University governanceQuality Assurance Committee

The Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) will exercise responsibility for the operational delivery of the education strategy and will report into the Education Strategy Committee (ESC) on progress within the key prioritised areas with internal and external reporting to, for example, the Scottish Funding Council and the Quality Assurance Agency, Scotland (QAA). 

Responsibilities

  • recommend academic policies for approval, implementation, monitoring & evaluation
  • oversight of updates to the University’s Regulatory Framework
  • oversight of the University’s engagement with Scotland’s Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework
  • quinquennial reviews
  • faculty annual reports: quality enhancement & assurance
  • external reporting, for example to the QAA & SFC
  • examination monitoring
  • progression & awards
  • receive reports from QAC sub-groups
  • external examiners’ reports
  • external & internal quality assurance & review responsibilities covering partnerships, joint awards, transnational education (TNE) with other institutions, both UK & overseas
  • monitoring of student appeals & discipline, & effectiveness of processes
  • ratify decisions made by the Boards of Study in relation to the creation & amendment of student prizes
  • recommend new & amended scholarships for approval
  • approve moratorium extension requests
  • oversight of the University’s partnership with the International Study Centre
  • National Student Survey & other student-experience surveys

Composition

  • Deputy Associate Principal (DAP) (Quality Assurance & Student Experience) Convener
  • Convener of Learning Enhancement Committee
  • Vice-Deans (Academic)
  • Faculty Managers (or designated representatives)
  • two representatives from the Strath Union Executive
  • Professional Services Managers/representatives (Access, Equality & Inclusion), Education Enhancement, Quality Enhancement & Assurance, Strategy & Planning, Strathclyde Doctoral School, Student Experience, Student Support & Wellbeing)
  • representative of Senate

The committee will meet five times per annum, in addition to joint meetings with the Learning Enhancement Committee and the Collaborative Provision Agreements (CPA) sub-group.

The annual joint meeting of QAC and LEC focuses on the presentation and discussion of issues arising from the Faculty Annual Reports: Quality Enhancement and Assurance.

The reports, which identify issues arising from regular reporting for quality assurance purposes and reflect on faculty-based enhancement initiatives, serve to identify good practice and highlight areas for further development. It will be the responsibility of LEC to progress these matters.

The purpose of the annual joint meeting of the CPA Sub-group and a sub-group of QAC is to provide assurance that current collaborative education agreements are viable and continue to meet the agreed quality assurance and academic standards.

Reporting

A summary report will be provided through ESC to Senate following meetings of all committees. QAC will also provide regular reports to ESC, including an annual report.