Recognised teachers

Regulations

The term ‘Recognised Teacher’ will apply to persons who, not being members of Academic Staff of the University, may be invited to engage in the teaching, supervision, assessment and examination of registered students of the University.  The status shall not be conferred on persons involved in the supervision and assessment of clinical or social work practice or industrial placement.

Proposals from Faculties for the designation of such persons, together with their duties and responsibilities, shall be considered by the Academic Standards and Quality Enhancement Committee on behalf of the Senate which may make recommendations to the Council.

Recognised Teacher Status

The term ‘Recognised Teacher’ was originally used for supervisors of clinical placements, but this category was excluded following a review in 2010/11 and the term now generally applies to arrangements such as those where staff of partner institutions, or other organisations, teach and assess the University's own students on behalf of the University in outcentres or through a franchised course arrangement. The University may pay the other institution for the staffing resource provided to support the University’s delivery of the course, but these personnel are not remunerated by the University directly for undertaking Recognised Teacher duties.

Recognised Teachers are not normally employees of the University.  However, there may be instances when non-academic staff of the University who teach and assess students on award-bearing courses are conferred with Recognised Teacher status.

Faculties may accord ‘Affiliate’ status to those Recognised Teachers who require access to University facilities to support their teaching.  This is effected through the RAD system.

Recognised Teacher status is not applied to staff of other institutions teaching courses leading to University awards for students of those institutions (Associate Students).  In such cases the institution itself is recognised under the relevant Ordinance.  The term is not applied to supervisors of industrial placement nor to members of other higher education institutions attended by University students under exchange/intercalary schemes or the Study USA scheme.

The status is conferred by the Council of the University following a recommendation from the Academic Standards and Quality Enhancement Committee (ASQEC) which receives nominations from Faculties.

Guidance to faculties on conferment of Recognised Teacher status on outcentre staff was approved by ASQEC in November 2018.

It is not possible to give a definitive percentage figure which would be acceptable in terms of the involvement of recognised teachers.  The involvement of partner institution staff of an outcentre may range from none to the majority of the course being delivered at the outcentre by such staff.  It might be suggested that in the latter case a franchised or validated model might be more appropriate but not all outcentre partner organisations may be capable of recognition under Ordinance XXVIII and it seems undesirable to introduce a restrictive rule which could impede Faculties from expanding non-regulated business.

However, Faculties should take account of the following general guidance in determining outcentre arrangements:

As students taught through outcentre arrangements are full students of the University the University therefore retains responsibility for the quality and standard of all aspects of their learning experience and for identifying and resolving any issues which arise:

  • although there may be a designated member of outcentre staff who looks after the day-to-day operation of the course, the course director should be a member of University staff;
  • in considering the use of recognised teachers in course delivery consideration should always be given to the security of overall course organisation, management, delivery and assessment and the role of the recognised teachers in these areas;
  • if a large proportion of the course is to be delivered and assessed by recognised teachers a greater level of oversight will be necessary by the home course team to ensure maintenance and comparability of standards.  This should include both a review of student performance and involvement in moderation of assessments;
  • external examiner moderation should include sampling of work from students at the outcentre for comparability.

Faculties should also ensure that:

  • students studying through outcentre arrangements are made fully aware of their rights as Ulster University students and encouraged to participate in the normal forms of students feedback (SSCCs, module surveys).  This should provide an additional check on the quality of off-campus provision;
  • If students are dissatisfied with any aspect of their course and unable to resolve their concerns, as Ulster students they should be made aware that they have access to the Student Complaints procedure.

Nomination process

Nominations are made using the Nomination Form.  The Academic Office is responsible for reviewing nominations of Recognised Teachers made by Faculties.  The Director of CHERP then reviews nominations before they are made to the Academic Standards and Quality Enhancement Committee.  Following approval by ASQEC, nominations are endorsed by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) on behalf of Council and forwarded to People and Culture which confirms designations to the individuals.

The Code of Practice and Flow Chart detail the procedures to be followed.