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CAQE is the University's process for the annual review of programmes.

Undergraduate full-time provision

Within CAQE each course will be categorised according to a range of quantitative and qualitative metrics.

This categorisation will be determined annually in November and advised to Faculties.  Each course will fall into one of the following three categories:

  • Active Monitoring

    Courses in this category will have not met baseline expectations and will be subject to specific and targeted monitoring activity at both University and Faculty level, including:

    1. supportive measures reporting in respect of NSS and retention/progression issues; and
    2. Faculty investigations and interventions in relation to other quantitative and qualitative data which will be reviewed at AD (Education) monthly meetings with the PVC (Education).
  • Local Enhancement

    Courses in this category will have met and, in some cases, will have exceeded baseline expectations in one or more elements.

    They are progressing satisfactorily with some good practice evident but with scope for further enhancement activity.

    It is anticipated that such activity will take account of available metrics and other information such as feedback through SSCCs and will be locally initiated with support from CHERP as requested.

  • Academic Excellence

    Courses in this category will have exceeded the baseline expectations across all categories.

    They demonstrate consistently high student performances, outcomes and satisfaction and provide evidence of innovative learning and teaching practice.

    Funding will be allocated from the Learning and Strategy Fund to recognise the achievement of course teams in the academic excellence category.

    This money will be split between all courses in this category and course teams will be allowed to access their share of this fund to:

    • Purchase items of equipment / furniture / software or other resources.
    • Support CPD activity / conference attendance for members of the course team.

    Funds will be available from December to July (to end of financial year).

All full time undergraduate provision will, as currently, be monitored against existing data and benchmarks with data continuing to be provided to course teams/Schools/Faculties throughout the year. NSS supportive measures activity and oversight will also continue.

The CAQE will be conducted by the PVC (Education) in conjunction with the Associate Deans (Education) through monthly meetings and facilitated by Quality Enhancement.

The cycle of monthly meetings and key agenda items is available here.

Supportive Measures processes will continue in parallel and DLHE Employability Workshops will be held with Faculties in October / November.

Courses in the active monitoring group will be supported by CHERP which will also provide support for other provision as requested.  CHERP will also seek to identify institutional learning from the process.

Part-time and Postgraduate Provision

A review of available course data will be undertaken in January/February each year and will inform an annual discussion between the PVC (Education) and Associate Dean (Education) for each Faculty.

Link to Integrated Curriculum Design Framework and Revalidation Schedule

Outcomes of the review will inform the Revalidation Schedule and the Integrated Curriculum Design Framework where appropriate.

Timetable of CAQE Activities
MonthActivityOutcomes

July – November

End of Year Statistics and External Examiner reports become available

NSS, PTES and course level data published on QE data website as per usual schedule (https://www.ulster.ac.uk/quality/data)

September/October

Supportive Measures courses identified, and meetings held

Intervention plans by course

November

CAQE categorisation by Quality Enhancement of FT UG courses

  • Categorisation of all FT UG courses – provided to AD(E)s
  • Awards for courses in Academic Excellence category
  • Revalidation scheduled updated as appropriate (removal of Academic Excellence and Local Enhancement programmes which do not have Joint PSRB arrangements)

December

Faculty meetings to discuss courses in Active Monitoring

  • Outcomes for all Active Monitoring courses agreed.
  • Revalidation schedule updated where appropriate

January

Review by QE of Part-time UG and PGT provision

Draft agenda for Faculty meetings

February

Faculty meetings to discuss Part-time UG and PGT provision

  • Actions identified
  • Revalidation schedule updated where appropriate

Review of data and monitoring of interventions continues throughout the year, overseen by Associate Deans (Education) and discussed at monthly meetings between PVC (Education) and AD(E)s