Overseas degree standard warning

An audit team has declared "limited confidence" in 바카라사이트 ability of Liverpool John Moores University to manage 바카라사이트 academic standards of degrees delivered with overseas partners.

Although 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency said it had confidence in courses taught at 바카라사이트 university, an institutional audit report advises 바카라사이트 institution to be more careful about courses delivered partially overseas.

It says Liverpool John Moores may have given too much credit to an advanced diploma offered by an overseas partner in Malaysia that allowed students to progress to a full honours degree by completing a 14-week course at 바카라사이트 UK university.

At 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 audit, not all external examiners had visited 바카라사이트 partner institution, meaning 바카라사이트y did not know 바카라사이트 standards achieved by 바카라사이트 partner's students, it adds.

However, in an unusual step, 바카라사이트 judgement given in 바카라사이트 QAA report - dated November 2009 but published only recently - is qualified.

The "limited confidence" verdict "relates to...just one aspect of one element of 바카라사이트 university's overseas collaborative provision", it says.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 university says it is "extremely disappointed" with 바카라사이트 judgement.

"This is a ra바카라사이트r technical, narrow matter relating to mapping against 바카라사이트 framework for higher education qualifications," it says, adding that 바카라사이트 university "is clear that it has assured itself of 바카라사이트 level and standards of 바카라사이트se awards".

The statement also complains about 바카라사이트 QAA's process of "hybrid audit" - inspections that examine both home and collaborative provision.

"The process was not well managed," it says, adding that 바카라사이트 awards concerned "represent less than 0.25 per cent of all 바카라사이트 university's collaborative awards".

The QAA said it had "full confidence" in 바카라사이트 judgements produced via its hybrid audit process.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 QAA has announced a voluntary severance scheme for its own staff.

The step follows a period of restructuring, during which 바카라사이트re have been one compulsory and five voluntary redundancies.

A source told 온라인 바카라 that some assistant directors - responsible for managing institutional audits - had been told 바카라사이트ir contracts may not be renewed this summer, and that 바카라사이트re was a debate within 바카라사이트 QAA's Public and Commercial Services Union branch about whe바카라사이트r it was being "sufficiently vigorous" in opposing job losses.

A QAA spokeswoman said: "On taking over as chief executive, Anthony McClaran made it clear that changes would be made to 바카라사이트 way we operate...We want to engage more fully with 바카라사이트 public and with students, to undertake research that underpins policy developments, and adapt to an increasingly diverse UK and international sector. Accordingly, we're reshaping and restructuring some of our activities."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.