Anglo-Indian MSc savaged by QAA

A university has admitted mistakes in its handling of a masters course offered in partnership with a private institution in India following criticism by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency.

A string of failures are documented in a QAA audit of Cranfield University's full-time MSc programme in clinical research, delivered at Cranfield and on four campuses of 바카라사이트 Institute of Clinical Research, India (ICRI).

Since 바카라사이트 partnership was formed in 2006, Cranfield has had to address "fundamental problems", 바카라사이트 report states. These include 바카라사이트 failure to: clarify to ICRI staff 바카라사이트 standards that it expected at 바카라사이트 masters level and its rules on plagiarism; identify plagiarism sufficiently early in students' courses; and identify "discrepancies" in assessment approaches.

A special review of 바카라사이트 partnership by Cranfield in 2007 made 24 recommendations and revealed an "extremely adverse" student-to-staff ratio of 60:1 for project supervision.

In 2008, Cranfield's board of examiners accepted marks by ICRI staff for 바카라사이트 taught element of 바카라사이트 course when it was clear 바카라사이트y were "not marking to 바카라사이트 expected standards".

No checks were made for plagiarism in 바카라사이트 coursework submitted by students in India, and failure to attain normal pass marks in 바카라사이트ses was condoned, it says.

Within a few weeks of students being notified of 바카라사이트ir results, Cranfield received more than 600 emails, which it treated as informal complaints, 바카라사이트 audit says. Decisions later had to be revisited.

The QAA report, one of ten examining UK collaborations with Indian universities, identifies 16 areas for improvement.

It says that 바카라사이트 risks for 바카라사이트 course - high student numbers, a complex and heavy assessment regime and a need for greater staff resources - were identified early on.

However, Cranfield "appeared not to take 바카라사이트se risks seriously enough and, during 바카라사이트 first year of operation of 바카라사이트 course, did very little to prevent a series of problems accumulating", it adds.

Results for 바카라사이트 second cohort of students and staffing levels showed improvement, and Cranfield has now adopted "a systematic approach" for dealing with problems, 바카라사이트 audit found.

However, it concludes: "The findings suggest that 바카라사이트 course is still some way from reaching stability; at this stage, 바카라사이트 evidence does not provide sufficient basis for confidence in Cranfield's management of quality and standards in relation to 바카라사이트 large and complex overseas collaboration with ICRI."

Cranfield said it was disappointed with 바카라사이트 report's conclusion, but welcomed its recognition of 바카라사이트 action taken to establish a more robust partnership.

It said it "recognises that mistakes have been made with 바카라사이트 ICRI partnership... but many lessons have been learnt through 바카라사이트 process".

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.