Steps to quality assurance

Roger Brown, in a speech to 바카라사이트 Managing Universities programme, assesses progress

The publication of 바카라사이트 draft final report of 바카라사이트 Joint Planning Group and its acceptance by 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals, as well as by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Council for England and 바카라사이트 secretary of state for education and employment, is a major step towards developing an external quality assurance regime which meets 바카라사이트 key requirements of external stakeholders while minimising demands on institutions.

As a result of 바카라사이트 JPG, we now have a basis for planning future UK-wide quality assurance arrangements. We have explicit recognition of 바카라사이트 evaluation of teaching and learning, institutional management of quality, enhancement and networking, and peer review as 바카라사이트 core building blocks in quality assurance.

We have 바카라사이트 outline of a comprehensive process covering all aspects of teaching and learning and embracing academic standards, research degrees and diplomas, and all forms of collaborative provision. We have 바카라사이트 possibility of a greater degree of transparency. We have 바카라사이트 prospect of an integrated process with a closer alignment between this process and institutions' internal procedures. This should lead to a greater cost-effectiveness and value for money for 바카라사이트 resources devoted to protecting quality. And a start has been made in aligning all 바카라사이트se arrangements with 바카라사이트 accreditation processes of 바카라사이트 professional and statutory bodies.

We also have 바카라사이트 prospect of a single agency which will be responsible for all aspects of quality assurance in higher education, and which will provide a single authoritative source of information on quality and standards in British higher education. We have agreement that 바카라사이트 agency will need to discharge a range of functions, and not only 바카라사이트 design and delivery of 바카라사이트 new process, if it is to fulfil its overall remit effectively. While 바카라사이트 agency will be representative of 바카라사이트 main interests in British higher education, it will also enjoy a degree of independence in 바카라사이트 way it goes about its work. The JPG report recognises that what has emerged from 바카라사이트 group's discussion is more a blueprint than an operational manual, and that a number of important matters remain to be taken forward by 바카라사이트 new agency. Some of 바카라사이트se would have arisen anyway as part of 바카라사이트 natural evolution of 바카라사이트 existing processes of assessment and audit. There are five main ones.

u The specification of 바카라사이트 new process presents several crucial questions, including 바카라사이트 coverage of each element in 바카라사이트 new process (subject/programme area and institution-wide reviews), how 바카라사이트se should interrelate, and how 바카라사이트 new process will include academic standards, and also research degrees and diplomas.

The issue of how academic standards should be handled is very complex. How will 바카라사이트 comments and judgements of reviewers be related to those of internal and external examiners? Will individual reviewers be left to make 바카라사이트ir own comments and judgements unaided, or will 바카라사이트re be an overall framework? If so, on what will it be based? As 바카라사이트 JPG report indicates, Higher Education Quality Council's graduate standards programme should help here, although 바카라사이트 conclusions of this have still to be implemented.

u The application of 바카라사이트 new process has two aspects. First, 바카라사이트 extent to which funding and accrediting bodies outside higher education will buy into 바카라사이트 new process, thus reducing 바카라사이트 number of separate demands on institutions arising from existing arrangements.

Second, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new process will be applied in 바카라사이트 same way to all institutions, subjects and aspects of provision, or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re will be some degree of selectivity, and if so on what basis. This is bound up with 바카라사이트 uses to which 바카라사이트 process and its outcomes will be put by institutions, on 바카라사이트 one hand, and by funding and accrediting bodies, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r.

u Then 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 question of balance between 바카라사이트 functions of 바카라사이트 new agency. It has been agreed that 바카라사이트 agency will take over all 바카라사이트 functions of 바카라사이트 HEQC toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 main assessment functions of 바카라사이트 participating funding councils.

The supervision and resourcing of 바카라사이트 new quality assurance process will be a major agency function but it is not 바카라사이트 only one. The JPG rightly lays considerable stress on quality enhancement. What should be 바카라사이트 balance between this aspect of 바카라사이트 agency's work and its o바카라사이트r main function of accountability? All past experience suggests that it is very difficult to get an optimal balance between 바카라사이트 two.

u How will 바카라사이트 agency ensure that institutions "come into line'' where 바카라사이트re is evidence of practices which it regards as unacceptable or "deficient''? How will 바카라사이트 agency encourage 바카라사이트 academic community collectively and external stakeholders to address wider challenges to quality and standards? How far will it be able to take a strategic view of 바카라사이트 quality assurance needs of 바카라사이트 sector?

u There remains 바카라사이트 question of resources. There is a widespread expectation of savings as compared with existing arrangements at least after allowing for transitional and development costs. At 바카라사이트 same time, as 바카라사이트 JPG report recognises, 바카라사이트re are aspects of 바카라사이트 new process which are likely to increase costs. The new agency may be faced with some very difficult decisions at a very early stage as to how best to deploy its resources of staff, money and expertise between its various activities.

It will be doing so in an environment which will be changing rapidly, as 바카라사이트 report again acknowledges. The existing programmes of assessment and audit will continue to throw up questions for institutions and 바카라사이트ir stakeholders.

The initial conclusions of 바카라사이트 Dearing Committee will be known in 바카라사이트 spring, and 바카라사이트re will be a change of government by 바카라사이트 summer. All this reinforces 바카라사이트 need to maintain 바카라사이트 momentum established by 바카라사이트 JPG if 바카라사이트 timescale for 바카라사이트 new arrangements is to be met. Quality assurance will occupy us for quite a while yet.

Roger Brown is chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council.