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A Quick Guide to
Continuous Assurance for Quality Enhancement Data (CAQE)
This Quick Guide shows how the CAQE process provides ongoing oversight of programme performance.
Interpreting Continuous Assurance for Quality Enhancement Data (CAQE)
This Quick Guide shows why CAQE data helps you understand student experiences, identify challenges and make informed decisions for enhancement.
CAQE is the University's process for the annual review of programmes.
Undergraduate Provision
As part of the CAQE process, each course is categorised according to a range of quantitative and qualitative metrics. Key indicators against which courses are measured are reviewed annually in November and are detailed below.
| Metric | Significant Departure from Indicator | Close to Indicator | Significantly Better than Indicator |
|---|---|---|---|
NON-CONTINUATION of first year students. (Early Leavers, Non Returners & Fail) Comparison with achievement of an Institutional overall non-continuation rate of 7.5%. | Above 9.5% | Between 5.5% and 9.5% | Less than 5.5% |
PROGESSION (progress to next stage or receive an award) First-sit pass rates (excluding Leave of Absence students and students categorised as ‘other’ which includes those whose decision has been deferred, often because a student is seeking but has not yet secured a placement). | Less than 70% in year 1 Less than 80 % in year 2 Completion of less than 90% in final year | 70% to 85% in year 1 80 to 90% at year 2 90 to 95% in final year | 85% or more in year 1 More than 90% at year 2 More than 95% at final year |
AWARD CLASSIFICATION - 75% % of students graduating with 1st or 2.1 award. | Less than 60%. | 60 – 75% | More than 75% |
NATIONAL STUDENT SURVEY RESULTS (NSS) Comparison with University overall satisfaction. | 5% or more below | Less than 5% below not meeting sector benchmark | 90% or more overall satisfaction |
The CAQE process is conducted by the PVC (Academic Quality & Student Experience) in conjunction with the Associate Deans (Academic Quality & Student Experience). Monthly meetings are facilitated by the Quality Enhancement team and Programme Committees oversee this data throughout the process to enable continuous enhancement. The insights gained from monthly meetings and programmme Committee oversight allow for the planning of course revalidation and inform the Integrated Curriculum Design Framework, where appropriate.
Postgraduate Taught Provision
A review of available course data is undertaken in January annually which informs an annual discussion between the PVC (Academic Quality & Student Experience) and Associate Dean (Academic Quality & Student Experience) for each Faculty.
The annual CAQE cycle is detailed below.
| Month | Items |
|---|---|
| July |
First Sit data Semester 2 Module Survey External Examiner reports |
| August |
National Student Survey & Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey results Course Committee begin discussing enhancements |
| September | Initial categorisation of Courses (PVC & AD AQSE) |
| October | Year End Data |
| November |
Programme Committee to discuss year end position and consider action plans CAQE Meetings with Programme Teams |
| December | Module Survey First Semester |
| January | Discussion of PG course performance (PVC & AD AQSE) |
| February | First Semester data (PVC & AD AQSE) |
| March/ April | Programme Committee to discuss Semester 1 performance and consider enhancement |
Programme Monitoring
The programme management system methodology locates the responsibility for the ongoing review of programmes and enhancement of the student learning experience with the academic staff delivering the programme, i.e., the programme team. Programme/subject committees consider all quality indicators and maintain oversight of the delivery of the programme.
Existing committee structures within the Faculty and University permit the flow of issues and good practice from programme/subject committees to the appropriate decision-making point. Annual monitoring activity is embedded within programme/subject committee activity and the records of programme/subject committee meetings across the year provide Faculty management and the University with information on the operation of programme monitoring.
The process does not remove responsibility from the Faculty and University for the oversight of quality monitoring. However, the focus of this activity is intended to ensure the operation and effectiveness of programme/subject committee activity and the effectiveness of debate and communication through the committee structures. The University is also responsible for considering practice across Faculties.
The Process
Objectives
The process aims to enable programme/subject teams to review the performance of programmes/subjects with a view to:
- ensuring that programmes/subjects are fit for purpose;
- monitoring student progression and achievement;
- coordinating delivery of the programme ensuring that it is both student-focused and client-centred;
- identifying, implementing and reviewing enhancements to the student learning experience;
- responding to issues in a timely fashion;
- sharing good practice.
The activity at each level is summarised below.
(a) Programme Level Responsibilities
Programme/subject committees are responsible for ongoing review of the performance of programmes in the light of evidence available to them at programme and module level. Statistics to inform review by programme/subject teams are provided centrally via the Quality Enhancement Data Site. Programme/subject committee meetings should consider all available information including statistical data, external examiner reports, PSRB and employer engagement, student feedback and NSS results.
A checklist detailing the topics which must be considered by programme/subject committees through the course of the year is available. This checklist also provides guidance notes on areas which might be considered under these topics as and when appropriate. A brief record of the Programme Committee meeting should be kept which details key points, notes any good practice identified, updates on progress on actions since the last meeting and includes and details actions agreed at the meeting. A full minute of the meeting is not required (except where this is a requirement of PSRB monitoring).
In addition to these regular meetings throughout the year, a review meeting should be held once per year. This will normally be held in November, but timing may be adjusted to suit PSRB requirements, where applicable. This will consider a range of issues across the year and provide information for Heads of School on the health of the course prior to Faculty and University monitoring. An agenda of items to consider at this meeting is also available.
(b) Faculty-level Oversight and Responsibilities
All Faculties should have a committee with responsibility for the Faculty-level oversight of the programme management system and this should be clearly stated in its terms of reference. In addition, these should include the identification and dissemination of good practice. Faculties should ensure that Programme/Subject Committee meetings are held, are well attended and effective and that communication channels for issues/communication of good practice are in place. Faculties must not impose additional audit/review activity to ensure that effort can be effectively focused on the monitoring activity described here.
Faculties are expected, through their normal processes and existing committee structure, to undertake strategic reviews of data (e.g., NSS, retention, DLHE etc) as and when required. In addition, Faculties will be expected, again through existing processes/ structures, to review the dataset considered under the Learning and Teaching strategy monitoring exercise in its totality prior to meeting with the University Senior Review Group (see below). The purpose of this review is to evaluate the success of actions taken throughout the year; take a holistic approach to the dataset; and to prepare to inform the meeting with the University Senior Review Group.
(c) University-level Oversight and Responsibilities
University oversight is conducted through the Continuous Assurance of Quality Enhancement (CAQE) process, detailed above.
