Welcome to The Quality Office

Glasgow Caledonian University is committed to the enhancement of the student experience at the University and it is important that both the internal and external perception of the quality agenda and the achievement of a quality enhancement culture within the University is continuously promoted and sustained.

The new approach to Quality in Scottish Higher Education has five main elements:

• a comprehensive programme of subject reviews, run by institutions themselves
• enhancement-led institution-level review over a four-year cycle
• improved forms of public information about quality, based on addressing the different needs of a range of stakeholders including students and employers
• a greater voice for student representatives in institutional quality systems
• a national programme of enhancement themes, aimed at developing and sharing good practice in learning and teaching in higher education

Glasgow Caledonian University has chosen to respond to this new quality framework, the desire to improve the student experience and the move towards our 2010 vision by implementing a Quality Enhancement Strategy covering all of its activities.  The strategy, "proactively seeks to improve all of the activities of the University which have an effect on the student experience."

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About the Quality Office

The Quality Office has responsibility for the co-ordination of various activities to support the key components of the University's Quality Enhancement Strategy and commitment in the Strategic Plan to the 'continuous improvement of learning and teaching'. 

In particular, the Quality Office is responsible for the co-ordination of activities designed to both ensure and enhance the quality of the University's provision, including research, knowledge transfer and commercial development.

Key specific responsibilities include:

• development and review of policy and procedures for quality management in compliance with the QAA Code of Practice
• monitoring and review of academic quality and standards and providing advice and guidance to staff, both academic and administrative, on all aspects of the University quality assurance and enhancement procedures
• preparation for and organisation of QAA Enhancement-Led Institutional Review (ELIR)
• the organisation and facilitation of Enhancement-Led Internal Subject Review, and the monitoring of the implementation of the action plans derived from the reviews
• management and co-ordination of approval of new programmes and the re-approval of existing programmes
• monitoring progression, retention, and completion and the biennial programme monitoring process
• maintenance of the Module Catalogue and providing advice on the development, approval, and enhancement of modules
• administering the process for the approval of External Assessors for taught programmes and learning contracts and the consideration of External Assessors’ annual reports
• management and co-ordination of approval of international and home collaborative arrangements
• keeping the academic community informed about external developments including the co-ordination of enhancement engagements with the QAA
• specification of module feedback, student longitudinal survey and graduate survey, and production of overview reports
• the collation of the Public Information Set required by the QAA and liaison with and co-ordination of submissions to external agencies such as QAA and SFC on matters relating to quality and standards
• maintain the Quality Office website, including programme specifications, regulations, etc and the publicly available information provided to the QAA
• management of the internal quality audit process
• management of the formal Student Complaint, Mediation and Resolution Procedure
• the collation of information on quality matters and annual summary reports for consideration of Senate and Senate standing committees

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Last updated: 19-Feb-2010

Website

The Quality Office website has been designed to:

emphasise the provision of guidance to staff of the policies, processes and procedures to support the current and future components of the University's Quality Enhancement Strategy

continually promote the University's commitment to academic quality assurance and enhancement, vital components in higher education

provide information on all our activities, plans and objectives in a manner which is both informative and helpful

easily incorporate any future approved revisions and updates to quality assurance and enhancement policy and guidance from time to time

disseminate identified elements of good practice throughout the University