Quality Assurance Manual. 2 nd Edition Hibernia College 2 Clare Street Dublin 2 Ireland Tel: Fax:

Transcription

1 Quality Assurance Manual 2 nd Edition 2010 Hibernia College 2 Clare Street Dublin 2 Ireland Tel: Fax:

2 FOREWORD BY THE PRESIDENT This manual is a total revision of that previously compiled for submission to HETAC in seeking accreditation for Hibernia College. The original manual highlighted the proposed areas of best practice based on the extensive experience of staff involved in the development of the first accredited provision offered by the College. This revised version is now based on the ongoing review of practice and the experience of all staff involved in the implementation of HETAC policy and the management and administration of academic provision within the College. It has also been designed to outline how Hibernia College complies with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, Part One. The seeking of continual feedback from staff, students, graduates and external stakeholders, including external examiners and strategic partners has contributed to the development of this revised edition. The College is committed to ongoing review and seeking out feedback with a view to improving practice, raising standards and enhancing the student experience. In December 2004 Hibernia College was awarded The Quality Assurance Award by HETAC, under the provisions of Section 28 (1) of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999, in recognition of the College s compliance with HETAC s Quality Assurance Regulations. This was further endorsed by the successful Institutional Review of March 2009 Hibernia College is proud to have received this award and recognition but accepts and acknowledges that the achievement of quality is ever evolving and the College is therefore continually striving for greater improvement. It is the central focus for the College to continue in its drive for high quality provision underpinned by effective quality assurance procedures. Since receipt of the Quality Assurance Award the College and all its personnel have engaged in the ongoing review of procedures for the purposes of improving and further maintaining its existing high quality of education and training to the benefit of the world wide community the college serves. Dr. Seán Rowland President 2

3 Contents Mapping of Quality Assurance Manual to Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, Part one... 7 Mapping of Quality Assurance Manual to Provision of Education to International Students: Code of Practice and Guidelines for Irish Higher Education Institutions... 8 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION College Profile The College Mission SECTION 2: THE COLLEGE QUALITY FRAMEWORK Quality Assurance Framework Delivery of Academic Quality in the College The College Professional Management Framework Boards and Committees Roles and Responsibilities SECTION 3: ASSURING THE QUALITY OF STAFF Recruitment and Selection Training and Professional Development Equal Opportunities Policy SECTION 4: PROCEDURES FOR THE APPROVAL, MONITORING AND PERIODIC REVIEW OF PROGRAMMES System of Course Development & Expert Peer Review Objectives New Course Approval Agreement in Principle Course Development Expert Peer Review and Internal Approval HETAC Validation Annual Monitoring of Programmes Timetable for the annual monitoring process Annual monitoring report form Student Questionnaires Tutor Questionnaires / Focus Group Approval of proposed modifications Minor modifications Major modifications Annual Quality Report Consideration of the Course Director s Report Data Storage and Usage Risk Assessment

4 Programmatic Review Process of Programmatic Review: Aim of Programmatic Review: Objectives of Programmatic Review: Timetable for the programme review process Critical self-study by the Programme Committee Revisions to the Course Document Self Evaluation Document External Peer Review Group Programmatic Review Panel Meeting External Panel Report Institutional Review Process of Institutional Review Self Evaluation Review Panel Subject matter of Institutional Review Follow-Up Action Effectiveness of Quality Assurance Procedures Adequacy of Data Extern Examiner Reports Implementing Change Graduate Survey Reports SECTION 5: PROCEDURES FOR ASSURING THE QUALITY OF LEARNING RESOURCES AND STUDENT SUPPORT Transforming Academic Content into Web-Enabled Learning Material Assuring Quality in the Instructional Design Process Quality in the Virtual Learning Environment and On-Site Facilities Assuring Quality in an Online Environment Assuring Quality in HELMS Assuring Quality in Hibernia College Hosting Systems Assuring Quality in Virtual Classroom Technology Library Facilities Research and Development Quality in Programme Delivery Content Delivery Assuring Quality in Online Content Delivery Assuring Quality in Communication Synchronous Tutorials in the Virtual Classroom (Interwise)

5 Assuring Quality in Synchronous Tutorials On-Site Programme Delivery Assuring Quality in External Provision On-Site Delivery Specialist Placement Assuring Quality in Teaching Practice Introduction to Student Support Objectives Office for Academic Affairs Academic Advice and Guidance Programme Administrators Help Desk Practice Placement Supervisors Dissertation Supervisors Student Counselling Service Summary SECTION 6: ASSURING THE QUALITY OF THE MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS Introduction Admissions Recognition of Prior Learning Offer of a Place Registration Attendance Deferral of a Place Assessment and Standards Assessment, Learning and Teaching Strategy Code of Practice in Assessment Reasonable Accommodation in Assessment Confidentiality of the Assessment Process Breaches of Examination Regulations & Academic Impropriety Internal examiners External Examiners Nomination of an external examiner Liaison with the external examiner External Examiner s report Assessment Methodologies Procedures for Examinations and Assessments Assessment Scores & Grading

6 Submission of Continuous Assessment Work/Projects Non submission of Assessments and Repeat Opportunities Feedback on Continuous Assessment Work Examination Arrangements and Responsibilities Examination Examination Supervision Examination Regulations Grading of Examination Scripts Return of marks by Internal Examiners Extenuating Circumstances Consideration of Assessment Results Meetings of Board of Examiners Results Re-Check of Examination or Continuous Assessment Review of Examination or Continuous Assessment SECTION 7: ASSURING THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION General Programme Information Evaluative Information SECTION 8: STUDENT CONDUCT, DISCIPLINE AND COMPLAINTS Student Code of Conduct Academic Integrity Pledge Regulatory Compliance Pledge Disciplinary Procedure Non-Compliance Procedure Student Complaints Procedure

7 Mapping of Quality Assurance Manual to Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, Part one Standard 1.1: Policies and Procedures for Quality Assurance Key Section of QA Manual where addressed Section 2 Institutions should have a policy and associated procedures for the assurance of the quality and standards of their programmes and awards. They should also commit themselves explicitly to the development of a culture which recognises the importance of quality, and quality assurance, in their work. To achieve this, institutions should develop and implement a strategy for the continuous enhancement of quality. The strategy, policy and procedures should have a formal status and be publicly available. They should also include a role for students and other stakeholders. 1.2: Institutions should have formal mechanisms for the approval, periodic review and monitoring of their programmes and awards. 1.3: Students should be assessed using published criteria, regulations and procedures which are applied consistently. 1.4: Institutions should have ways of satisfying themselves that staff involved with the teaching of students are qualified and competent to do so. 1.5: Institutions should ensure that the resources available for the support of student learning are adequate and appropriate for each programme offered. 1.6: Institutions should ensure that they collect, analyse and use relevant information for the effective management of their programmes of study and other activities. 1.7: Institutions should regularly publish up to date, impartial and objective information, both quantitative and qualitative, about the programmes and awards they are offering. Section 4 Section 6 Section 3 Section 5 Section 4 Section 7 7

8 Mapping of Quality Assurance Manual to Provision of Education to International Students: Code of Practice and Guidelines for Irish Higher Education Institutions International students in a Hibernia College context remain resident in their home country and study at a distance with the exception of attendance at international onsites for short periods, generally not longer than 1 week. However, the College recognises the value of this code of practice and therefore seeks to comply with it as far as is practicable and relevant. Standard 1. Marketing and Recruitment Irish Higher Education is promoted and marketed accurately and honestly in terms of its quality, standing and availability. HEIs provide prospective international students with accurate, up-todate and comprehensive information. 2. Enrolment Process HEIs provide to students on a timely basis full, accurate and relevant: a. Course information on application to the course b. Information as to the terms of the offer of a course, related support services and fee conditions c. Information relating to visa application and associated appeal processes d. Necessary pre-arrival information 3. Fees: Clarity, Support, Payment and Refunds HEIs provide students with accurate information prior to their application for courses, to enable them to make advance payment of fees compliant with Irish visa regulations and budget with reasonable accuracy their total tuition and maintenance costs over the period of the course for which they are applying. Key Section of QA Manual where addressed Section 7 Section 6 Section 7 Section 6 Any financial assistance available is transparent, well publicised, efficient and timely. HEIs have welfare arrangements available to students in hardship and emergency situations. HEIs inform students: a. Of the nature of sanctions for non-payment of fees b. Of the circumstances in which full or partial refunds apply and the proportion thereof the total fee and those in which no refund applies. 4. Orientation and Induction Section 5 8

9 HEIs ensure that arrangements and resources are in place to provide comprehensive information, orientation and induction programmes for international students at pre-arrival and post arrival stages. This information and these programmes are flexible and adapted to the needs of different groups of students. 5. Accommodation HEIs designate an appropriate person or unit as a resource for international students requiring assistance with accommodation. The existence and availability of this person or unit, that also hears any serious concerns relating to accommodation provision, is advised to students on enrolment. HEIs have systems in place for the selecting and monitoring of host families and their residences, student residences, temporary accommodation and residential care givers (parents, relatives or family friends). 6. Academic Matters International Students are selected for admission by suitably trained staff using selection criteria which maintain the HEIs academic standards and which maximise the students prospects of academic success. Supports are in place for students and for staff which promote international student integration and academic success. 7. Student Support Services HEIs have a full range of student support and welfare services in place that recognise and make adequate provision for additional needs of international students. HEIs develop strategies and policies that promote integration and inclusion of international students in all aspects of HEI life and in the wider community. Services provided to international students are clearly communicated, properly coordinated and quality driven. HEIs have transparent and efficient welfare arrangements available to students in hardship and emergency cases. 8. Student Protection Students are protected by academic of financial bonding arrangements against course discontinuance and by robust quality assurance arrangements as regards course quality. Section 5 (where applicable) Section 6 Section 5 Section 1 9. Grievance and Appeals Procedures Section 8 9

10 HEIS address student complaints and grievances promptly in a transparent and consistent manner. These procedures are confidential and should the complainant be dissatisfied with the outcome proposed by the decision-maker, the complainant is entitled to appeal the decision to a higher internal body or an appropriate external agency. The grievance and appeal procedures applying to international students are the same as those applying to Irish students already provided by statute. 10

11 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION 11

12 College Profile Hibernia College is Ireland s only fully accredited online, third-level institution, delivering webbased educational programmes to students in Ireland and overseas. The College is a global leader in the delivery of unique and competitively distinctive online and blended academic programming, and delivers programmes to students in over 25 countries. The College was founded in 2000 to meet the growing demand for flexible, lifelong learning that would not be restricted by location or time. This demand arises from Ireland s imperative to harness the potential of a knowledge-based work force to compete effectively on the global economic landscape. Today, this need has never been greater and Hibernia College is uniquely positioned to address it. Hibernia College can bring to Ireland the benefits of online education and the many and ever increasing advances in educational technology. Hibernia College believes that its high-quality web-based programming, delivered through this vital new medium, will complement traditional on-campus programmes and cope with the fast-growing demands for continuing education. If Ireland is to re-emerge as a leader in the global, knowledge-based economy, it must achieve and use ever more advanced levels of knowledge. Postgraduate professional education and lifelong learning is one of the ways to achieve this. The College has brought together global leaders in technology development and curriculum design to offer a high-quality e-learning solution focused on academic excellence, high standards and, most importantly, the student. Hibernia College offers a blended-learning approach, incorporating interactive online programmes offering maximum flexibility with faceto-face on-site sessions, reinforcing student integration into the learning experience. The College has developed a unique technology system, Higher Education Learning Management System (HELMS), which combines all the benefits of accessibility and flexibility inherent in online education with a high level of interaction between students and their peers and between students and their tutor. The College selects faculty with special expertise from around the world to create courses of the highest quality. The design of the courses and of student participation is based on a philosophy of education that seeks to combine advanced expertise with the development of the broader skills that are required for success in the modern marketplace. These skills include IT, analytical and research skills, which can give graduates the ability to search out and exploit information and enhance their creative and leadership capacities. Hibernia College offers online and blended postgraduate programmes and continuing professional development (CPD) in two main disciplines: education and management. The College is Ireland s largest provider of newly qualified teachers in the primary sector. 12

13 The College has grown steadily since 2000 and now employs over 60 full time staff and over 300 adjunct faculty in offices in Dublin, Westport and the UK. Hibernia College has earned accreditation not only from HETAC but also from a number of professional bodies and is recognised by the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland and the Training Development Agency for Schools in England for the purposes of delivering initial teacher education. Hibernia College now aims to consolidate its position in Ireland as an innovative provider of professional education and to expand its international programming with the specific aim of developing and supporting the largest programme for secondary initial teacher education in England. The flexible delivery method coupled with the innovation of the College itself, uniquely positions Hibernia College to achieve these goals. The College Mission Hibernia College aims to bring to higher education the full benefits of advances in information technology and to help meet the needs of the knowledge age by extending access to high quality, flexible and affordable adult and professional education and training. The growth of online education has been driven by the emerging knowledge economy and the strong demand for lifelong learning, the skills gaps in the workforce and a rapidly growing need for accessible and affordable continuing education. On the supply side, the growth of e-learning is being driven by increased Internet penetration at home and at work together with advances in digital technologies leading to interactive media-rich content, increased bandwidth and better delivery platforms. In the current financial downturn with job losses becoming an everyday reality there is a critical need for postgraduate professional development and lifelong learning. We must ensure that the skills of our workforce are current, relevant to today s working environment and of the highest quality. Ireland must broaden access to higher education for the large numbers of adults in the workforce who have no third level qualification. Up-skilling in its many forms is critical if we are to achieve a competitive advantage. Hibernia College believes that we are uniquely positioned to offer this training. 13

14 Achieving the Mission The College aims to achieve its mission through implementation of the following strategies: 1. An innovative, customised and user-friendly technology centred on a wealth of learning aids and interactive features, regularly updated through an ongoing technology research programme. 2. High quality content developed by international leaders in the field and subjected to a series of peer reviews and a rigorous accreditation process. 3. The development of quality assurance procedures that comply with best international practice and use internationally accepted performance indicators. 4. The recruitment and retention of a staff of talented professionals. 5. The creation of an effective academic and administrative structure to ensure efficient delivery of courses and a high level of quality assurance. 6. The development of a student help-desk and a system of pastoral care for students to deal with problems related to the technology or any other aspect of their studies. 7. Making available to students an extensive e-library which gives students access to a wide range of online resources and external online collections and training materials. 8. The use of leading international experts to help direct academic and technological developments and build linkages with leading educational institutions. 14

15 Hibernia College Resources Technology The College has developed a unique virtual campus, the Higher Education Learning Management System (HELMS), which combines all the benefits of accessibility and flexibility inherent in online education with a high level of interaction between students and their peers and between students and their tutor. HELMS facilitates a wealth of specifically designed education aids: online campus communities, web-based , calendars, announcements and tasks providing students with a sense of campus community. HELMS also provides programme management tools that enable tutors to provide students with programme materials, discussion boards, virtual chats, online assessments, and a dedicated academic resource centre on the Web. One of the most exciting features of HELMS is the multiple forms of tutor-student and student-student interaction it provides, including e- mail, asynchronous discussion forums and an interactive synchronous chat environment of the virtual classroom. The HELMS platform allows all forms of multimedia including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, html, Java applets, mpegs, audio files, streaming video, animations, and Flash technology. The Student Online Learning Experience Academic programmes are based on a philosophy of education that seeks to combine advanced expertise with the development of the broader skills that are required for success in the modern marketplace. These skills, including IT, analytical and research skills, give graduates the ability to search out and exploit information and enhance their creative and leadership capacities. A student at Hibernia College interacts with three main forms of content on a weekly basis: On Demand Content This fully interactive content represents the main lecture material and can be studied online, downloaded for viewing offline or downloaded as a podcast. It can consist of text, audio, animations and video. Live Virtual Classes Each on-demand lesson will be accompanied by a scheduled live class where students and a tutor can interact as if in a normal classroom. 15

16 In the virtual classroom, the tutor is able to pull up material on a whiteboard and facilitate discussions on this material. All students can communicate (by voice and text) with the group or privately with the tutor. Learner Communities Each week students are asked to reflect on that week s material in the course discussion forum or through a personal learning diary. Fellow students will comment on each other s experience and post their own comments. Students are also able to build groups of friends and send messages to their peers. In addition the student may also attend On-site Sessions to receive face-to-face tuition to complement the on-demand content and to undertake practical, curricular study which may not be suitable for online delivery e.g. physical education. Students are also able to access a world class online library offering full text peer reviewed journal articles at the touch of a button. Hibernia College Staff Hibernia College recruits staff members of the highest quality with a view to retaining such staff on a long-term basis by supporting them in their roles within the college. Faculty with both specialist knowledge and proven online teaching ability are selected from around the world to create courses of the highest quality. Hibernia College is a new institution with a vibrant and motivated team and it is a goal of the college to ensure that all academic and administrative staff develop with the growing institution. The College has achieved remarkable success in a short space of time and significant milestones have been reached. Hibernia is now very well placed to expand rapidly and extend its educational reach both within Ireland and globally. The foundations for the achievement of the College mission have been successfully laid and the strategic planning process within the College has been critical to this success. The College undertook its most recent strategic planning review in A team of external advisors and members of the senior management team of the College assembled in Dublin to undertake a detailed review of College progress focusing on successes and failures to date, teasing out how the College could build on successes and analysing what could be learned from areas where stated goals had not been achieved. A vision for Hibernia College was laid down for the period to

17 Following on from this strategic planning process, the College has successfully embedded itself on the educational landscape in Ireland and globally. Notably, the success of iteach in the UK has been a major international success and it lays the foundations for further expansion in the UK and world-wide. The growing level of cooperation Hibernia College has received in Ireland and abroad is constantly opening new opportunities for the College. The message of the added value that Hibernia College s high-quality, flexible and cost-effective solution can bring to education is being recognised at all levels and the College is poised to build on this over the next five years. In 2010/11 the College will undertake another strategic planning review focusing on the expansion of the College over the next five years. The key to this expansion will be the development of a series of partnerships. 1) Hibernia is actively pursuing collaborations with Universities and other third level Colleges in Ireland and internationally to develop a series of joint programmes that would utilise the expertise of the Universities in developing content and the expertise of Hibernia in formatting it and delivering it effectively online. 2) The training and continuous up-skilling of professionals is a formidable challenge for all knowledge-based economies, and will require ever increasing use of the online medium. The fastest growing educational market of all is postgraduate professional education and it is here that a College such as Hibernia has the greatest service to offer higher education. Knowledge-driven industries depend on the brainpower of their workforce. The most successful are those which maximise opportunity by developing to the fullest degree the intellectual capacity of their talented employees. But it is often prohibitively expensive to achieve this, if it involves taking people out of work and sending them to take courses on site at fixed times. E- learning, in the sophisticated, interactive form made possible by the kind of technology and structures developed by Hibernia, provides the ideal alternative. The next phase of Hibernia s development will see a heavy concentration by the College on achieving its potential as an educational provider in this area. The College has already created a pioneering model in this area through a highly successful partnership with Pfizer Inc. to develop and deliver an MSc in Pharmaceutical Medicine to Pfizer employees. 45 senior executives, drawn from 23 countries enrolled on the programme in June 2005 and similar levels of demand have continued since. The attrition rate has been low and the response enthusiastic. The live tutorials, the interaction between members of the class, despite distance and time zone differences, have been highly successful. The model is a proven success. An advanced course, hailed by the accreditation board as a superior programme, has been made available at a modest cost to professionals in the far flung areas of the world, who could not possibly have availed of such an experience in any other way. Pfizer s support of this 17

18 initiative has widened educational opportunity and introduced a new phase in postgraduate professional education. Hibernia will be working to replicate this model with other pharmaceutical companies and other knowledge-based industries. Hibernia College's online M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Medicine has been endorsed as an exemplar of "next generation learning" by Becta, the UK government agency leading the national drive to ensure the effective and innovative use of technology throughout learning. In addition to this, the programme achieved the silver award for Best Online Programme in the UK e-learning awards. Hibernia has subsequently built on this model and has extended its partnership base to include the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). The College s Master of Science in Financial Management and Control is a specialised online degree designed to prepare finance professionals to be dynamic drivers of business performance and to create and add value within their organisations. The programme has been formally accredited by CIMA, whereby active CIMA students who hold Advanced Diploma status will be entitled, on successful completion, to exemption from CIMA s three strategic level examinations. This is the only third-level programme anywhere in the world to achieve such level of recognition by CIMA. This programme is a pioneer in the area of postgraduate professional education and Hibernia College will work to extending this model into other knowledge-based industries. The second phase of Hibernia s development will also see it extend its programme suite in teacher education in Ireland and internationally. There is a growing recognition that primary education is the most important of all the educational levels, but it requires greater members of fully trained teachers that currently exist in most societies, if high quality is to be maintained. There are also growing needs for specially trained teachers in the areas of special education. Hibernia has shown that its blended format and innovative curriculum can be especially successful in teacher training, and now also offers a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning incorporating the following awards: Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning, Certificate in Additional Learning Needs, Certificate in Diversity, Development and Disadvantage, Certificate in i-learning and Certificate in Contemporary in Education. Students can take the course as individual accredited CPD awards or as part of the Post Graduate Diploma or Master of Arts. This programme has been developed with a focus on application in the Irish classroom and the subject areas address current issues faced by teachers in the classroom day to day. The programme enables teachers to bring the latest innovations and best practice into the classroom. The College is currently seeking to internationalise this programme. 18

19 Hibernia is also in the process of developing a Higher Diploma in Post Primary Education. This programme will build on the success of the Higher Diploma in Primary Education and will address a critical need in the system. 3) Another focus for Hibernia during the next phase of development will be adult and second chance education. This has become a growing concern for developed societies in which the number of low-skilled jobs is continually shrinking and education has become the key to continuous employment and the chance of professional development. Those who did not have the opportunity of formal education can benefit from the advantages of e-learning. 4) The current downturn in the economy sees job loss being a reality for a growing number of people. It is at a time like this that individuals place their hope for the future in education. Hibernia College is in the unique position of being able to address the re-training and up-skilling requirements of a large number of people over a wide geographical area. Hibernia College will look to working with stakeholders in government and industry to addresses these current needs. 5) Hibernia College will also seek to expand and develop the College technology and support systems. This will be achieved through a mix of internal research and development initiatives and partnerships with external bodies to ensure that the Hibernia College technology infrastructure is at the leading edge of learning technologies online, thereby ensuring that students receive the highest quality educational experience possible. As a growing and innovative institution, Hibernia College is critically aware that we are constantly learning. We strive to continually develop and adapt internal processes and procedures to ensure that best practice is being adhered to in all College operations. As a College we strive to be leaders in innovative educational delivery mechanisms ever mindful to ensure that we are adding value and enhancing the student experience while maintaining a very high level of quality in all our systems. The College places considerable value and importance on relationships with partners, accrediting bodies and external stakeholders. These relationships inform the strategic direction of the College and the decision-making processes within, thereby contributing to the growth of the College and the continuing development of relevant and targeted programming. In turn this contributes to the continual evolution and improvement of our service to students and to society in general. 19

20 Hibernia College is a member of the Higher Education Colleges Association and is compliant with the bonding requirements placed upon it by HETAC. 20

21 SECTION 2: THE COLLEGE QUALITY FRAMEWORK European Standard 1.1: Policies and Procedures for Quality Assurance Institutions should have a policy and associated procedures for the assurance of the quality and standards of their programmes and awards. They should also commit themselves explicitly to the development of a culture which recognises the importance of quality, and quality assurance, in their work. To achieve this, institutions should develop and implement a strategy for the continuous enhancement of quality. The strategy, policy and procedures should have a formal status and be publicly available. They should also include a role for students and other stakeholders. 21

22 Quality Assurance Framework Quality is at the heart of all activities of Hibernia College. This is reflected in the College mission statement which states Hibernia College aims to bring to higher education the full benefits of advances in information technology and to help meet the needs of the knowledge age by extending access to high quality, flexible and affordable adult and professional education and training. The Quality Assurance procedures implemented by the College have developed over the 10 years of the life of the College and more particularly from the first intake of students in The underpinning principles of these procedures are equity, fairness and standards. The main factors influencing the procedures are HETAC Quality Assurance procedures; Best practice exposure through partnership working with our network of reputable higher education providers worldwide; Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area. European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, 2007, Helsinki, 2nd edition. The College is committed to the provision of flexible, accessible and affordable niche focused Higher Education which is available regionally, nationally and internationally. In fulfilling the commitment to quality, the College is required to have in place quality assurance and monitoring procedures ensuring achievement of the mission through best practice, the ability to make informed judgements in relation to standards of performance and the identification of areas for further development. The College operates quality assurances procedures which demonstrate transparency to all stakeholders. The structures established ensure the provision of a quality service and encourage enhancement at all levels within the College. The operation of quality assurance is essential for the College s public confidence and for this reason remains a central focus. All staff undertake a key role in the management and implementation of quality assurance procedures and a range of committees and boards ensure collective responsibility although Academic Board has the ultimate responsibility for the approval and monitoring of all quality assurance procedures. The College recognises the impact and importance of quality assurance procedures on the learner and therefore seeks to involve learners in quality assurance activities. This includes representation on Course Committees, focus groups and the intention to include learner 22

23 representation on Academic Board. Further detail on the roles and responsibilities of Academic Board and its sub-committees is included in the following section entitled Management and Governance. Quality Assurance within the College is managed by the Registrar with support of the Assistant Registrar with a specific remit for assessment and awards. All Quality Assurance procedures are reviewed on a regular basis and the findings of the review, along with changes to policy and practice stemming from this, are reported to Academic Board and appropriate approval sought. A schedule of review activity, including programmatic reviews as well as departmental or procedural reviews, is to be devised for the coming academic year and subsequent years. This will accompany the QA Manual and will be made available. The Quality Assurance Manual captures the detail of the Quality Assurance policies and practices of the College and this is made publicly available on the College website and is specifically brought to the attention of students. In addition to this, academic faculty, knowledge management and administrative staff are made aware of the Manual and more specifically inducted on the areas which relate directly to their role. The Quality Assurance Manual is reviewed, and updated as appropriate, on an annual basis. A summary of changes and updates will be appended to the revised version. 23

24 Delivery of Academic Quality in the College Each member of staff is responsible for delivering academic quality in all her/his activities. Non-academic staff have responsibility for ensuring quality in other areas of College work that affects the student experience. In particular, the Knowledge Management Team which has responsibility for designing online academic content have detailed, rigorous quality assurance processes to comply with in order to ensure academic quality. The management and academic structures of the College are designed to guide, underpin and help each individual s work. The tutors, authors and supervisors working on a programme, the Course Team or Faculty, and their representative Course Committee, under the leadership of the Course Director are responsible for academic quality and quality assurance in the overall programme. With regard to academic quality assurance and enhancement, the role of the Academic Board is one of general academic leadership, supervision of the work of the various Programme Teams/Course Committees, and resource allocation in the context of the College mission. Academic Board and the College Senior Management Team are committed to encouraging the development of academic excellence amongst the staff and the appropriate and necessary allocation of resources for the promotion of teaching and learning. 24

25 The College Professional Management Framework Objectives The College will ensure high standards of governance, professional management, academic rigour and quality through the appointment of highly qualified staff, experts in their field; the implementation of clear management, monitoring and reporting structures for all College operations, academic developments and amendments; Implementation of organisational procedures that adhere to legislative and HETAC policy requirements. Robust monitoring and risk assessment of current and new business opportunities Introduction This section outlines the professional management framework of the College and the processes and procedures in place to ensure that the College appoints and maintains staff of the highest calibre. The College operates under best practice and complies with all relevant legislation for example Freedom of Information, Data Protection, Safety, Health and Welfare, Employment and Equality legislation. The College has different Boards which manage that various aspects of the College in relation to governance. This is clearly outlined in Figure 1. 25

26 Fig 1. Academic and Professional Management Framework Board of Directors Finance Committee Senior Management Board Academic Board Senior Operations Group Middle Management Board Sub Committees of Academic Board Academic Affairs Committee Deferral Committee Course Committees Student Disciplinary Committee Appeals Committee Function Meetings Academic Affairs Team Meeting Exams Office Meeting Knowledge Management Meeting Business Development and Marketing Academic Meetings Course Team Meetings 26

27 Boards and Committees Board of Directors The Board of Directors is the senior management unit of the College. It has College-wide duties and responsibilities in the areas of: strategic planning and implementation management for staffing, accommodation, resources and other facilities budgeting annual returns and annual report liaison with external organisations Financial stewardship and major capital expenditure The Board comprises Dr. Seán Rowland, President, Professor Thomas Mitchell, Ms, Sara McDonnell, Executive Vice President and Dr. Don Thornhill. Senior Management Board The Senior Management Team has ultimate responsibility for strategic decision making in line with the planning outlined by the Board of Directors implementation of the strategic plan, in conjunction with the Board of Directors overseeing the operational management of the College. reviewing course proposals in terms of viability and appropriateness to strategic aims, participating in the formal review of courses and function areas, considering resource requirements, managing human resources issues including the provision of staff development, overseeing the marketing of the College and considering any matters referred to it by other appropriate committees. Finance Committee The finance committee comprises the President, the Executive Vice President, The Academic Chairman and the Chief Finance Officer. It is accountable to the Board of Directors and feeds into the Senior Management Board. The Committee is responsible for Determining budget allocations Making budgeting and resource allocations and investment decisions up to a maximum approved by the Board of Directors Monitoring and review of budgets, accounts, income and expenditure on a quarterly and annual basis proposing and confirming salary review allowances, 27

28 Considering resource requirements including human resources Financial monitoring and compliance Senior Operations Group The Senior Operations Group is chaired by the Executive Vice President and is coordinated by the Senior Operations Officer who acts as secretary to the group. Other members are the Vice President Academic Affairs and Knowledge Management, Vice President Business Development, Registrar and the Chief Finance Officer. The group is concerned with the nonstrategic decision making for the effective management of the day to day operations of the College and acts as a conduit between the Senior and Middle Management Boards. Additionally, the Senior Operations Group provides an information sharing forum for Senior College staff to update one another on new developments, proposals, staffing and resourcing issues and updating on projects and business opportunities underway. Middle Management Board The Middle Management Team is accountable to the Senior Management Team and provides monthly updates by function to the Senior Management Board. The Middle Management Board is the body responsible for: Day to day operations of all College functions Ongoing planning and communication of operational issues and requirements Implementation of the senior management decision making Considering matters referred by functional areas that have a cross-function impact Planning and coordinating the implementation of all key events in the College calendar Reviewing resources and the management of resources Reviewing operational documentation on an ongoing basis and reporting to the Senior Management Board as appropriate Academic Board Overall academic development and control is vested in the Academic Board. The Board is chaired by the Chief Academic Officer of the College, who has the responsibility for directing the College s Academic Affairs and managing the work of the Academic Board. The Academic Board comprises the Executive Vice President, the Vice President Academic Affairs, the Registrar, a Course Director Representative and the Quality Assurance Officer as secretary to the Board. It is intended this will be expanded to include and two student representatives and a representative from another provider. The Board has ultimate responsibility for academic planning and development, academic monitoring and review. It ensures that College academic policies are in line with the College mission and strategic plan 28

29 and the academic regulations of the College are implemented and complied with. It reviews and approves each new programme at the various stages of its development. It approves all academic appointments. It monitors the quality of course content, the progress of all courses and the outcomes of all quality assurance procedures. The Board is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the regulatory framework governing the admission, monitoring, discipline, assessment and examination of students is fairly operated. This has recently expanded to include the appointment of External Examiners. In addition, the Board considers reports and referrals from its subcommittees, as appropriate. Academic Affairs Committee The Academic Affairs committee considers students who are demonstrating non compliance with the HETAC Assessment and Standards and / or College policy in relation to requirements of their programme of study. Such non-compliance issues include but are not limited to, Failure to attend course requirements including practice placements, onsites, Gaeltacht, examinations Failure to avail of assessment opportunities Failure to successfully complete assessments Academic Impropriety Failure to engage in the programme without justification and notification to the College Failure to maintain contact with the College Failure to adhere to the Code of Conduct Unprofessional conduct in Teaching practice Any breach of course/ College requirements and / or HETAC regulations must be brought to the attention of the Assistant Registrar with a view to convening a meeting of the Academic Affairs Committee The minimum membership requirements are: Assistant Registrar (Chair) Programme representative Quality Assurance Officer (secretary) Nominees are acceptable but must not include anyone with direct involvement in the assessment of the student. Students do have the right of appeal against a decision of the Academic Affairs Committee. 29

30 Appeals will be considered by the Appeals Committee. Deferral Committee The Deferral Committee considers deferral requests from students who are more than three weeks into their programme of study. All students undertaking an accredited programme of study have the right to request a deferral and will be subjected to the College procedure. The Deferral Committee will: consider extenuating circumstances for the purpose of deferral make appropriate recommendations. The deferral committee constitutes: Operations Manager or nominee Assistant Registrar (Chair) or nominee A representative of the Office for Academic Affairs Quality Assurance Officer The Course Director (optional) Course Committee A Course Committee is the body, representative of staff and students and other relevant stakeholders e.g. employers, responsible for the overall policy on a course including conduct, monitoring, review and development. Membership of the course committee will therefore include: Course Director (Chair) Quality Assurance Officer Programmes Manager / Programme Administrator Examinations Officer Members of Faculty Student representatives Knowledge Management representative Library representative Practice Supervisors (where appropriate) The purpose of Course Committees is to review the overall student experience and all aspects of the course, as opposed to individual modules. Where there is an emphasis on professional placement or the course is part of collaboration the Committee shall also include employers or external partners as appropriate. 30

31 The Course Committee will normally meet twice per academic year, once in each of the first and second semester of delivery. The agenda for each Course Committee will be drawn up by the Course Director. Matters for consideration will reflect the current concerns of the Course. Each meeting should review the Course Action Plan established as part of the Annual Review. During the academic year consideration should be given as appropriate to the following: External examiner reports Module evaluations Modifications to provision and the associated update of the programme specification Review of the ongoing validity and currency of the aims, learning outcomes and structure of the course Review of the public information for the course Marketability Admissions Student progression and achievement Learning, teaching and assessment developments. Statistical data which relates to the course. Other items may be considered as appropriate, e.g. staff development or research, learning resources, student support and guidance, matters relating to professional or statutory bodies. Items identified in an Action Plan will be progressed by the Course Director in conjunction with appropriate colleagues and reported back to the next meeting of the Committee. Matters from the action plans will be considered through the Annual Review process. The Course Committee will refer appropriate matters to Academic Board and or the Senior Management Board. Appeals Committee The Appeals Committee acts under delegated authority of the Academic Board and, as a minimum, consists of the Vice President Academic Affairs, the Registrar and the Executive Vice President or nominees. No member of the appeals committee can have had any involvement in the student case being considered. The role of the committee is to consider all requests for an appeal against a decision of a subcommittee of the Academic Board. The Committee will firstly consider if there are grounds for appeal. Disagreement with a decision of a sub-committee is not valid grounds for appeal. 31