As you will be aware, QAA has been considering proposals for including students as members of institutional review teams in Wales, as part of a wider strategic approach to engaging students in quality assurance and enhancement. I am now writing to inform you of recent progress on the inclusion of students in institutional review and in the development of that strategy.
On 9 October 2007, I wrote seeking initial views on this proposed development, to HEFCW, HEW, NUS Wales/UCMC, NPC and HEA. My letter outlined our rationale for considering this development and a timescale for implementation. I also wrote to the equivalent bodies in England and Northern Ireland about a similar development in relation to institutional audit.
In response to the consultation in November 2007, HEA, NUS Wales/UCMC and NPC endorsed the proposed introduction of students as members of institutional review teams. HEFCW and HEW broadly supported the move towards having students as members of institutional review teams, subject to further consideration of practical issues and the proviso that any change should be introduced from the beginning of the next cycle of institutional review.
Issues that were suggested as requiring further discussion were:
- the rationale behind this change
- what impact students have had on review teams in Scotland and elsewhere
- the relationship between student involvement and peer review
- what resources would be required by QAA to deliver this change
- the size of review teams.
The QAA Board has now had sufficient time to consider both the responses received and the views of the QAA Advisory Committee for Wales, and has agreed that we should consult further with the sector about these important issues as part of the development of the revised method for institutional review in Wales.
In the meantime, to help inform the process, QAA has recruited and trained a student who will observe an institutional review and feedback to QAA on their perceptions of the review process, focusing particularly on how they feel they could best contribute as a member of the team and commenting on additional training needs, knowledge and skills required. Feedback from this student and from a similar exercise in England will be gathered and analysed in April and May 2008.
We have also been developing our wider approach to student engagement and have been working with a range of sector bodies to ensure that our strategy fits with wider developments, and is focused on supporting the work that you undertake in this area. The current draft of a paper to be submitted to the March Board meeting of QAA has now been posted on www.qaa.ac.uk/students, together with a feedback form. I would welcome any comment you or your student body wish to make.
I shall write to you again when we have finalised our plans for further consultation.
Yours sincerely
Peter Williams
Chief Executive
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