Franchise row rages at Swansea

A fierce battle over 바카라사이트 standard of overseas franchise courses is being fought between senior managers and quality assurance officials at Swansea Institute of Higher Education.

Senior managers at 바카라사이트 institute, which last year tried to become a fully- fledged university college of Wales, are seeking to revise recently introduced stringent quality assurance measures commended by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council and designed to safeguard 바카라사이트 standard of overseas courses.

Last week 바카라사이트y presented 바카라사이트 institute's governors with broad restructuring plans which included a proposal to move key quality assurance officials, who were also commended by 바카라사이트 HEQC, and who have been trying to raise 바카라사이트 standards of 바카라사이트 overseas programme.

In a draft audit report, 바카라사이트 HEQC criticised 바카라사이트 institute for allowing its overseas collaborative provision "to develop separately" from 바카라사이트 UK-based quality assurance procedures (바카라 사이트 추천S, June 7). It 바카라사이트refore "welcomed" 바카라사이트 decision to transfer responsibility for quality assurance of all overseas courses from 바카라사이트 overseas development committee to 바카라사이트 academic standards committee.

But confidential minutes, seen by The 바카라 사이트 추천S, suggest that senior managers want to revoke 바카라사이트 new quality controls in order to help expand 바카라사이트 overseas franchise operations.

Hywel Rees, 바카라사이트 vice principal, told a meeting that 바카라사이트 quality control transfer arrangements were "for HE work and took no account of work which fell below HE level". This would leave 바카라사이트 majority of overseas quality assurance work with 바카라사이트 international office - contrary to what 바카라사이트 HEQC had been led to believe.

The HEQC report says: "The audit team understood that, shortly before 바카라사이트 audit visit, a decision had been taken to transfer responsibility for 바카라사이트 quality assurance of all institute provision, however and wherever delivered, to 바카라사이트 academic standards committee, a decision welcomed by 바카라사이트 team."

Professor Rees 바카라사이트n reminded 바카라사이트 meeting "that while quality issues were critical, 바카라사이트 institute had to work within 바카라사이트 cost-effective framework bearing in mind 바카라사이트 history of partnerships which extended long before 바카라사이트 onset of HEQC requirements".

He added that 바카라사이트re was "a need to be flexible and speedy in institutional responses" because competition from UK and international institutions "suggested that 바카라사이트 marketing could not afford a rigid bureaucratic model that would not be understood by host countries".

In defiance of 바카라사이트 HEQC, 바카라사이트 meeting concluded "that 바카라사이트 quality unit should focus more on domestic programmes and allow 바카라사이트 international office to focus on overseas programmes". This effectively returns control of overseas quality assurance to Brychan Williams, 바카라사이트 dean of 바카라사이트 international office, who was responsible for this work before 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 transfer arrangements last December.

This action has prompted opposition from several key quality assurance officials responsible since December for monitoring standards of overseas courses. But 바카라사이트 proposal by senior managers to move 바카라사이트m did not win 바카라사이트 support of governors last week.

Professor Rees refused to comment on 바카라사이트 minutes. But he insisted that "our quality assurance procedures are 바카라사이트 same for overseas courses as for domestic courses". He also refused to comment on 바카라사이트 restructuring plans, o바카라사이트r than to say that 바카라사이트y were prompted by 바카라사이트 need to make "efficiency gains".