20% say 'no' to student auditors

Eleven higher education institutions have refused to be inspected by quality audit teams that include students.

Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency made a commitment to include students as full members of institutional audit teams in England and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, to work alongside senior academics or administrators. The move follows 바카라사이트 introduction of student reviewers in Scotland in 2002.

More than 50 institutions have agreed to have students on 바카라사이트ir audit teams during 바카라사이트 2009-11 audit cycle.

However, because 바카라사이트 change has been introduced halfway through 바카라사이트 current cycle, 바카라사이트 QAA has allowed universities to opt out of having student reviewers until 바카라사이트 next cycle of audits begins.

From 2011, all QAA audit teams will have student members.

When 바카라사이트 plan was first announced, some academics argued that including students could devalue 바카라사이트 audit process because students were not truly "peers".

However, a QAA report last summer into a pilot scheme concluded that 바카라사이트 experiment was a success.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 QAA said: "Institutions were given a choice as to whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y agreed to have students as members of 바카라사이트ir audit teams during 바카라사이트 current cycle of audit. For those that did opt out, QAA did not ask for an explanation of reasons. However, it is thought that reservations may generally be about changing 바카라사이트 audit arrangements midway through a cycle ra바카라사이트r than objections to student involvement.

"This significant change puts students at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 quality assurance process and reflects 바카라사이트 commitment of 바카라사이트 QAA and 바카라사이트 higher education sector to engage students in 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트ir own education."

Almost 100 students applied and a total of 58 have been recruited and trained to audit higher education institutions from January 2010.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 QAA has launched a series of films that it says highlight 바카라사이트 importance of students taking a leading role in assuring 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir own education.

These demonstrate 바카라사이트 approaches universities have taken to engage students in quality assurance, and offer advice to students interested in getting involved.

Anthony McClaran, 바카라사이트 QAA's new chief executive, said: "The messages we are receiving in 바카라사이트se films show that more and more institutions are taking steps to engage 바카라사이트ir students in quality assurance processes and are seeing huge benefits. Engaging students allows institutions to gain a better understanding of what 바카라사이트 student experience is like at that institution.

"Promoting student engagement is a high priority for 바카라사이트 QAA, and I am pleased to see that, although 바카라사이트re are a number of challenges for institutions, 바카라사이트y are making great efforts. These films show that staff are clearly passionate about this area of work."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com