An increased emphasis on the structured review of student work. Publication of a register of reviewers. The use of institutional facilitators. Taken as a whole, these changes are moving subject review in the direction of a more outcomes-based approach, as recommended by Dearing. At the same time, they are giving the institution a greater voice in key aspects of the process, through the revised arrangements for team composition and the option of appointing a facilitator.
Academic review is now at an advanced stage of planning.
The new process incorporates innovative features but also draws heavily on what has been learnt from quality assessment and subject review. The value of the work conducted by the QAA and its predecessors between 1993 and 1999 should not be underestimated. I hope you find this Handbook interesting and useful. For those of you who will be taking part in the training programme, it is a key document. The subject review method evaluates the quality of educational provision within a subject area as defined by a unit of review.