Welsh Language Scheme

Report to the Welsh Language Board on the Scheme’s implementation 2005-06

Preface

General

1 This report sets out how QAA has delivered Welsh language and bilingual services to the public; and how we have reflected Welsh language consideration in policy areas during 2005-06.

2 QAA has introduced a number of changes to strengthen the management of its activities in Wales, including the implementations of QAA’s Welsh Language Scheme (the Scheme). The changes include the appointment of Julian Ellis in the role of Officer for Wales, strengthening the membership of Team Wales and relaunching QAA’s Advisory Committee for Wales.

3 Team Wales is chaired by the Officer for Wales and is made up of a number of senior staff from across QAA. For further details about the role of Team Wales see Appendix 1.

4 QAA’s 2003-04 report to the Welsh Language Board set out the progress made by QAA in implementing the Scheme. This report in the third year of the Scheme’s operation will present a largely positive picture of an organisation, which is, for the most part, meeting its commitments to the Scheme.

5 It is worth noting that QAA’s workload in Wales remains relatively small compared with its overall activity in the UK. QAA’s review activity in Wales has increased from one institutional review in 2003-04 to two in 2005-06, with three planned for 2006-07. The volume of telephone communication and written correspondence reflects this low level of activity. As a consequence the level of interaction with the Welsh-speaking public remains infrequent.

The Monitoring Process

6 In 2005-06 Team Wales took over responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the Scheme. The Officer for Wales, as the Scheme Manager and Chair of Team Wales, reports directly to the Chief Executive. The Scheme Manager is not bilingual; however, he is supported by another QAA Officer (Jackie Carter - Business Development Manager) who is a Welsh speaker. This arrangement provides QAA with the organisational capacity to deal with Welsh medium enquires and meet with other language scheme requirements.

7 The reporting arrangements in place mean that the Scheme Manager reports regularly to the QAA’s Senior Management Committee and to the QAA Board through the Advisory Committee for Wales on the degree to which QAA is complying with the Scheme. When reporting on the implementation of the Scheme the purpose is to answer the two following questions: is QAA complying with the Scheme? How well is it doing that?

8 As part of its Service Level Agreement with the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) the QAA commits to maintaining its organisational capacity to deal with Welsh Medium enquires and meet with other language scheme requirements.

9 The QAA is confident that these arrangements provide a good basis for monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the Scheme.

Administrative procedures

10 QAA does not have an office in Wales. The majority of QAA staff are based in the head office in Gloucester. QAA has the following measures for making staff aware of the expectations of the Scheme: for new staff the Scheme is introduced as part of the induction process; all staff have been issued with a copy of a desk instruction (see Appendix 3) which gives a summary of the Scheme and the expectations placed upon staff. The desk instruction and the Scheme are available to all staff on the QAA’s intranet.

11 QAA has procedures in place for the translation of documents. The consideration of documents usually happens in one of three ways. The first, in the case of short documents they may be translated by QAA’s bilingual officer. Second, if the document is more substantial the translation will usually be contracted out to one of the translation agencies used by QAA. These agencies are all members of the Association of Welsh Translators and Interpreters. Finally, QAA has an informal arrangement with NUS (Wales) whereby officers from the NUS will translate relatively short documents on a goodwill basis.

Administrative issues

Policies and new procedures

12 The responsibility for ensuring that consideration is given to Welsh language in the formulation of new policies and initiatives falls to the members of Team Wales working in close collaboration with the Communications team. In planning for new polices and initiatives Team Wales will make an assessment of the linguistic implications and ensure that such polices and initiatives will align with the principles of the Scheme.

13 During 2005-06 QAA conducted a review of research degree programmes in Wales and the documentation issued to higher education institutions describing the review was bilingual (see Appendix 2). This review process was developed by the QAA Reviews Group, which included members of Team Wales. This helped ensure that a bilingual version was produced for the review of research degree programmes.

14 With respect to the QAA core business in Wales, because of the low volume of activity it has been possible to explore with each individual institution, through officer meetings, the language preference for the conduct of the review (for more details about institutional review see Appendix 5). For example, at an institutional review in 2004-05 it was established that the institution’s preference was not to conduct the main business in the medium of Welsh.

15 By contrast, it is worth noting the steps taken for an institutional review in 2006-07. Following the preliminary meeting in 2005-06 the institution’s preference was to conduct aspects of the review bilingually. However, at that time, QAA was unable to secure the services of a Welsh-speaking member of the team with sufficient institutional experience. As a consequence the review was postponed until 2006-07 in order to give QAA an opportunity to meet the institution’s language preference. This provides a clear example of where the need to meet the language preference of the institution was given equal status to other considerations.

Corresponding with the public

16 QAA retains the capacity to respond bilingually in writing. Any correspondence received in Welsh will be recorded, the correspondence will be considered initially by the QAA’s bilingual officer and if appropriate use will be made of translation services. This procedure however remains untested, the QAA has yet to receive any correspondence from the public in Welsh. A copy of the desk instructions setting out the procedures in more detail is attached as Appendix 3.

17 All QAA-initiated correspondence (unless previously agreed with recipient), including circulars and standard letters, which relate to QAA activities in Wales only are sent out bilingually. In 2005-06 letters included: a QAA circular on the review of research degree awarding powers; all higher education institutions in Wales notifying them of the appointment of the new Officer for Wales; the members of the QAA Advisory Committee for Wales; and institutions involved in QAA review activity.

18 There are still some residual problems with the consistent use of bilingual headed stationery. This, in part, is being addressed through refresher briefing for appropriate staff to try and ensure the use of bilingual headed paper is consistent. Due to the extended timescales for the review process and previous informal discussions with an institution there can also be some ambiguity about what constitutes the start of written correspondence. For example, some of the correspondence relating to a particular institutional review may have been initiated prior to the full implementation of the Scheme. Or there may have been informal contact prior to the start of the formal institutional review. To address this issue we are going to ensure that, where there is any doubt, we will correspond bilingually in the first instance.

19 To make the process of correspondence more robust and systematic we are introducing a new feature to the QAA database (QMIS) which will be able to identify individual organisations that have expressed an interest in corresponding in the medium of Welsh and a log will automatically be kept of all these requests.

Telephone communications

20 QAA has retained the services of the NUS Wales to act as a call centre and a first point of contact for any member of the public wishing to speak in Welsh (see para 17 of the Scheme). At a recent review meeting between QAA officers and NUS Wales the arrangements were still found to be effective, although in fact there were no telephone calls received in 2005-06 at the NUS Office which were intended for QAA. To publicise the call centre number more widely, the number appears on the bilingual ‘Contact us’ on the QAA website and in higher quality, QAA’s newsletter published three times a year (See Appendix 4). When calls are received it has been agreed with NUS Wales that a log will be kept providing basic information about the call.

Meetings

21 As described above (see paragraph 15) QAA, when conducting its core business, takes steps to ensure that institutions and individuals are able to use the language of choice. In 2005-06 there have been two primary examples. The first at an institution where the preliminary meeting between officers was conducted bilingually, with measures put in place to ensure that meetings during the review visit itself would be conducted bilingually. The second example was at a review event where students meeting with reviewers during the institutional review were able to speak in the language of their choice.

22 During 2005-06, QAA did not organise any major events in Wales. It did however, organise two smaller events. The first, in January 2006, was an event organised jointly with NUS Wales. Here participants were welcome to participate in the language of their choice. The second was in Cardiff for an event on assessment practices in Wales. Again, delegates were invited to express a language preference and none of those able to attend expressed a preference to use Welsh.

Corporate identity

Logo

23 When QAA originally adopted the Scheme it had the logo translated into Welsh for use with the Welsh language. When we changed the logo earlier this year, we amended the Welsh logo to take the initials in the same way the English one does (QAA English, ASA Welsh).

Signage

24 QAA does not have any Welsh signage, internally or externally. The Scheme only commits QAA to have Welsh signage at any Welsh office QAA may establish.

Headed paper, compliment slips etc

25 QAA has produced bilingual stationery for letterhead and compliment slips. There is a fax template available on Q-nection in Welsh. Business cards are provided bilingually on request. All other requirements, for example, circular letters, press releases, are dealt with on an adhoc basis and therefore do not have anything preprinted.

Website

Statistics for Welsh language pages of the QAA website (www.qaa.ac.uk/cymraeg) for March 2006 – August 2006 inclusive.

Total number of visits – 5923

Page titles	Visits
Home page	2,281
Our work in Wales	897
Guidelines for higher education institutions in Wales for effective practice in examining and assessing in a language other than the language of tuition.	811
Institutional review: Wales	726
Experiencing a review in Wales	672
Welsh language scheme	666
Review of postgraduate research degree programmes in Wales	654
Circular letter CL05/04: Nomination of institutional reviewers and review secretaries for Wales.	486
Institutional review in Wales: a guide for student representatives	465
Circular letter CL 02/05: Postgraduate research degree programmes – review of quality and standards	444
Circular letter CL13/05: postgraduate research degree programmes – review of quality and standards	344
Handbook for Institutional review: Wales, section1	284
Operational description (incorporating guidance to institutions) for the special review of postgraduate research degree programmes (Wales)	241
Handbook for Institutional review: Wales - section 3	152
Operational description for the special review of postgraduate research degree programmes (Wales)- draft	142
Handbook for Institutional review: Wales - section 2	140

Publications

Since the implementation of the Scheme, QAA has published the following bilingual publications:

Handbook for institutional review: Wales

Institutional review in Wales: Guide for student representatives

Guidelines for higher education institutions in Wales for effective practice in examining and assessing in a language other than the language of tuition

Welsh Language Scheme

All review reports for institutions in Wales, undertaken in the period.

Staff related issues

26 In January 2006, QAA appointed a senior member of staff (Business Development Manager) with bilingual capacity. She will act as QAA’s Welsh-speaking officer and training will be provided to increase her confidence and competence. QAA considers this to be an appropriate level of linguistic skill in view of the number of inquiries received in Welsh over the past three years.

Review of QAA’s Welsh Language Scheme

27 As described in para 82 of the Scheme, QAA will review and update the Scheme in 2006-07. By reviewing the Scheme we are demonstrating our continuing commitment to the Welsh language in the conduct of QAA business in Wales.

28 QAA may need to make amendments to the Scheme because of changes to our function, or to the circumstances in which we undertake those functions, or for any other reason. It is our intention to consult with the Welsh Language Board and other interested parties on any changes prior to publishing a revised version on the QAA website.

Appendix 1: Team Wales Policy Statement

Introduction

1 This policy statement sets out the QAA’s strategic approach to delivering its services in Wales.

2 The activities which the QAA has undertaken to deliver in Wales are set out in detail in its Service Level Agreement with the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and its Memorandum of Understanding with Higher Education Wales (HEW) and HEFCW (see Appendix A and B).

3 The QAA has established a group to coordinate and oversee its activities in Wales: Team Wales (TW.) The primary function of TW is to monitor, evaluate and report upon QAA activities in Wales. TW is chaired by the Officer for Wales and includes representatives from across the QAA’s group structure. Although TW only meets formally three times per year the work carried out by QAA officers in Wales is on-going.

4 Team Wales reports regularly to the Reviews Management Board and the minutes of Team Wales go to the Senior Management Committee.

Principles underpinning the work of Team Wales

5 Groups and individuals from the QAA take responsibility for those areas of QAA activity in Wales which fall within their normal portfolio of work. By mainstreaming, rather than relying on one dedicated individual, it provides the prospect of a more effective means of delivering QAA services in Wales.

6 The ethos underpinning TW is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The QAA can provide a more coherent approach to its operations in Wales through the mechanism of Team Wales rather than through the efforts of individuals working in isolation.

The policy objectives of Team Wales

7 The policy objectives for Team Wales are to ensure that the QAA delivers on its responsibilities:

to safeguard the public interest in sound standards of higher education qualifications and to encourage continuous improvement in the management of the quality of higher education in Wales.

The role of Team Wales

To deliver on its policy objectives the role of TW is:

to oversee and coordinate the activities of individuals and groups within the QAA;
to facilitate cooperation between individuals and groups within the QAA;
to support and encourage clear, comprehensive and inclusive working practices both within the QAA and with external stakeholders.
to support individual QAA officers in their work in Wales.
to report on the work of the QAA in Wales both internally and through its regular meetings with HEFCW and HEW.
to be sensitive and understanding of the particular context in which Welsh HE operates.
To monitor the implementation of the QAA Welsh Language Scheme.

Team Wales membership and responsibilities

Name	Responsibilities on TW
Irene Ainsworth	Experience of HE sector in Wales and QAA review methods
Douglas Blackstock	Oversee contract with HEFCW
Jackie Carter	Bilingual officer
Nicola Channon	Institutional review; CPA; reviewer training
Pat Cooper	Secretariat for Team Wales
Fiona Crozier	Liaison officer scheme
Julian Ellis	Officer for Wales and Chair of TW
Stephen Jackson	Director of Reviews Group
Liz Rosser	Finance
Wendy Stubbs	Student liaison

Other QAA officers with responsible for activities in Wales as part of their portfolio of work who will be invited to Team Wales as and when appropriate, these include:

Kath Dentith	Access
Jean Lawton	Publications
Elaine Harries Jenkins	Health
Jayne Mitchell	Credit and qualifications
Mandy Nelson	TQI

Appendix 2: Disgrifiad gweithredol ar gyfer yr adolygiad arbennig o raglenni graddau ymchwil ôl-radd (Cymru)

Cyflwyniad

1 Yn y ddogfen hon ceir disgrifiad gweithredol o'r adolygiad arbennig a fydd yn berthnasol i raglenni graddau ymchwil ôl-radd yng Nghymru. Bydd yr adolygiad, a gyhoeddwyd yn Postgraduate research degree programmes: minimum standards and funding (CCAUC WO4/64HE) ¹ gan Gyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru (CCAUC) fel rhan o'r strategaeth ehangach i sicrhau ansawdd Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil, yn cael ei gynnal yn 2005-6.

2 Prif ddiben yr adolygiad yw sicrhau bod gan bob sefydliad addysg uwch (AU) sy'n cael cyllid gan CCAUC ar gyfer Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil bolisïau a gweithdrefnau trylwyr ac effeithiol i sicrhau a gwella ansawdd a safonau'r ddarpariaeth Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil. Ym mis Medi 2004, cyhoeddodd yr Asiantaeth Sicrhau Ansawdd (ASA) fersiwn diwygiedig y Cod Ymarfer ar gyfer sicrhau ansawdd a safonau academaidd mewn addysg uwch (Cod Ymarfer), Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôl-radd ² (Saesneg yn unig). Bydd yr adolygiad o Raglenni Graddau Ymchwil yn adlewyrchu'r Cod Ymarfer, Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôl-radd (Saesneg yn unig), i weld i ba raddau y mae polisïau a gweithdrefnau'r sefydliadau yn unol â'r cod hwnnw a'i egwyddorion.

3 Ni fydd yr adolygiad yn ymdrin â safonau ymchwil yn fwy cyffredinol.

Cwmpas

4 Bydd y dull adolygu a ddisgrifir yn y papur hwn yn berthnasol i bob sefydliad AU yng Nghymru sy'n cael cyllid gan CCAUC tuag at Raglenni Graddau Ymchwil. Mae’r adolygiad arbennig yn cynnwys pob myfyriwr ar Raglenni Graddau Ymchwil sydd wedi cael ei gofrestru am un o ddyfarniadau'r sefydliad. Mae hyn yn cynnwys pob sefydliad AU sydd â myfyrwyr ar Raglenni Graddau Ymchwil ac sydd heb bwerau dyfarnu graddau ymchwil.

5 Bydd yr adolygiad yn ymdrin â:

threfniadau'r sefydliad
yr amgylchedd ymchwil
dethol, derbyn a sefydlu
goruchwylio
cynnydd a threfniadau adolygu
datblygu sgiliau ymchwil a sgiliau eraill
mecanweithiau adborth
asesu
sylwadau myfyrwyr
cwynion
apeliadau.

¹ www.elwa.org.uk/elwaweb/doc_bin/he%20circulars/w0464he%20circ.pdf

² www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeofpractice

Diffinio rhaglenni ymchwil

6 Bwriedir bod yr adolygiad yn berthnasol i’r Ddoethuriaeth (gan gynnwys Doethuriaeth Llwybr Newydd a’r Doethuriaethau a ddyfernir ar sail gwaith a gyhoeddwyd), a phob ffurf ar ddoethuriaeth broffesiynol neu ddoethuriaeth ag elfennau dysgu iddi, ynghyd â graddau meistr ymchwil ble mae’r elfen ymchwilio (gan gynnwys y gofyniad i gynhyrchu gwaith gwreiddiol) yn fwy na’r elfen dysgu ffurfiol pan gaiff ei mesur yn ôl ymdrech y myfyriwr.

Perthynas ag adolygiad sefydliadol

7 Ymarfer unigryw yw’r adolygiad arbennig o’r Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil. Bydd CCAUC yn ymgynghori â sefydliadau AU, os oes raid, ynghylch unrhyw newidiadau a allai fod yn ofynnol i drefniadau presennol ASA ar gyfer adolygiad sefydliadol yng ngoleuni canlyniadau'r adolygiad arbennig ar Raglenni Graddau Ymchwil.

8 Er mwyn i’r adolygiad ddarparu llinell sylfaen gynhwysfawr o wybodaeth, ni chaiff unrhyw sefydliad sydd wedi derbyn adolygiad sefydliadol yn ddiweddar eu heithrio rhag cael adolygiad arbennig.

Ymgynghori a threialu

9 Dosbarthwyd y disgrifiad gweithredol drafft a’r holiadur ddechrau mis Chwefror, gyda 22 Ebrill 2005 yn ddyddiad cau ar gyfer derbyn sylwadau. Rhoddwyd ystyriaeth ofalus i’r ymatebion a, ble bo’n briodol, diwygiwyd y disgrifiad gweithredol.

10 Cynhaliwyd prosiect peilot hefyd yn cynnwys tri sefydliad AU. Defnyddiwyd canlyniadau’r peilot i ddatblygu’r dull adolygu a’r canllawiau i sefydliadau.

Y dull adolygu

Golwg Gyffredinol
11 Ymarferiad gwaith desg yw'r dull adolygu, ac mae'n golygu y bydd adolygwyr yn gwerthuso ymateb sefydliad i holiadur am sut mae’r sefydliad wedi cysoni ei bolisïau a’i weithdrefnau gyda’r Cod Ymarfer, Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôlradd. Bydd pob cyflwyniad yn arwain at lunio adroddiad i’r sefydliad ac i CCAUC. Hefyd, o fewn y dull adolygu, gellir ymweld â sefydliadau lle'r ystyrir bod angen ymweliad dilynol. Fel arfer, dim ond lle mae achosion neilltuol i bryderu yn deillio o ymateb sefydliad i'r holiadur y bydd yr adolygwyr yn ymweld.

Y timau adolygu
12 Bydd tîm adolygu o gyd-addysgwyr yn barnu i ba raddau y mae prosesau a gweithdrefnau sefydliadau AU, gogyfer â'i Raglenni Graddau Ymchwil, yn briodol a boddhaol ac yn gyson â disgwyliadau’r Cod Ymarfer, Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôl-radd. Bydd yr adolygwyr yn gweithio mewn timau, gyda chydlynydd adolygu yn cydlynu gwaith pob tîm. Bydd y cydlynwyr adolygu yn helpu i sicrhau cysondeb yn y timau adolygu ac ar draws y timau. Bydd Cyfarwyddwr Cynorthwyol ASA yn ysgwyddo cyfrifoldeb cyffredinol dros reoli’r adolygiad, gan roi canllawiau a chefnogaeth yn ôl y gofyn.

13 Cyn yr adolygiad, rhoddir gwybod i’r sefydliadau ynghylch aelodau’r tîm adolygu, a fydd yn ystyried eu hymateb i’r holiadur ac yn drafftio adroddiad.

14 Caiff yr adolygwyr eu dethol gan ASA o blith enwebiadau a wneir gan sefydliadau sy'n dyfarnu a sefydliadau priodol eraill. Efallai y gwahoddir adolygwyr presennol yng Nghymru a'r Alban ac archwilwyr sefydliadau yn Lloegr a Gogledd Iwerddon, sy'n bodloni'r meini prawf, i gymryd rhan yn yr adolygiad o Raglenni Graddau Ymchwil. Mae'r meini prawf ar gyfer dewis adolygwyr yn cynnwys:

profiad helaeth o ddatblygu a rheoli myfyrwyr ymchwil mewn addysg uwch,e.e. gweithredu fel goruchwyliwr dros fyfyrwyr ymchwil
profiad eang fel ymchwilydd mewn addysg uwch, yn cynnwys rheoli rhaglenni ymchwil a datblygu amgylchedd ymchwil y sefydliad
cyfrannu tuag at sicrhau ansawdd rhaglenni ymchwil a'r amgylchedd dysgu ymchwil ôl-radd
hygrededd personol a phroffesiynol gyda phenaethiaid sefydliadau ac uwch reolwyr yn y sector addysg uwch
gallu cymhathu llawer iawn o wybodaeth wahanol; i ddadansoddi a llunio casgliadau dibynadwy am drefniadau cymhleth; ac i ymgymryd ag ymchwil ac archwiliadau i dystiolaeth ddogfennol a llafar er mwyn llunio barn
sgiliau cyfathrebu llafar ac ysgrifenedig clir
gallu a pharodrwydd i ddefnyddio dulliau cyfathrebu electronig.

15 Bydd ASA yn darparu hyfforddiant i adolygwyr.

Holiadur
16 Y prif ddull o gasglu gwybodaeth ar gyfer yr adolygiad fydd holiadur. Mae'r cwestiynau wedi'u seilio ar y meysydd y mae a wnelo'r egwyddorion â hwy yn fersiwn diwygiedig y Cod Ymarfer, Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôl-radd, ac maent yn canolbwyntio ar y ffordd y mae'r sefydliad yn ymdrin â rheoli a chefnogi gweithgarwch Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil. Wrth iddynt ymateb i'r holiadur, gofynnir i'r sefydliadau ddarparu tystiolaeth ategol i gadarnhau eu honiadau ac i gyfeirnodi'r dystiolaeth honno yn eu hymatebion. Mae'r holiadur ynghlwm fel Atodiad 1.

Ymweliadau
17 Mae'r dull adolygu yn cynnwys darpariaeth i'r timau adolygu ymweld â sefydliad lle mae achos i bryderu. Gallai achos i bryderu ddeillio o’r dystiolaeth nad yw'r sefydliad wedi:

ystyried bwriadau fersiwn diwygiedig y Cod Ymarfer, Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôl-radd
pwyso a mesur ei arferion ei hun a chymryd camau, lle bo angen, i sicrhau bod newidiadau priodol yn cael eu gwneud i gyflawni bwriadau'r Cod Ymarfer.

18 Mae’n debygol y bydd unrhyw ymweliad â sefydliad ar ffurf trafodaethau rhwng y tîm adolygu a staff sy'n ymwneud â goruchwylio a rheoli’r Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil, a rhwng y tîm a grŵp cynrychiadol o fyfyrwyr. Bydd y trafodaethau yn canolbwyntio ar faterion penodol yn deillio o ganlyniadau'r arolwg a'r dystiolaeth ategol a ddarparwyd gan y sefydliad. Pennir union natur, cwmpas ac amseriad unrhyw ymweliad drwy gytundeb rhwng y sefydliad ac ASA ar ôl i'r adolygwyr werthuso'r arolwg.

19 Cyn unrhyw ymweliad, rhoddir cyfle i sefydliad ddarparu tystiolaeth ategol er mwyn rhoi sylw i unrhyw bryder y gallai fod gan adolygwyr.

Llunio barn
20 Gan ddefnyddio canlyniadau'r arolwg a’r dogfennau ategol, bydd y tîm adolygu yn adrodd ar allu'r sefydliad i sicrhau a gwella ansawdd a safonau ei ddarpariaeth Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil trwy fod yn gyson â’r Cod Ymarfer. Caiff barn y tîm ei mynegi drwy ddweud bod ansawdd y ddarpariaeth Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil yn briodol a boddhaol neu, lle nad yw hynny'n wir, fod angen gweithredu ymhellach.

21 Boed yr ansawdd yn briodol ac yn foddhaol neu fod angen gweithredu ymhellach, bydd y farn a roddir yn gyffredinol.

Adroddiadau a therfynu

22 Bydd y tîm adolygu yn llunio adroddiad ar gyfer pob sefydliad ar sail canlyniadau’r adolygiad ar Raglenni Graddau Ymchwil. Ni chaiff yr adroddiadau eu cyhoeddi. Caiff yr adroddiadau terfynol ar Raglenni Graddau Ymchwil eu cyflwyno i'r sefydliad ac i CCAUC.

23 Caiff yr adroddiad drafft ei baratoi a’i gyflwyno i’r sefydliad cyn gynted ag y bo modd yn dilyn penderfyniad terfynol yr adolygwyr ynghylch canlyniadau’r arolwg. Dylai sefydliadau dderbyn copïau o’r adroddiadau drafft erbyn canol mis Mai 2006. Gwahoddir y sefydliad i gywiro gwallau ffeithiol a’u hanfon at ASA, o fewn tair wythnos i dderbyn yr adroddiad drafft. Caiff yr adroddiad terfynol ei baratoi ar sail ymateb y sefydliad. Lle bo ymweliad â sefydliad yn cael ei gynnal, caiff yr adroddiad drafft ei gyflwyno cyn gynted ag y bo modd yn dilyn yr ymweliad.

24 Mae'r adolygiad wedi'i gwblhau pan gaiff ei derfynu'n ffurfiol. Lle bo'r adroddiad yn datgan bod y ddarpariaeth yn briodol a boddhaol, bydd yr adolygiad yn terfynu pan anfonir ef at CCAUC. Lle bernir bod angen gweithredu ymhellach, gofynnir i'r darparwr anfon cynllun gweithredu i ASA o fewn tri mis i'r adroddiad gael ei derfynu yn nodi sut yr aethpwyd i'r afael â'r materion a godwyd yn yr adroddiad. Ddeuddeg mis ar ôl diwedd yr adolygiad, bydd swyddog ASA yn ymweld â'r darparwr i gadarnhau effeithiolrwydd y cynllun gweithredu. Defnyddir proses adolygu’r sefydliad i ddelio ag achos sy’n peri pryder.

25 Bydd ASA hefyd yn cynhyrchu adroddiad trosolwg am yr ymarferiad cyfan, a bydd hwnnw'n cael ei gyhoeddi.

Gwerthuso'r broses

26 Bydd ASA yn annog sefydliadau ac adolygwyr i gyfrannu at werthuso proses adolygu’r Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil drwy wahodd sylwadau ar yr adolygiadau y maent wedi cymryd rhan ynddynt.

Cwynion a sylwadau

27 Bydd yr ASA yn ystyried cwynion am sut cafodd yr adolygiad arbennig ei gynnal a’r sylwadau am farn y tîm adolygu, yn unol â’r gweithdrefnau ffurfiol a gyhoeddwyd ar ei gwefan (www.qaa.ac.uk).

Amserlen adolygu

Blwyddyn Mis academaid d		Tasg
2004-05	Chwefror-Ebrill	Ymgynghori â'r sector addysg uwch ynghylch y Disgrifiad gweithredol
	Mai-Mehefin	Ystyried canlyniadau'r ymgynghori
	Mehefin-Medi	Treialu er mwyn profi proses
		Llunio a dosbarthu disgrifiad gweithredol diwygiedig a holiadur
2005-06	Medi-Tachwedd	Dethol a hyfforddi adolygwyr
	Hydref-Tachwedd	Briffio'r sefydliadau
	Chwefror	Ymatebion gan Sefydliadau AU erbyn dydd Gwener 10 Chwefror 2006
	Mawrth-Ebrill	Y timau adolygu i ddadansoddi'r ymatebion
	Mai-Mehefin	Llunio adroddiadau drafft, eu dosbarthu i’r sefydliadau AU, ac ymatebion i ASA Cynhelir unrhyw ymweliad adolygu’n awr.
	Gorffennaf	Adroddiadau terfynol i'r sefydliadau AU a CCAUC

Atodiad 1 - holiadur

Cyflwyniad

1 Bwriad yr holiadur yw rhoi gwybodaeth i ASA am fframwaith sicrhau ansawdd y sefydliad ar gyfer Rhaglenni Graddau Ymchwil. Yn arbennig, sut mae'r fframwaith yn adlewyrchu egwyddorion fersiwn diwygiedig y Cod Ymarfer, Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôl-radd.

2 Mae'r broses adolygu yn cydnabod dilysrwydd gwahaniaethau ar draws disgyblaethau yn nodweddion yr amgylchedd ymchwil ac yn y modd o reoli ansawdd a safonau. Lle bo gwahaniaethau yn bodoli, efallai y bydd sefydliadau am wneud hyn yn glir yn eu hymateb, a dangos sut mae'r sefydliad yn rheoli a monitro gwahaniaethau o ran dulliau yn ymwneud ag ansawdd a safonau.

3 Dylai ymateb y sefydliadau gynnwys disgrifiad o brif nodweddion a sylwadau am sut mae’r sefydliad yn sicrhau ansawdd a safonau yn unol â phob un o’r egwyddorion ynghyd â thystiolaeth i gadarnhau’r honiadau. Byddai o fudd pe gallai’r sefydliadau ddangos mor fanwl ag sy’n bosibl, dan bob adran, lle mae modd gweld y dystiolaeth, mewn dogfen benodol, i gefnogi’r honiad eu bod yn gyson â fersiwn diwygiedig y Cod Ymarfer, Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôl-radd. O bryd i’w gilydd, gallwch ychwanegu nodyn esboniadol gyda ffynhonnell y dystiolaeth.

4 Dylai’ch ymateb a'ch tystiolaeth ategol (gweler isod, paragraff 9) gynnwys deunydd o ddogfennau sydd eisoes yn bodoli. Nid oes angen hyn ar gyfer deunydd newydd a gaiff ei ysgrifennu ar gyfer yr adolygiad.

5 Os yw sefydliadau wedi cyflwyno polisïau a gweithdrefnau newydd mewn ymateb i fersiwn diwygiedig y Cod Ymarfer, Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôl-radd, ond nad oes tystiolaeth gyflawn ar gael eto (e.e. monitro blynyddol), byddai o fudd cael esboniad o’r newid.

6 Rhagwelir mai oddeutu 6,000 o eiriau fydd yr ymateb arferol i’r holiadur, er na chosbir ymateb sy’n fyrrach nac yn hirach na hynny.

7 Y sefydliad ei hun fydd yn penderfynu a yw’r dystiolaeth a gyflwynir yn dangos bod y sefydliad yn gyson â’r Cod Ymarfer, Adran 1: Rhaglenni ymchwil ôl-radd.

8 I osgoi gorfod anfon gormod o dystiolaeth ategol, mewn achosion lle gall fod sawl enghraifft o dystiolaeth (e.e. llawlyfrau myfyrwyr ar lefel pwnc), gwahoddir y sefydliad i gyflwyno sampl cynrychioladol i gefnogi eu cyflwyniad.

9 Gan mai ymarferiad gwaith desg yw'r dull adolygu, mae’n bwysig bod sefydliadau yn darparu tystiolaeth ar ffurf sy’n hawdd ei deall. Byddai’n ddefnyddiol dros ben, felly, pe darperir dogfennau yn electronig (e.e. ar CD-ROM, wedi’i labelu’n glir) a, lle bo’n bosib, sicrhau mynediad at ddogfennau perthnasol ar fewnrwyd y sefydliad. Lle nad oes tystiolaeth ar gael yn electronig, gellir ei chyflwyno ar gopi caled.

10 Mae angen tri chopi o’ch holiadur wedi’i lenwi ynghyd â CD-ROM ar ASA. A fyddech gystal ag anfon y rhain at Julian Ellis dim hwyrach na dydd Gwener 10 Chwefror 2006. Mae fersiwn electronig o’r holiadur ar gael yn www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/postgraduate/

11 Anfonwch gyflwyniadau a CD-ROM eich sefydliad at:

Julian Ellis
Asiantaeth Sicrhau Ansawdd Addysg Uwch Southgate House
Southgate Street
Caerloyw
GL1 1UB.

Os oes gennych chi unrhyw ymholiadau pellach, anfonwch hwy i’r cyfeiriad canlynol: RDP.specialreview@qaa.ac.uk.

Yr holiadur Enw’r sefydliad