Circular letter CL11/05

Number	CL11/05
Subject	Strategic plan 2006-11 consultation
Publication date	Monday 22 August 2005
Recipients	QAA subscribers and other key contacts
Further information	Martin Johnson, 01452 557083, m.johnson@qaa.ac.uk
Response date	Tuesday 1 November 2005
Respond to	Martin Johnson, 01452 557083, m.johnson@qaa.ac.uk
Attachments	Draft copy of Strategic plan 2006-11

Dear Colleague

Draft QAA Strategic plan 2006-11

You may know that QAA's current strategic plan was published in February 2003 to cover a three year period to the end of 2005. In recent months we have been developing a new plan to run from January 2006 to the end of 2011. This has been discussed at the QAA Board, with our key partners in the representative and funding bodies, with academic auditor colleagues from the sector, and with QAA staff. As an initial informal consultation, I presented an outline of the new plan at our Annual Subscribers' meeting in Cardiff in June and was pleased with the general level of support that was expressed.

We have now reached the stage where we wish to follow up that informal sounding with a more formal consultation. A copy of the draft Strategic plan 2006-11 is enclosed with this note. The draft sets out our priorities for the next six years. Those priorities are expressed through a structure of strategic goals and strategic themes, with a number of specific objectives to be addressed under each theme. It is vital that our work should benefit universities and colleges and others with an interest in our work, and we need to know your views on our proposals.

There are three main questions on which we would welcome your advice.

Is the general thrust of the plan right?

Are our priorities for the evolution of our portfolio of work, and for our development as an organisation, the appropriate ones? Will they allow us to provide the right services and benefits to the sector and stakeholders in an effective way?

Is the structure of the plan right?

Does the structure of strategic themes and strategic goals provide a clear picture of what we want to achieve over the medium-term?

Is the content right?

Is the proposed portfolio of work one that you would support? Or are there proposals that are either not clear or that represent activity that you are not sure QAA should be doing? Conversely, do you feel we have missed, or not prioritised, areas of work that should have a higher profile?

Please let me have your comments in hard copy or electronically, as you prefer. Electronic responses should be sent to m.johnson@qaa.ac.uk Hard copy replies should be sent to Martin Johnson at Southgate House, Southgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1UB. We should be pleased to receive your comments by Tuesday 1 November 2005.

The Board will discuss the results of this consultation at its meeting on 1 December and we intend to publish the new strategic plan on 1 March 2006.

Colleagues in Scotland may know that the QAA Scotland Committee intends to prepare a QAA Scotland strategic plan that will act as a companion volume to the overall QAA plan. This document will be the subject of a separate consultation in Scotland during autumn 2005. It would be helpful if responses from universities and colleges in Scotland could also be copied to Laura White (l.white@qaa.ac.uk) at the QAA Scotland office in Glasgow.

Thank you

Yours sincerely

Peter Williams

Chief Executive