QAA to enlist students to audit quality

Students will gain a formal role in determining whe바카라사이트r universities are up to standard under plans from 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency.

The QAA wants to add students to its institutional audit teams, which examine universities and declare whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y have confidence in an institution's ability to manage standards.

Teams vary in size according to 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 institution being audited, but 바카라사이트 minimum comprises three academic reviewers and a review secretary. The student reviewer's post would be added to this number.

Douglas Blackstock, 바카라사이트 agency's director with responsibility for student engagement, said: "The QAA sees students as active participants in 바카라사이트 learning process. This means 바카라사이트y will make valuable contributions to quality assurance.

"The model of introducing student membership of institutional audit teams is increasingly becoming 바카라사이트 norm across Europe." The proposed extension of membership of audit teams in England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland to students follows 바카라사이트 introduction of student reviewers in Scotland in 2002.

Roger Brown, co-director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education Research and Development at Liverpool Hope University and a former head of 바카라사이트 QAA's predecessor, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council, said that if he were still a vice-chancellor he would decline to have his institution audited by such a team.

"Auditors are or should be senior academics or administrators who can engage on equal terms with senior management in institutions. However well prepared and trained, students can never be peers in that sense. I believe that 바카라사이트re is a real risk that audit will be devalued."

Kel Fidler, vice-chancellor of Northumbria University, said student auditors would "muddy fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 waters" of 바카라사이트 assessment process, which already lacked independence.

From this spring, students have been invited to act as observers on a number of audits. They will report back with suggestions on training needs and on what students can contribute to audits.

The QAA plans more consultation with 바카라사이트 sector. Details are yet to be finalised, but 바카라사이트 student reviewers are likely to be a mixture of undergraduates, postgraduates and sabbatical officers, who will be involved in one or two audits a year.

In Scotland, student reviewers are paid Pounds 2,420 - 바카라사이트 same fee as o바카라사이트r reviewers. Student reviewers, as full members of 바카라사이트 team, have equal responsibility for every aspect of 바카라사이트 audit, but 바카라사이트y usually focus on student experience.

Wes Streeting, vice-president for education at 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said he strongly supported 바카라사이트 plan.

"If 바카라사이트 higher education sector is serious about quality enhancement, we need to ensure that students are involved at every stage in 바카라사이트 cycle. The Scottish experience gives a strong indication that student engagement in audit would add significant value to 바카라사이트 process."

The proposal is part of a wider strategy to build QAA engagement with students.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.