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Download - CAQE Action Plan

The annual monitoring process for validated provision aims to align programme monitoring processes to the Continuous Assurance of Quality Enhancement (CAQE) that has been implemented internally (the internal process also operates for outcentre, joint and franchised provision), and proved effective, at Ulster University, and to subsequently streamline annual reporting undertaken by Faculty Partnership Managers (FPMs).

The University’s position with regard to standards management and quality assurance requirements in partner institutions is that we will align them, where practicable, with the procedures in place for our own internal programmes.

A version of CAQE, often referred to as 'collaborative CAQE', was adopted for partner institution provision from the 19/20 academic year to:

  • enhance Faculty oversight of quality assurance processes within local and overseas partner institutions
  • replace the Self-Evaluation Report (SER) and reduce administrative burden for both partner and University staff
  • enable targeted enhancement activity and action planning within partner institutions
  • monitor articulation to Ulster University programmes.

A range of quantitative and qualitative metrics and associated KPIs were determined for collaborative provision. These benchmarks were agreed at the Collaborative Partnerships Forum.

KPIs

Cohort size >10 – review cohort performance (by year)

Cohort size <10 – review trend data  and grade profiles over 3 years

Scope to collate and review subject area data if cohort sizes still low

University Benchmarks

Attrition

  • Fd Degree - 10%
  • Access course - 20%

Success 2

  • Fd Degree, Yr 1-75% progression
  • Fd Degree, Yr 2 – 80% progression
  • Access Course – 70% progression

Other Course Data

  • EE/PSRB reports
  • CA3/revalidation outcomes
  • FPM Annual Report

Strategic Review Data

Students articulating to Ulster Programmes

Financial margins per programme

Programme cohort sizes within partner institutions can be below the University’s minimum target (15) and it is acknowledged where cohorts are small, performance metrics expressed as a percentage may not be indicative of programme issues or performance. As such, absolute numbers will be taken into account where appropriate.

Where programmes meet or exceed University benchmarks, they will remain within their allocated revalidation year, within the quinquennial revalidation cycle. Partner institutions will not be asked to provide any additional documentation to the University. Programme teams, in collaboration with the FPM, will maintain local quality monitoring and enhancement through established processes namely Course Committees, SSCC meetings and Board of Examiners.

Course Directors will still be required to forward (normally via the institutional HE Co-ordinator) minutes of SSCC and Course Committee meetings routinely to the FPM. Course Directors will also still have to respond directly to the External Examiner report and share  the report, and their response, with students (and to the FPM normally via the institutional HE Co-ordinator). The FPM will still meet annually with students to ascertain their feedback on the quality of their learning experience. Annual monitoring through CAQE will inform whether a programme remains on the revalidation cycle year on year.

Where programmes do not meet baseline expectations programme teams, in collaboration with the FPM, will be prompted to review the datasets, explore the issues that are associated with below baseline performance and generate action plans. Action plans will be submitted to the Centre for Quality Enhancement using a template which will be provided by the Centre for Quality Enhancement. Action plans will be distributed to relevant Faculty Associate Deans (Academic Quality and Student Experience), and FPMs for review. If action plans are agreed with no revisions, then programme teams will gain approval to implement and monitor these enhancement activities.

Should action plans fail to adequately address poor performance, or should they require revision, programme teams will then be invited to a CAQE Quality Review Panel to explore issues in greater depth and to revise actions. Panels will be conducted by the Associate Dean (Academic Quality and Student Experience) from the associated Faculty, in conjunction with the FPM and representation from the Centre for Quality Enhancement and other senior staff from within the Faculty as required. The appropriate Assistant Director, the HE Coordinator and the Course Director from the partner institutions will meet with the panel. These meetings may be conducted, where feasible, by video conferencing.

Programmes enrolling cohort sizes of below 10 students may submit action plans or attend Panel meetings to report on their business model and strategy to grow student numbers. All data will be considered holistically during review (including First-sit data and NSS outcomes where available), but only that data which is sensitive to identifying a need for enhancement will be enacted upon.

Potential outcomes from each Quality Review Panel are as follows:

  • Action plans to be revised and implemented
  • Programme revalidation to be expedited within the current cycle
  • Student intakes suspended pending further review

Quality Enhancement may undertake themed audits after evaluating the outcomes from Quality Review Panels.

The Associate Deans (Education) will report on the progress of NI Partner Institution action plans through monthly meetings with the PVC (Education).