Background
Internal and external arrangements for higher education quality assurance have changed frequently in the last 15 years or so and there is no sign of deceleration in the rate of change. The requirement to publish information on teaching quality; the conclusion of the initial period of new-style institutional audit and the determination of what succeeds it; the revisions to the Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education produced by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA); how newspapers will source information on teaching quality for their 'league tables' in the face of the growing staleness of the data they have relied on to date: all these things will have significant implications for institutions, their procedures, management and strategies.
The Quality Strategy Network (the Network) has been established to influence changes in national quality assurance practice as they are in the process of development. Its membership is intended to include those with responsibility for policy and strategy in the field of quality assurance, in all institutions with higher education provision. The Network will therefore have the credibility to affect change at the national level, and the persuasive authority to effect it at the local level, throughout higher education.
The primary benefit of the Network to contributing institutions is that they will be able to have a more effective voice in shaping national quality assurance arrangements. The secondary benefit is in providing a medium for the exchange of information, which may encourage improvement in quality assurance practice in the members' own institutions.
Objectives and activities
The objectives of the Network are:
- to provide a means through which institutions delivering higher education may seek to advise and influence national and other bodies on quality and academic standards management and, more generally, on national developments in higher education relevant to quality and academic standards management.
- to encourage and support the analysis and dissemination of findings and good practice from external reviews and audits, particularly in those areas bearing on the learning experience of students.
The Network will pursue its objectives in the first instance by organising a series of conferences, timed at roughly half yearly intervals. Themes for the conferences are chosen for their topicality: they are quality assurance matters still in process of development, where an authoritative institutional voice may still influence change.
The topic of the first conference will be:
How can the links between quality assurance and enhancement be strengthened in the next rounds of audit and review?
Provisional topics for subsequent conferences are likely to include:
- quality strategy and public information
- quality strategy and regulation
- quality strategy and collaboration.
Steering group and funding
The founder members and sponsors of the Network comprise a steering group of senior managers with quality assurance responsibilities in higher and further education institutions in England and Wales. Other members will be senior colleagues nominated by the Vice-Chancellors and Principals.
The steering group has also had considerable support from a range of agencies and organisations, and its early meetings have had the benefit of attendance and advice from QAA, the Higher Education Academy, Universities UK, and the Association of Colleges.
Those who have contributed to the work of the steering group are listed below.
The Network has had some start-up funding and secretarial and administrative assistance from QAA, but it is intended that in future it should be self-financing from conference fees. The steering group intends to formalise its working and other arrangements at the Network's first conference in Summer 2005.
Steering group membership
Ms Janet Alleyne, University of Ulster*Ms Catherine Baxter, North East Wales Institute
Ms Helen Bowles, Standing Council of Principals
Ms Sarah Butler, University of Sussex
Professor Graham Chesters, Hull University
Mr Peter Connell, New College Durham
Ms Rachel Cowie, University of Bath*
Professor Tony Cryer, Cardiff University*
Mr Nigel Dandy, University of Sheffield
Professor Clare Donovan, Dartington College
Mr Richard Harris, University of Luton
Ms Susan Hayday, Association of Colleges
Dr John Hostler, The University of Manchester
Mr Richard Hughes, University of Oxford
Dr Norman Jackson, Higher Education Academy
Dr Ann Miller, Liverpool John Moores University
Mr David Parry, Southampton Institute*
Mr Kevin Porter, Royal College Of Music
Professor Colin Raban, Edge Hill College of Higher Education
Dr Larry Roberts, Kingston University
Dr Ann Rumpus, University of Westminster
Professor Brenda Smith, Higher Education Academy
Ms Liz Thussu, Goldsmiths College
Professor David Timms, Bath Spa University College
Mr Simeon Underwood, London School of Economics and Political Science*
Mr David Young Universities UK*
* Corresponding member
Top