each year's
application cycle, although the application form may include up to five courses (only four for
medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or veterinary science courses).
As well as grades obtained in nationally recognized qualifications, the application form requires apersonal statement from the applicant and a reference which assesses the applicant’s suitability
for higher education. Students who wish to enter higher education straight from school or college
apply before they have obtained their final qualifications, and the school or college reference
therefore includes predicted grades. Based on this information, and sometimes after interviewing
applicants, each institution named on an application form decides whether to make an offer. If theapplicant has not yet obtained their qualifications, the offer will be conditional, and will specify
the grades that must be obtained. When examination results are published in mid-August, theinstitution confirms the offer of a place if the applicant has met the conditions. If the applicant
holds no offers, or if the offer(s) are not confirmed, she/he is eligible for ‘Clearing’, a UCAS service
that matches applicants without places to courses with vacancies.
UCAS does not handle applications for part-time or postgraduate courses; for these programmesapplicants must apply direct to the institution.
In Scotland, the usual entry requirement for higher education courses is a group of awards at
grades A-C in the National Qualifications Higher or Advanced Higher level examinations set by the
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), or qualifications deemed by a higher education institution
to be equivalent to these. For many higher education courses the candidate needs to hold awards at

12

specified levels. Awards in GCSE and GCE Advanced Level (or the equivalent) are also accepted. For
some higher education courses, particularly Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National
Diploma (HND), a group of appropriate National Certificate (NC) awards (often achieved in college
courses) may be acceptable.
UCAS processes most applications for entry to higher education institutions in Scotland. It
distributes them to the individual institutions and enables candidates to apply to several
institutions on one form. For some courses, for example in art and design and in social work, there
are other arrangements, which are detailed in the Entrance Guide to Higher Education in Scotland.
Applications from outside Scotland to pursue a higher education course are considered
individually to ascertain the acceptability of entry qualifications.
The higher education institutions welcome applications from mature students (defined as
applicants over the age of 21) as well as from school leavers. A range of specially designed courses
prepare adults both for higher education in general and for particular courses. Such "access"courses include a range of SQA units or courses, successful completion of which may lead to an
SQA award. Many "access" courses guarantee a place in higher education on successful completion.
Source: European Commission: Eurybase - The Education System in England, Wales, Northern Ireland 2007/08
www.eurydice.org/
European Commission: Eurybase - The Education System in Scotland 2007/08

www.eurydice.org/

5. Courses and qualifications
1) Courses
Undergraduate courses
The normal minimum age for an undergraduate to start a course is 18, or 17 in Scotland. First
degree courses generally take three years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Sandwich
courses, which include periods of practical work in organizations outside the university or college,
usually last four years, as do certain specialist courses. Some vocational degrees require longer
educational training years, for example medicine, dentistry and architecture. In Scotland
undergraduate programmes are offered both on a three-year basis, leading to a general degree, andon a four-year basis, leading to an honours degree.

Postgraduate courses
Postgraduate courses vary greatly. They can be taught, or conducted through research programmes,
or a combination of both, and can be part-time or full-time. Postgraduate taught programmes
usually last one year full-time or two years part-time. Research programmes normally last three
years for full-time students and over four years for part-time students. These normally require thestudent to complete a written thesis.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom13

In 2001, alternatives to traditional PhD courses introduced. The programmes will be completed
over three to four years, and will combine a specific research project with a coherent programme offormal coursework in the chosen subject area and training in research. Students will also have theopportunity to develop the personal qualities and advanced skills necessary to make themattractive to prospective employers or enable them to enter an academic career.

2) Credits
Credits are awarded to students who have shown that they have successfully completed a module,
unit or qualification, which means students need to meet the specific set of learning outcomes forthe unit, module or qualification. Also, a student must reach the minimum standard, known as thethreshold or pass, in the assessment(s). The minimum standard expected for a pass is set out in ahigher education institution's assessment regulations.

The case of England
The credit value indicates both ‘how much’ learning (the amount) is expected and ‘how hard’ it is(the relative level of difficulty).
‘how much’ - The amount of learning indicated by a credit value is based on an estimate that isworked out using the idea of notional hours of learning. The number of notional hours indicates
how long it will take for a typical student to achieve these learning outcomes. All types oflearning are included in the estimate of notional hours of learning, including formal classes, self
study, revision and assessment. UK higher education institutions that use credit as a unit ofacademic performance have agreed that one credit represents 10 notional hours of learning.
‘how hard’ - Eight credit levels are used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; of these levels 4
to 8 represent the types of work undertaken in higher education: the credit level of 8 is typical of
the learning expected of a doctorate; 7 - a masters degree; 6 - the last part of a bachelors degree;
5 - the last part of a Foundation Degree; middle part of a bachelors degree; and 4 the first part ofHE study. Higher education institutions use credit level descriptors to help work out the level oflearning in individual modules and units.

3) Qualifications
Undergraduate level
The main undergraduate qualification awarded by higher education institutions is the first degreecommonly known as a bachelors degree. Other undergraduate qualifications include: Higher
National Diploma (HND), Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Diploma in Higher Education(DipHE) which usually take one or two years to complete. Foundation degrees were launched in
2001; they take two years to complete and are mainly vocational.

14

Graduate level
Qualifications include diplomas and certificates, such as the Postgraduate Certificate in Education(PGCE); masters degrees, for example Master of Science (MSc); and doctorates, for example, Doctorof Philosophy (PhD).
Some example of qualifications
ExamplesUndergraduate
qualifications

Vocational qualifications

Higher National Diploma (HND)
Higher National Certificate (HNC)

Foundation degrees

First degrees

Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Bachelor of Science (BSc)

Postgraduate
qualifications

Diplomas and certificates

Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip)
Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert)

Masters degrees

Master of Arts (MA)Master of Science (MSc)

Doctorates

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Qualifications frameworks
National qualifications frameworks for the UK higher education have been in existence since 2001.
There are two types - one in Scotland and the other covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland,
which have been developed by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).
The two qualification frameworks describe the main attributes of the major higher education
qualifications –the levels of achievement they represent. The frameworks are designed to ensurethat universities use the titles of qualifications consistently and as a tool to ensure that they assign
the appropriate level to new qualifications that they are developing. They therefore provide a
crucial set of points of reference for setting and assessing the standards of their courses. In thisway they also assist external examiners and QAA reviewers. They are also intended as a guide forprospective students and employers so they can see how different qualifications relate to one
another and thus what might be the next step in their progression.

4) Transcripts
Each higher education institution can provide its student with a record of their accumulated credits.
In many cases this is in the form of a transcript that is produced annually, on completion of the
programme, or both. This record can be a particularly useful document for students who want totake a break from learning and return to study later, or transfer their credits.
The forms of these transcripts vary. However, as part of the Bologna Process, which aims to create
Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

15

greater consistency and compatibility within European higher education, all UK higher education
institutions are now moving towards issuing the European Diploma Supplement. In England, Walesand Northern Ireland, higher education institutions began to introduce the Diploma Supplementfrom 2004/05 and the majority of institutions now issue it.

5) Degree awarding powers
In the UK, higher education academic qualifications are not national awards, but are granted byindividual institutions. All universities have the legal power to develop their own courses andaward their own degrees, and determine the conditions on which they are awarded. Some higher
education colleges and specialist institutions without these powers offer programmes, withvarying extents of devolved authority, leading to the degrees of an institution which does havethem.

6) Student assessment - to test intended learning outcomes
In higher education, ‘assessment’ describes any processes that appraise an individual’s knowledge,
understanding, abilities or skills. There are many different forms of assessment, serving a varietyof purposes. The ‘Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher
education: Section 6: Assessment of students’, developed by QAA, states that good assessment
practice is designed to ensure that, in order to pass the module or programme, students have todemonstrate they have achieved the intended learning outcomes. It provides a series of precepts
considered important in designing and implementing assessments of student achievement ofintended learning outcomes.

Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Higher Education in the United Kingdom, 2005
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Academic credit in Higher Education in
England, 2006
European Commission: Eurybase - The Education System in England, Wales, Northern Ireland 2007/08
www.eurydice.org/
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Code of practice for the assurance of academic
quality and standards in higher education: Section 6: Assessment of students, 2006
Universities UK, Quality and standards in UK universities: A guide to how the system works, 2008

6. Responsible authorities and higher education related bodies
Government departments
Government departments are responsible for overall public policy towards higher education. They
are the source of the public funds that support higher education institutions.

•

16

In England: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)>> www.bis.gov.uk

•In Scotland: The Scottish Government•

In Wales: The Welsh Assembly Government >> www.wales.gov.uk•

In Northern Ireland: Department for Employment and Learning (DEL)>> www.scotland.gov.uk>> www.delni.gov.uk

Higher education funding councils
In England, Scotland and Wales, government funds are distributed by higher education funding
councils. They act as intermediaries between Government departments and higher education
institutions.

•

Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)>> www.hefce.ac.uk•

Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW)>> www.hefcw.ac.uk•

Scottish Funding Council (SFC)>> www.sfc.ac.uk

Representative organizations•

Universities UK (UUK)>> www.universitiesuk.ac.uk

UUK promotes and supports the work of UK universities.

•

GuildHE >> www.guildhe.ac.uk
Represents higher education colleges in England and Northern Ireland.

•

Higher Education Wales>> www.hew.ac.uk

Represents higher education institutions in Wales.

•

Universities Scotland>> www.universities-scotland.ac.uk

Represents higher education institutions in Scotland.

Quality assurance organization•

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)>> www.qaa.ac.uk

Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Higher Education in the United Kingdom, 2005
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): An introduction to QAA, 2009

7. Student unions
A students’ union is a student organization dedicated to managing the social and organizational
activities of the student body. Many students’ unions are run by students for students,
independent of the university. The purpose of the organization is to represent students’ views
within the university and sometimes on local and national issues. It is also responsible forproviding a variety of services to students. Students can get involved in its management, throughnumerous and varied committees, councils and general meetings, or become one of its elected
officers. Typical posts include president and vice president, treasurer and secretary, social
committee and publicly posts and officers or representatives for women, men, equal opportunities.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

17

Not all universities are part of the National Union of Students (NUS), but most have a union. NUS isa voluntary membership organization which makes a real difference to the lives of students and its
member students’ unions. It is a confederation of 600 students’ unions, amounting to more than 95
percent of all higher and further education unions in the UK. Through its member students’ unions,
it represents the interests of more than seven million students.

Source: Higher Education and Research Opportunities (HERO): Student unions
National Union of Students (NUS): About NUS

www.hero.ac.uk

www.nus.org.uk

8. Tuition fees
Tuition fees charged to full-time undergraduate (first cycle) home and EU students are regulated bygovernment. Fees charged to part-time students, all overseas students and all postgraduate
students are not regulated and are determined by the institution. Under the Teaching and Higher
Education Act 1998, full-time undergraduate students beginning a course in the academic year
1998/99 were required for the first time to pay means-tested tuition fees.
Since September 2006, universities and colleges have been able to charge new students a maximumof around £3,000 a year for their courses. Not all universities will charge this maximum amount fees charged may vary from university to university or even from course to course.
For 2008 entry, universities and colleges in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have charged newstudents up to £3,145 a year for their courses. In Scotland, universities and colleges have notcharged tuition fees for full-time courses to those already living in Scotland. (For those not alreadyliving in Scotland a fixed rate fee of around £1,735 a year (£2,760 for medical courses) applies). The
maximum fee charged does not rise by more than the rate of inflation before 2010 at the earliest.
Source: European Commission: Eurybase - The Education System in England, Wales, Northern Ireland 2007/08
www.eurydice.org/
Higher Education and Research Opportunities (HERO): Expenses

www.hero.ac.uk

9. Financial support for students
The main sources of help for full-time students are student loans, non-repayable grants, andbursaries from universities and colleges.

Student Loans
All eligible students can get help with tuition fees and living costs through Student Loans. Students
will be able to take out two student loans per academic year: a Student Loan for Tuition Fees, and aStudent Loan for Maintenance (living costs). Loans are provided by the Student Loans Company, or
the Students Awards Agency in Scotland.

18

Student Loan for Tuition Fees: Students will not have to find the money to pay for their fees either
before or during their studies. Instead, all eligible full-time students can get a Student Loan for
Tuition Fees of up to £3,145 a year to meet their course costs. This is a non-commercial loan fromthe Government. The money is paid directly to their college or university on their behalf and they
only have to start repaying it once they have left and are earning over £15,000 a year.
Student Loan for Maintenance: How much students can get depends on where they decide to live
and study, as well as their income and that of their household. It will also depend on how much of
the Maintenance Grant they are entitled to.

Maximum student loans for maintenance in England
Maximum annual loan available
If a student lives away from his/her parents’ home

£6,475and (s)he studies in London
If a student lives away from his/her parents’ home

£4,625and (s)he studies outside London
If a student lives at his/her parents’ home

£3,580Non-repayable grants
This is non-repayable maintenance grants to help with general living costs and available to those
new full-time students entering higher education. The amount of the grants varies according tostudent’s household income. In England, income thresholds for non-repayable maintenance grants
from September 2008 have been increased substantially. New full-time students with a householdincome of £25,000 or less are eligible for the full grant of £2,835 per year, with partial grants
available to those with a household income of up to £60,005.

Bursaries from universities and colleges
Bursaries are non-repayable support offered by a university or college which students belong to. A
typical bursary can be around £1,000 and this is additional to the financial help from thegovernment.

Grants for part-time students
The main sources of financial help for part-time students are different from those available tofull-time students. Depending on their circumstances, they may be able to apply for the part-time
fee grant and course grant. How much they can get depends on their household income andpersonal circumstances.

Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Higher Education in the United Kingdom, 2005
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS): How to get financial help as a student 2008/09,
2007
Directgov - Education and learning: Student finance www.direct.gov.uk

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

1910. Modes of study
Courses offered by UK universities and colleges can often be studied in a number of different ways
- as a full-time student, a part-time student or by distance learning.

Full-time study
Timetabled hours (those taken up with scheduled lectures, seminars, tutorials etc.) will vary fromcourse to course. Hours may also vary from term to term (or from year to year) as teachingelements or modules change. As well as timetabled hours, many courses will stipulate a required
number of self-directed study hours that are deemed necessary to succeed in the course.

Part-time study or flexible study
Not all higher education courses are available on a part-time basis, but a good many are. This isparticularly true of postgraduate, vocational and non-degree courses.

Distance learning
The growth of the internet has enabled many people (from both the UK and around the world) tostudy with UK universities and colleges through distance learning. Many institutions provide
online university classes and courses. Distance learning courses are available at many levels,
including degree and postgraduate qualifications.

Source: Higher Education and Research Opportunities (HERO): choosing your mode of study

11. Legislations•

Education Reform Act 1988•

Further and Higher Education Act 1992•

Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992•

Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998•

Higher Education Act 2004•

Higher Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2005•

Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 200520

www.hero.ac.uk

III. The quality assurance system
1. Summary of the UK quality assurance system
The UK higher education is characterized by a diversity and complexity of the system. There are
four systems, one in each of the administrative parts of the UK: in England, Scotland, Wales, andNorthern Ireland. The differences in the systems are real and they reflect different nationalsettings and structures, but the similarities across the UK are greater, especially in relation to theprinciples that underpin responsibilities for quality assurance, that is, each higher education
institution has the responsibility for assuring the quality of the education it provides and thestandards of the qualification it offers.
Institutions have their own internal quality assurance processes to address their responsibilities,
principally, through the design and approval, monitoring and review of their programmes, and also
in the assessment of students’ learning and achievements. In addition, they are expected to haveexternality in their internal processes. This is through the involvement of external experts in theapproval of their programmes and the involvement of external examiners in the assessment of
their students’ learning.
Thus, the assurance of standards and quality in the UK is led by the higher education institutions
themselves. In addition, they are externally checked and assured by QAA’s schemes and otherinitiatives.
The underlying principle for external quality assurance is that it should provide public confidence
that higher education institutions are exercising their responsibilities for the academic standards
and quality of what they are offering. External review activities are one component in the quality
assurance framework (non-legislative), which comprises four elements:•

Institutional audits and reviews•

The academic infrastructure•

Published information about quality and standards in individual institution- Teaching quality information•

Student surveys

Besides these elements, a number of external quality assurance schemes have been undertaken by
the funding bodies, the Higher Education Academy, professional, statutory and regulatory bodies,and other related bodies.
Source: National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (NIAD-UE), University Evaluation
Forum, Presentation by Carolyn Campbell, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 2008
Universities UK, Quality and standards in UK universities: A guide to how the system works, 2008

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

21

2. Internal quality assurance
Each university is a degree awarding body in its own right and is responsible for its own quality andstandards. Individual universities have the primary, longstanding and legal responsibility for
managing their quality to ensure that their students have a good experience and for maintaining
standards to protect the value and currency of awards. Universities fulfill their responsibilities forassuring standards and quality through:•regulations for awarding degrees and other qualifications;•procedures for the design, approval, monitoring and review of the courses of study they
offer;•

the assessment of students, which includes making use of external examiners;•

mechanisms designed to engage and involve students, with the aim of involving them as‘co-creators in their own learning’, in all aspects of quality assurance;•

responding to feedback and interaction with students, employers and professional,
statutory and regulatory bodies;•exchanging good practice, and dialogue with other universities and QAA, and participationin collective quality initiatives; and•cooperation with the QAA and funding council requirements for regular institutional review,
including the provision of publicly available information.

Each university discharges these responsibilities with reference to the QAA Code of Practice and
QAA, in turn, checks how they do this through its review process which results in a publishedstatement about the degree of confidence that can be placed in each university’s ability to manage
standards and quality.

External examiners
All UK universities have long made use of a network of independent and impartial academic
advisers, called external examiners. External examining provides one of the principal means formaintaining nationally comparable standards within autonomous higher education institutions,the external examiner being one of a number of independent and impartial advisers used by them.
The mechanisms employed by institutions to maintain and enhance academic standards will vary,depending on individual mission, size, curriculum structures and other factors. However, that all
institutions will use external examiners to help them monitor the academic standards of theirawards, except those granted on an honorary basis. External examiners provide institutions withinformed comment on the standards set and student achievement in relation to those standards.
External examiners are drawn from other institutions, or from areas of relevant professional
practice. External examiners report to the Vice-Chancellor of the university on whether the
standards set are appropriate, by referring both to their experience of standards in otheruniversities, and to the academic infrastructure established by the QAA. External examiner reports
have significant status within the university. They are directed to the Vice-Chancellor and areconsidered at, and used by, the department and university in internal quality assurance

22committees.
Source: Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), Code of practice for the academic quality andstandards in higher education, Section 4: External examining, 2004
Universities UK, Quality and standards in UK universities: A guide to how the system works, 2008

3. External quality assurance framework
1) Institutional audits and reviews
In addition to their own systems for safeguarding standards and enhancing the quality of theirprovision, universities are also subject to a rigorous external review process conducted by QAA.
The QAA undertakes regular, formal, external reviews of universities, called ‘Institutional Audit’ inEngland and Northern Ireland, ‘Institutional Review’ in Wales, and ‘Enhancement-led Institutional
Review’ in Scotland. The characteristics and differences among these reviews are indicated below:

Review•England/N. Ireland: Institutional audit•

Scotland: Enhancement-led institutional review•

Wales: Institutional review

Target and cycle•

England/N. Ireland: involving all universities and colleges of higher education on a six-year cycle•

Scotland: involving all universities over a four-year cycle•

Wales: involving all universities over a six-year cycle

Self-assessment document•

England/N. Ireland: Institutional briefing paper. Visiting teams will use it to consider the extent
to which institutional level approaches to quality enhancement make systematic use ofmanagement information.

•

Scotland: Reflective analysis (RA). Universities use it to document their entire range of
quality assurance and enhancement activities.

•

Wales: Self-evaluation document (SED).

Student submissions•

England/N. Ireland: Student representatives expected to make a separate submission of theirown alongside the institution’s document•

Scotland: Students do not make a separate submission, but are involved at each stage of theinstitutional process of submitting RA.

•

Wales: Students encouraged to make separate submission if they wish

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

23

Visits•

England/N. Ireland: In two parts: A ‘briefing visit’, lasting three days, followed by the formal
audit visit, which usually lasts five days.

•

Scotland: Usually last between five and seven days, in two parts•

Wales: Usually last between five an seven days, in two parts

Judgments•

England/N. Ireland: As well as a summary judgment about the soundness of the university’s
management of the quality of its courses and the academic standards of its awards, review
team also makes a comment on the accuracy, integrity, completeness and frankness of theinformation that the institution publishes about the quality of its courses and the academic
standards of its awards.

•

Scotland: Summary judgments are made about the soundness of the university’s
management of the quality of its courses and the academic standards of its awards.

•

Wales: As well as a summary judgment about the soundness of the university’s managementof the quality of its courses and the academic standards of its awards, a comment is also
made about the accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information that an institution
publishes.

Recommendations•

England/N. Ireland: The published report includes the audit team’s recommendations forconsideration by the institution, categorized in order of priority: ‘essential’, ‘advisable’ or‘desirable’.

•

Scotland: These are contained in the body of the text.

•

Wales: These are contained in the body of the text.

Follow-up•

England/N. Ireland: A paper-based exercise in which the QAA looks at developments since theaudit. The institution is asked to comment on actions they have taken since the audit reportand any other changes. Follow-up occurs at the three-year mid-cycle point.

•

Scotland: One year after review, the university provides written update to QAA indicating
action to be taken in the light of its report. This provides basis for discussion at the annual
meeting each institution has with the Agency.

•

Wales: The reviewed university submits a written progress report to the QAA in mid cycle,
prior to a meeting between the institution and the Agency.

2) The academic infrastructure
QAA and the UK higher education sector have worked together to develop the academic
infrastructure. This set of UK-wide agreed guidelines and reference points is key to setting and24maintaining quality and standards across UK higher education. It includes four components: (1)The Code of Practice; (2) The frameworks for higher education qualifications (FHEQ); (3) Subject
benchmark statements; and (4) Programme specifications.
In a mass participation in higher education, students, parents and employers all need clear
information about courses and qualifications. In 1997, the National Committee of Inquiry into
Higher Education addressed the concerns of employers who wanted to know what they could
expect from graduates who were candidates for jobs, calling for ‘greater explicitness and clarity
about standards and the levels of achievement required for different awards’. Institutions alsoneed to have a clear understanding of the criteria against which they will be judged in reviews. QAA
helps to define clear and explicit standards, for public information and as nationally agreed
reference points. QAA has worked with the higher education sector and other stakeholders on thefollowing initiatives.

(1) The Code of Practice
The Code of Practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education has
10 sections and offers guidelines for universities and colleges on good practice in the managementof academic standards and quality.
10 sections - (1) Postgraduate research programmes; (2) Collaborative provision; (3) Students
with disabilities; (4) External examining; (5) Academic appeals and student complaints on
academic matters; (6) Assessment of students; (7) Programme approval, monitoring and review;(8) Career education, information and guidance; (9) Placement learning; and (10) Recruitment andadmissions.
Each section of the Code of Practice has been prepared in consultation with the higher education
sector and with the participation of key stakeholder groups. As such it represents a consensus of
the providers and users of UK higher education. Each section indicates the key issues that an
institution should consider the respective areas of activity. The precepts encapsulate the mattersthat an institution could reasonably be expected to address through its own quality assurance
arrangements. The accompanying guidance/explanation suggests possible ways by which those
expectations might be met and demonstrated.
Every institution, regardless of its size, subject base, physical environment, population mix,
traditions etc, should find that the Code of Practice is of relevance to it. Institutions will not be
asked about their adherence to the Code of Practice on a precept by precept basis. They will be
expected to explain in their self-evaluation documents how they have addressed the intentions of
the precepts, including any resulting changes to their practices.

(2) The frameworks for higher education qualifications (FHEQ)
These describe the levels of achievement and attributes represented by the main qualification
titles, such as bachelor’s degree with honours, or master’s degree. There are two frameworks - one

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

25

for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and one for Scotland.
The FHEQ should enable higher education providers to communicate with employers; schools;
parents; prospective students; professional, statutory and regulatory bodies (PSRBs); and otherstakeholders the achievements and attributes represented by the typical higher education
qualification titles.
QAA auditors and reviewers use the FHEQ as a reference point when auditing or reviewing theestablishment and management of academic standards by higher education providers. In
particular, auditors and reviewers look at how institutions align the academic standards of theirawards with the levels referred to in the FHEQ. They also ascertain whether institutions have meansof ensuring that awards and qualifications are of an academic standard at least consistent with thestandards referred to in the FHEQ.
The FHEQ has five levels, three of which are undergraduate and two are postgraduate. These arenumbered 4-8. The levels of the FHEQ, with examples of typical qualifications at each level, arerepresented in the following table.
Increasingly, higher education institutions, students and employers operate and compete in a
European and international context. The frameworks for higher education qualifications
throughout the UK are designed to meet the expectations of the Bologna Declaration and thus alignwith The Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area (FQ-EHEA). As such,the labels used to distinguish the different levels of the FQ-EHEA (short cycle, first cycle, second
cycle and third cycle) have also been incorporated into the FHEQ:
Typical higher education qualifications within eachlevel
Doctoral degrees (eg, PhD/Dphil, EdD)

FHEQ
Level

Corresponding
FQ-EHEA cycle

8

Third cycle (end of cycle)
qualifications

Master’s degrees (eg, Mphil, Mlitt)

Second cycle (end of cycle)
qualifications

Integrated master’s degrees (eg, MEng, Mchem)
Postgraduate diplomas

7

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
Postgraduate certificates
Bachelor’s degrees with honours (eg, BA/BSc Hons)First cycle (end of cycle)
qualifications

Bachelor’s degrees
Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

6

Graduate diplomas
Graduate certificatesFoundation Degrees (eg, FdA, FdSc)
Diplomas of Higher Education (DipHE)

5

qualifications

Higher National Diplomas (HND)
Higher National Certificates (HNC)
Certificates of Higher Education (CertHE)26

Short cycle (within or linked to
the first cycle)4(3) Subject benchmark statements
Subject benchmark statements set out expectations about standards of degrees in a range ofsubject areas. They describe the conceptual framework that gives a discipline its coherence andidentity, and define what can be expected of a graduate in terms of the techniques and skills
needed to develop understanding in the subject. Working closely with the sector, QAA has
published subject benchmark statements for a range of disciplines to set out clearly the academic
characteristics and standards of UK programmes. Some benchmark statements combine or makereference to professional standards required by external professional or regulatory bodies in thediscipline.
Subject benchmark statements do not represent a national curriculum in a subject area. Rather
they allow for flexibility and innovation in programme design, within an overall conceptual
framework established by an academic subject community. They are intended to assist those
involved in programme design, delivery and review. They may also be of interest to prospective
students and employers, seeking information about the nature and standards of awards in a
subject area.
QAA has made a commitment to the sector to initiate a review of existing subject benchmark
statements no later than five years since they were originally published. New subject benchmark
statements are developed through the Recognition scheme for subject benchmark statements (theScheme) which seeks to ensure that criteria relating to subject sufficiency and distinction are met.
The Scheme also ensures that the process of developing a new subject benchmark statement isrepresentative of the views of the subject community.

(4) Programme specifications
Programme specifications are the sets of information that each institution provides about its
programmes. Each specification clarifies what knowledge, understanding, skills and otherattributes a student will have developed on successfully completing a specific programme. It also
provides details of teaching and learning methods, assessment and subsequent career
opportunities, and sets out how the programme relates to the qualifications framework.
This information allows prospective students to make comparisons and informed choices about
the programmes they wish to study, and provides useful guidance for recruiters of graduates.

3) Teaching quality information
The publication of information about quality and standards in individual higher education
institution is one component in the quality assurance framework. It is to help potential students(and their parents and advisers) make choices about where to study. The information has been
published on the Teaching Quality Information (TQI) website, now re-launched as Unistats.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

27

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) owns the Unistats website on behalf ofall higher education funding councils in the UK. The information is provided by the Higher
Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the National Student
Survey run by HEFCE. The information includes the following areas, which are updated annually:
HEFCE

•

National Student Survey

HESA

•

Student data - entry qualifications and UCAS points, continuation and achievement.

•

Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) data - destinations of leavers, job
categories and job types.

•

Context statistics - student domicile, age, level of study, gender, study mode.

LSC•

Student data - entry qualifications and achievements.

•

Context Statistics - student domicile, age, level of study, gender, study mode.

Samples of available information(1) Results for a university - each subject’s UCAS points achieved, percentage of employed with
graduate job and percentage of students satisfied(2)

Results for individual subject - the following six categories of information are provided:(a) Number of UCAS points that first year students had achieved by the time they started theircourse, and their academic background(b) Student numbers (registered students, male-female ratio, percentage of overseas students),
study levels (full-time or part-time) and study modes (first-degree, postgraduate-level orother modes)(c) Results of the National Student Survey - the percentage of students who responded either‘agree’ or ‘completely agree’ to a question(d)Degree results and progression(e)

Top profession types of students with a job, six months after graduation(f)

Detailed information on a university (student breakdown, QAA reports and contact details)

4) Student surveys
The National Student Survey is a national initiative, conducted annually since 2005. The survey
runs across all publicly funded higher education institutions in England, Wales, Northern Ireland,
and higher education institutions in Scotland participating. (In case of Scotland, the certain numberof the institutions is chosen to take part.) Additionally, since 2008, further education colleges withdirectly funded higher education students in England have been eligible to participate.
The survey asks final year undergraduates and students in their final year of a course leading toundergraduate credits or qualifications to provide feedback on their courses in a nationallyrecognized format. There are 22 main questions about the following aspects of the student

28

learning experience, using closed multi-choice questions: ‘Definitely agree’, Mostly agree’, ‘Neither
agree nor disagree’, ‘Mostly disagree’, and ‘Definitely disagree’.
Aspects and questions•

Teaching on his/her course(ex. Staff are good at explaining things.)•

Assessment and feedback(ex. The criteria used in marking have been clear in advance.)•

Academic support(ex. I have received sufficient advice and support with my studies.)•

Organization and management(ex. The timetable works efficiently as far as my activities are concerned.)•

Learning resources(ex. The library resources and services are good enough for my needs.)•

Personal development(ex. The course has helped me to present myself with confidence.)•

Overall satisfaction(ex. Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of the course.)

Students are also given the opportunity to write in positive and/or negative comments on theirstudent learning experience as a whole at their university/college. If they provide comments at theend of the questionnaire, their comments may be passed on, anonymously, to their institution to
help them identify how they can make improvements.
The results from the main 22 questions are made available for prospective students and theiradvisors on the Unistats website to help them make informed choices of what and where to study.
The results are also made available to participating universities, colleges and students’ unions to
use to facilitate best practice and to enhance the student learning experience.
The survey has been commissioned by HEFCE on behalf of the Higher Education Funding Council
for Wales (HEFCW), the Department for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland (DEL), theTraining and Development Agency and Skills for Health. Ipsos MORI, an independent research
agency, administers the survey. The survey is fully supported by the National Union of Students(NUS) and other student unions.

Source: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): An introduction to QAA, 2009
Universities UK, Quality and standards in UK universities: A guide to how the system works, 2008
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): The framework for higher education
qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 2008
The National Student Survey: www.thestudentsurvey.com/
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Review of the Quality Assurance Framework,
2008

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

29

4. Other quality assurance initiatives
1) Research assessment
The Research Assessment Exercise is a peer review exercise to evaluate and provide ratings of thequality of research in UK higher education institutions, which has been conducted jointly by HEFCE,
the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), HEFCW, and DEL. The ratings are used to determine how
research funding is allocated according to standards of international and national excellence,described through grades 5 star (highest) to 1 (lowest). Institutions conducting the best researchreceive a larger proportion of the grant.
HEFCE is working to develop new arrangements for the assessment and funding of research. The
new arrangements, the Research Excellence Framework (REF), will build on the experience of the
RAE.

The REF will consist of a single unified framework for the funding and assessment of researchacross all subjects. It will make greater use of quantitative indicators in the assessment of research
quality than the RAE, while taking account of key differences between the different disciplines.
Assessment will combine quantitative indicators, including bibliometric indicators wherever these
are appropriate, and expert review. The economic and social impact of research, as well as impact
upon public policy, will also contribute to the overall assessment of quality.
The REF will be fully implemented by 2014.

2) Accreditation by professional, regulatory and statutory bodies
Some programmes of study in higher education may lead also to a professional or vocational
qualification, for example, in engineering, law, accountancy or medicine. Such programmes are
subject to accreditation by the relevant professional, regulatory, or statutory body. This form of
accreditation recognizes that a programme provides some, or all, of the competencies needed for
professional practice.
Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Higher Education in the United Kingdom, 2005
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): A brief guide to quality assurance in UK
higher education, 2003

30

5. History of quality assurance in UK higher education
Quality assurance before 1990
Prior to the early 1990s, university programmes and awards were not subject to any externalmonitoring or regulation other than the use of external examiners, and (as now) each institution
was responsible for ensuring the quality and standards of its own programmes. However, higher
education delivered by polytechnics and some higher education colleges was externally quality
assured by the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) worked with polytechnics, approving
degree programmes and carrying out institutional reviews.

The Academic Audit Unit 1990-92
A series of efficiency studies initiated by the universities themselves in the late 1980s led to theestablishment of an Academic Standards Group. In 1990 the universities themselves establishedthe Academic Audit Unit (AAU) to take forward the recommendations of the Academic Standards
Group. The AAU undertook peer-review academic audits of universities, scrutinising key areas
where academic standards were set and monitored. Reports were published on a voluntary basis
and contained no formal judgements or recommendations.

Quality assurance 1992-97: HEQC and the higher education funding councils
In 1992, the passing of the Further and Higher Education Act led to a number of fundamental
changes in the way higher education in the UK was structured and funded. First, the Act abolished
the binary system of polytechnics and universities and a sector-owned Higher Education Quality
Council (HEQC) was established, with the task of auditing all institutions’ management of theirinternal quality assurance processes. Secondly, the three new UK funding councils were
established by the Act and they set up their own quality assessment committees to manage thequality of the work that they funded. Subject-based inspection models, called ‘teaching quality
assessments’ (later ‘subject reviews’), were introduced by all the funding councils.

1997 to the present
External subject reviews were always controversial with higher education institutions which
complained about cost, burden, and also the duplication of effort with the separate institutional
audit procedure of HEQC.
In 1996 a Joint Planning Group was convened from the funding councils and the representative
bodies of universities and colleges to try to design a unified quality assurance system thatcombined the two strands of audit and subject review. Although no feasible unified review method
emerged, a single quality assurance agency was established in 1997 as QAA. This brought together
the HEQC and the quality assessment functions of the funding councils.
The 1997 Dearing Report considerably expanded the duties of the new agency beyond theundertaking of assessments and audits to include the provision of public information on quality
assurance; verification of standards; creation and maintenance of a higher education qualifications

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

31

framework; development of a code of practice; provision of benchmark standards; and the creationof a pool of external examiners. Although not all of these proposals were adopted, most were, and
QAA’s position as the UK’s sole agency with responsibility for the assurance and enhancement of
the quality and standards of higher education was consolidated.
Between 1997 and 2001 QAA continued operating both subject reviews and academic audits anddeveloped most of the Dearing proposals, including the elements of the academic infrastructure
and a new, UK-wide review process, to be called ‘academic review’. This was to have comprisedelements of both subject review and institutional audit and envisaged a gradual transition from theformer to the latter.
In 2001, despite the fact that there had been general acceptance of the academic review proposal
across the UK and QAA had already begun to use the process in Scotland, a number of English
universities complained to the Government that this new approach did not meet their demands fora lighter burden of external quality assurance and would perpetuate the high costs and limited
benefits that they perceived in the previous arrangements. As a result of these representations, theGovernment declared publicly that there would be a reduction in the volume of reviewing
undertaken by QAA. No forewarning of this decision had been given to the Scottish or Welsh higher
education authorities, however, and their response was to disengage from the UK-wide scheme andset up their own national review/audit arrangements: enhancement-led institutional review in
Scotland; institutional review in Wales; and institutional audit in England and Northern Ireland. The
English subject review cycle was completed in 2001 and then discontinued.
As part of the 2001 agreement between the key stakeholders about the future of external quality
assurance in England, it was agreed that there should be a transitional period of three years,
between 2002 and 2005, when all English higher education institutions should be audited using the
new method.
Thereafter, the institutional audit in England and Northern Ireland begun in 2006 is operated on a
six-yearly cycle. The institutional review in Wales begun in 2003 takes place on a six-year cycle,
and the enhancement-led institutional review in Scotland begun in 2003 on a four-year cycle.
Source: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Self-Evaluation, External Review for
Confirmation of Full Membership of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education,
2008
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (NIAD-UE), University Evaluation
Forum, Presentation by Carolyn Campbell, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 200832

IV. The details of quality assurance organization: Quality
Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)
1. Overview of the organization
Year of establishment

1997

Location

Southgate House Southgate Street Gloucester GL1 UB

Representative

Anthony McClaran, Chief Executive

Number of staff

131Statement of financial
activities (for the year
ended 31 July 2008)
Unit: GBP

Total income: 10,016,040
Main resources:
・ Subscriptions from institutions: 3,687,350
・ Contracts with HE funding bodies: 5,711,747
Total expenses: 9,975,826
Main resources:
・ Safeguarding standards: 5,718,309
・ Supporting and enhancing quality: 2,079,494
・ Offering expertise: 946,835
・ Working worldwide: 629,361

Organization• The QAA Board of Director - 15 members and two observers• Organizational structure - five groups. The four groups except theChief Executive’s Group are headed by a director.

・ Chief Executive’s Group - corporate affairs and international
affairs

・ Reviews Group - all of the QAA’s review and audit activities
・ Development and Enhancement Group - primarily responsible forthe management of the academic infrastructure for quality andstandards

・ QAA Scotland - all aspects of QAA’s work in Scotland
・ Administration Group - including function of communications
and publications

Source: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Self-Evaluation, External Review for
Confirmation of Full Membership of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education,
2008
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Annual review 2007-08

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

33

2. Mission and purposes
Mission
QAA’s mission is to safeguard the public interest in sound standards of higher education
qualifications, and to inform and encourage continuous improvement in the management of thequality of higher education. QAA achieves this by reviewing standards and quality, and providing
reference points that help to define clear and explicit standards.

Purposes
To achieve its mission, QAA works in partnership with the providers and funders of higher
education, staff and students in higher education, employers and other stakeholders, to:•safeguard the student and wider public interest in the maintenance of standards of academic
awards and the quality of higher education•

communicate information on academic standards and quality to inform student choice andemployers’ understanding, and to underpin public policy-making•

enhance the assurance and management of standards and quality in higher education•

promote wider understanding of the nature of standards and quality in higher education,
including the maintenance of common reference points, drawing on UK, other European andinternational practice.

Source: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Self-Evaluation, External Review for
Confirmation of Full Membership of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, 2008

3. The works of the organization
The primary responsibility for academic standards and quality rests with individual institutions.
QAA reviews and reports on how well they meet those responsibilities, and encourages continuous
improvement in the management of the quality of higher education. QAA does this by:•conducting external reviews of universities and colleges•publishing reports on the confidence that can be placed in an institution’s ability to maintainstandards and quality•

offering expert guidance on maintaining and improving the quality of higher education•

advising the government on applications for degree awarding powers and university title.

1) External review
QAA undertakes regular, formal, external reviews. The review arrangements have been developedand evolved in each administrative part of the UK. (The overview and main differences between
each arrangement are described on III-3-1) Institutional audits and reviews, page 23.)34

As one of the major review schemes, the detail of the institutional audit in England and Northern
Ireland is given below:
Institutional audit is an evidence-based process carried out through peer review. Institutional
audit encourages institutions to be self-evaluative and is therefore a process that in itself offers
opportunities for enhancement of institutional management of quality and standards, the processof self-reflection.
Institutional audit was originally carried out in 2002-03 to 2005-06 as part of transitionalarrangements. The revised institutional audit process builds upon the original arrangement.
Universities and colleges in England and Northern Ireland that subscribe to QAA take part in therevised process, which operate over six year. Thus, the cycle of the revised process has been
extended from 2005-06 to 2010-11.

Scope of examination
The revised institutional audit examines:•

the effectiveness of an institution’s internal quality assurance structures and mechanisms,
in the light of the academic infrastructure and the European standards and guidelines for
quality assurance in higher education, and the way in which the quality of its educational
provision and academic standards of its awards are regularly reviewed and resulting
recommendations implemented. This provides information on an institution’s soundness as
a provider of HE qualifications of national and international standing•

the effectiveness of arrangements for maintaining appropriate academic standards andenhancing the quality of postgraduate research programmes•

the effectiveness of an institution’s approach to building systematically upon the outcomesof their internal quality assurance procedures, on the findings of reports of external reviews,
and on other information and feedback from students, graduates and employers, in order todevelop and implement institutional approaches to enhancing the quality of provision•

the accuracy and completeness of the information that an institution publishes about theacademic standards of its awards and the quality of its educational provision, including theteaching quality information (TQI), which is published on Unistats.

Audit team
Originally, the basic institutional audit team normally comprised four auditors and an audit
secretary. With the revision of the Handbook for Institutional Audit in September 2009, the basic
audit team will normally include five auditors, one of whom will be a student, and an audit
secretary.
Student auditors will be expected to be current students (undergraduate or graduate), sabbaticalstudent representatives or recent (within two years) graduates. Audit secretaries will be normally
recruited from among senior administrative staff in institutions. And, each audit is coordinated by
a QAA Assistant Director.

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

35

Audit process: Institutional briefing paper
Institutional audit is based on the expectation that a reflective institution will appraise theeffectiveness of its management of standards and quality using questions of the type:•what are we trying to do?

•

why is that the best way to do it?

•

why are we doing it?

•

how do we know it works?

•

how are we doing it?

•

how can we improve it?

Institutional briefing paper is the paper which the institution prepares for institutional audit andthere is an opportunity for them to describe how it goes about answering these six basic questions.
QAA normally receives this paper from the institution about 10 weeks before the audit visits.

Students’ written submissions
Students are invited to prepare a written submission to brief the audit team. It was clear thatstudents welcomed the opportunity to provide their considered view to the audit team in writing,and the audit process derived great benefit from the constructive and thoughtful written
submissions made by students. The following four particular questions proved to be useful stimuli
for eliciting students’ views in a way that is particularly helpful to an audit team.

•

How accurate is the information that the institution publishes?

•

Do students know what is expected of them?

•

What is the student experience as a learner like?

•Do students have a voice in the institution, and is it listened to?

Meetings and visits
The audit process will begin with a preliminary meeting between the institution and a QAAAssistant Director to discuss the structure and content of the audit as a whole. Also, guidance on
the institution’s briefing paper and the students’ written submission will be provided. This
meeting will be arranged about 24 weeks before the audit visit.
An audit team’s visit to an institution will take place in two parts. The first part is the briefing visit,
and the second is the audit visit.
During the briefing visit, the audit team will explore and gain further clarification of matters
outlined in the briefing papers submitted by the institution and by the students, and will consider
some of the evidence offered by documents cited as references in the institution’s briefing paper.
Audit team also identifies broad lines of enquiry for the audit visit. This briefing visit will be held
five weeks before the audit visit.
The audit visit provides an opportunity for the team to pursue in greater depth the lines of enquiry
that it identified at the briefing visit; to extend its study of the institution’s documentation relating
to the management of quality and standards; to meet particular groups of staff and students; andgenerally to explore the focuses of audit including institutional management of academic
standards, learning opportunities, and quality enhancement.
The audit team will ensure that its programme for the audit visit includes meetings with students

36

so that it can gain first-hand information on students’ experience as learners and on their
engagement with the institution’s approach to quality assurance and enhancement. It will seek
opportunities to meet student representatives during the audit visit in order to discuss with them,in the context of the views expressed in any written submission, the information that it has beengathering during the visits.
The audit visit will normally extend over five working days, of which up to four days will involve
meetings between the audit team and staff and students of the institution and, if relevant, its
collaborative partners. On the final day of the audit visit, the audit team considers its findings inorder to make preliminary decisions and agreements on the level of confidence, the commentaries
for the institutions’ approaches to quality enhancement, features of good practices, andrecommendation for actions.

Audit trails
Audit teams use ‘trailing’ as a technique for gathering evidence in an organized way fromdocuments produced by the institution, previous audit reports produced by QAA and otherinformation that is in the public domain, about institutional process and procedures, and theirimpact. Trails are used to examine particular institutional approaches, policies or procedures inorder to test their effectiveness. The findings of the trails will be incorporated into the audit reportand is annexed, as contributions to the evidence on which the audit team has drawn on for its
analysis, findings, judgments and commentaries.

Judgments
The audit team makes a summative judgement of ‘confidence’, ‘limited confidence’, or ‘noconfidence’, that can reasonably be placed in: the soundness of the institution’s present and likely
future management of the academic standards of its awards; and the soundness of the institution’s
present and likely future management of the quality of the learning opportunities available tostudents.

Reports
Audit reports are public documents. They are all structured in the same way that the summary
section of the report provides the judgments, recommendations, features of good practice, andcommentaries. The recommendations are for further consideration by the institution, and will be
categorized in order of priority as ‘essential’, ‘advisable’ and ‘desirable’. The report will have atechnical annex to carry the detail and explanatory material that is intended to be of practical use
to the institution.

Mid-cycle follow up
The mid-cycle follow up will serve as a short health check, for the institution and for QAA, on theinstitution’s continuing management of academic standards and quality of provision, normallysome three years after an institutional audit. It will be an opportunity to reflect upon developments
made in the management of standards and quality within the institution since the previous

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

37

institutional audit, and, in the context of the findings of that audit, for QAA to advise theinstitution of any matters that have the potential to be of particular interest to the team that
conducts the institution’s next audit.

The Handbook for Institutional Audit updated in 2009
The Handbook was first published in 2006 and was revised in September 2009 after consultation
with the sector regarding:•the inclusion of student members on audit teams (See page 35 for more detail.)•the introduction of an approach to the audit of collaborative provision which includes, as
appropriate, within-audit, hybrid audit, or separate collaborative audit activity. Where QAA
considers that it is not practicable to consider collaborative provision as part of theInstitutional audit, it will be audited through either a hybrid Institutional audit (hybrid
model) or a separate audit of collaborative provision (separate model).

Differences of the hybrid and separate models from Institutional audit
In case of a hybrid model audit, there will be one preliminary meeting which takes placeapproximately 36 weeks before the audit visit. The hybrid model includes visits up to three partner
links. In case of a separate model, there will have been an Institutional audit some time in thecurrent audit cycle - normally about 18 months to two years previously. The separate model
includes up to six partner links. This model focuses only on how an awarding institution discharges
its responsibilities for what is done in its name, and under its authority, through a collaborative
arrangement with a partner organisation.

2) The academic infrastructure
QAA and the UK higher education sector have worked together to develop the academic
infrastructure. It consists of four components - the Code of Practice, the frameworks for higher
education qualifications (FHEQ), the subject benchmark statements, and the programme
specifications. (For more information, please see III-3-2) The academic infrastructure, page 24.)3) Other works(1) Access to HE
The Access to HE Diploma enables adults without other qualifications such as A levels to progress
to higher education. Regulated by QAA, the qualification is widely recognized by UK universities
and colleges. There are over 1,500 different courses leading to the Access to HE Diploma. Access
Validating Agencies (AVAs) validate and review these courses, and award the Access to HE
qualification to successful students. QAA licenses and monitors the work of the AVAs, andpublishes information about Access to HE.

38(2) Advising government
QAA advises government on the merits of applications for degree awarding powers and university
title, but are not responsible for awarding them. The power to award degrees is regulated by law. It
is an offence for an institution to purport to award, or to offer to award a UK degree, unless it isauthorised so to do. An Act of Parliament in 1992 provided for such powers to be granted by the
Privy Council, which acts on the advice of government.
The scrutiny of degree awarding powers and university title applications is one of QAA’s mostimportant responsibilities since, in making these recommendations, in each case it is helping toredefine the UK’s higher education sector. Applications for taught and research degree awarding
powers or university title must be made to the Privy Council which then forwards the submission
to the relevant territorial Minister with higher education responsibilities. Applications are thensent to QAA for advice. Its remit is to offer confidential guidance on the application, through theappropriate Minister, to the Privy Council.

(3) Supporting developments in higher education
QAA helps institutions enhance their management of quality and standards by publishing andsharing the intelligence and guidance gained from the full range of its work. Audit and review
reports are analysed to identify themes of good practice and difficulties commonly encountered,with findings published to stimulate discussion and debate and promote improvement.
Publications in the Sharing good practice series include Outcomes from Institutional audit andLearning from various review methods. Quality matters is a series of occasional briefing papers
from QAA.
In Scotland, as part of the Quality Enhancement Framework, Enhancement Themes are planned anddeveloped in partnership with the higher education sector. These Enhancement Themes encourage
the identification and sharing of good practice delivered locally and worldwide, generating ideas
and examples of practice with the aim of enhancing the student experience.

(4) International work
QAA takes a leading role in international developments in standards and quality, enjoying a close
relationship with quality assurance agencies around the world. It works with a wide range ofgovernment and other bodies across the UK to inform and support the higher education sector in
the light of international developments. Overseas audit activity helps to improve confidence in thework of UK universities and colleges operating internationally.
QAA is fully confirmed as a member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher
Education (ENQA), established as part of the Bologna Process to encourage and develop theexchange of information on quality assurance throughout Europe. QAA was first independently
reviewed in April 2008 for ENQA membership purposes. The report stated that it was ‘consistently
impressed by the calibre and professionalism of all those contributing to the work of QAA in

Overview of the Quality Assurance System in Higher Education: United Kingdom

39

maintaining quality and standards across HE in the UK’.
Source: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Handbook for institutional audit: Englandand Northern Ireland 2006
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Handbook for institutional audit: Englandand Northern Ireland 2009
National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (NIAD-UE), University Evaluation
Forum, Presentation by Carolyn Campbell, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 2008
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): An introduction to QAA, 2009

Sources and references•

Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS): Higher Ambitions, 2009•

Department for Education and Skills (DfES): The future of higher education, 2003•

Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS): Departmental Report 2009, 2009•

Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS): How to get financial help as a
student 2008/09, 2007•

Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Review of the Quality Assurance
Framework, 2008•

Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Higher Education in the United
Kingdom, 2005•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): An introduction to QAA, 2009•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Handbook for institutional audit:
England and Northern Ireland 2009•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): The framework for higher
education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 2008•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Self-Evaluation, External Review
for Confirmation of Full Membership of the European Association for Quality Assurance inHigher Education, 2008•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Annual review 2007-08•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Academic credit in Higher
Education in England, 2006•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Code of practice for the assuranceof academic quality and standards in higher education, Section 6: Assessment of students, 2006•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Handbook for institutional audit:
England and Northern Ireland 2006•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): Code of practice for the academic
quality and standards in higher education, Section 4: External examining, 2004•

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA): A brief guide to quality assurancein UK higher education, 2003•

Universities UK: Higher Education in Facts and Figures, Summer 2008•

Universities UK: Quality and standards in UK universities: A guide to how the system works,
2008•

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT): International
Comparative Education Statistics 2008-200940

•National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (NIAD-UE), University
Evaluation Forum, Presentation by Carolyn Campbell, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher
Education, 2008

Websites•

Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) Website: Announcements - New
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills to lead fight against recession and build now for
future prosperity: http://www.dius.gov.uk/news_and_speeches/announcements/bis•

Directgov - Education and learning: Student finance: www.direct.gov.uk•

European Commission: Eurybase - The Education System in England, Wales, Northern Ireland:www.eurydice.org/•

European Commission: Eurybase - The Education System in Scotland: www.eurydice.org/••

Higher Education and Research Opportunities (HERO): www.hero.ac.uk•

National Union of Students (NUS): www.nus.org.uk•

The National Student Survey: www.thestudentsurvey.com/•

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Overview of the United Kingdom of Great Britain andNorthern Ireland: www.mofa.go.jp

Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA): View Statistics Online:
http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/component/option,com_datatables/Itemid,121/

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