Student engagement and partnership working is central to everything we do at Glasgow Caledonian. This applies to quality assurance and enhancement in the same way that it applies to every other area of University life. The student voice provides the unique learner perspective and collectively informs the continuous enhancement of learning, teaching and the wider student experience.
There are a wide range of opportunities available for you to get involved in some of the activities of the Department of Quality Assurance and Enhancement - whether as a student or as a student representative – and we encourage you to get involved where you can.
Get involved:
Student Partnership Agreement
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The University and Students’ Association are committed to the continuous enhancement of the student experience. Student engagement and partnership working are at the heart of all that we do.
Together we form a strong partnership built upon trust, mutual respect and our Common Good mission. We are proud to have a strong and recognised track record of involving students as partners in all aspects of their learning and wider student experience.
The whole of the GCU community – students, staff and the Students’ Association – is responsible for partnership working in practice. To find out more about what this means and how you can get involved, see our Student Partnership Agreement page.
Pause for Feedback
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Pause for Feedback is an established university-wide practice that provides space for the student voice to be heard at module level. It forms part of our wider student feedback processes: students are offered the opportunity to give early feedback on their experience of each module, normally in Week 5 and during a timetabled class. Responses are themed by the module team and any resulting actions shared with students on GCULearn.
You are encouraged to engage in Pause for Feedback when invited to do so, as your feedback directly results in module adjustments and enhancements being made in a timely manner, which will positively impact your overall student learning experience.
Student Partnership Forums
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Student Partnership Forums are a key mechanism used to receive feedback from students at programme level. They take place once per trimester and are underpinned by a strong focus on partnership working between students and staff. Class Reps and Programme Leaders come together to discuss learning, teaching and aspects of the wider student experience, with any resulting actions shared with the wider student cohort.
All students are encouraged to engage in the forum for your own programme of study, either through undertaking an academic representative role or by providing your class rep with feedback when asked to do so ahead of the meeting.
Student Consultation
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There will be opportunities to engage with quality assurance and enhancement activities throughout the academic year in the form of student consultations. For example, we may ask for your input in relation to the review of a policy or process.
Student consultation is typically done through some of the following methods: student focus groups (online or in-person); Padlet walls; Students' Association committees, such as SAGE and EDI committees; Students' Association autumn and spring Academic Representative Gatherings.
Opportunities to be involved are normally promoted by the Students' Association and/or Student Communications and we encourage you to get involved where you can.
Student Representation on University committees
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Students are represented on University Court and in academic governance structures, including Senate, Education Committee, Learning Enhancement Sub-committee, School Boards and Programme Boards.
To find out more about student representation and how you can get involved as an academic representative, see the Students' Association page on representation .
Programme Approval, Programme Review and Enhancement-Led Internal Subject Review (ELISR)
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The Department of Quality Assurance and Enhancement coordinates an ongoing cycle of approval and review events.
Programme Approval events take place when a new academic programme is proposed for delivery Programme Review events take place when an existing academic programme is reviewed, normally every five years Enhancement-Led Internal Subject Review (ELISR) events take place when a whole subject area or department (rather than an individual programme) is reviewed, normally every five years. Students play a crucial role in these key activities, and you can find out more about how you can get involved by visiting Approval and review events .
Thematic Review
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QAE carries out Thematic Reviews of areas that may not be fully captured during Programme Review and ELISR. These reviews involve a strong element of student consultation, and the review team normally includes a Full Time Officer.
The most recent Thematic Review explored the operation and effectiveness of Student Staff Consultative Groups (SSCGs). Student and staff input resulted in SSCGs being reframed as Student Partnership Forums, to include a stronger focus on partnership working and increased student agency.
External Review – Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review
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All universities and colleges in Scotland undergo independent external reviews, carried out by a team of staff and students (peer reviewers) from other institutions, on behalf of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Scotland. Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER) is the external peer-led and enhancement-focused review method for Scotland’s tertiary sector.
GCU’s next review will take place during 2027-28, and opportunities to be involved will be communicated by your programme team, the Students’ Association, and the department of QAE.
You can find out more about TQER on the QAA Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER) pages.
