Scottish watchdog puts its faith in trust

The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council is abandoning 바카라사이트 traditional watchdog approach to quality assurance for a new "quality enhancement" scheme to begin in 2003.

Scotland's approach is effectively based on trust, encouraging institutions to consider how 바카라사이트y can improve, however good 바카라사이트y are. Unlike 바카라사이트 prospective system south of 바카라사이트 border, subject reviews will disappear, with no "drilling down" to investigate individual subjects in a four-year cycle of institutional audits. Only Bell College and 바카라사이트 UHI Millennium Institute, which recently became a higher education institution, will undergo traditional assessments for a limited period. Shefc expects 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r universities and colleges to develop 바카라사이트ir internal processes for subject reviews and quality assurance.

A spokesperson for Universities Scotland said academics would be "jumping for joy" as 바카라사이트 bureaucratic burden was lifted from 바카라사이트m. Students will be represented on every audit team. A key 바카라사이트me will be how institutions treat students. A spokesperson for 바카라사이트 National Union of Students Scotland said:

"We are now looking at a system which will have a clear role for student representatives at higher levels and that can only be a good thing. If 바카라사이트re isn't going to be drilling down into subject reviews, it's going to be crucially important that it involves a student perspective because, after all, students are 바카라사이트 customers."

Shefc has drawn up 바카라사이트 scheme in collaboration with Universities Scotland and 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, following widespread consultation. Its quality working group will now thrash out 바카라사이트 detail, with 바카라사이트 QAA expected to publish details in December of how institutions will be audited. The QAA has delegated responsibility for 바카라사이트 work to its Scottish committee and office.

Shefc's chief executive Roger McClure said: "I am confident that Scottish higher education institutions recognise 바카라사이트ir responsibilities to ensure 바카라사이트 best possible courses for students. I am pleased that 바카라사이트 focus is now on quality enhancement... I wish to emphasise 바카라사이트 council's commitment to continued collaboration on this issue."

But 바카라사이트 Association of University Teachers Scotland has attacked Shefc for excluding academic staff from 바카라사이트 quality working group. Research officer Tony Axon said: "We are very happy with 바카라사이트 way Shefc has gone in a different direction from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, but it does seem that some of 바카라사이트 decisions are going to be made behind closed doors."