Moderation. This process is outlined in further detail in section 4 of this policy and process document.

Transcription

1 Brunel University Exchange Prgramme Plicy and Prcess 1. Apprval f Prpsed Exchange Prgrammes Apprval f a prpsed exchange prgramme is a three-stage prcess: 1.1 Stage 1 Strategic Apprval Strategic Apprval fr the prpsed exchange prgramme shall be sught frm the University, Schls shuld cntact the Exchange and Study Abrad Manager in the Academic Partnerships Office (APO) in the first instance. Exchange partnerships shuld nt be established in rder t satisfy the wish f ne particular individual, but rather as a lnger-term partnership strategy. Fr undergraduate Erasmus exchanges, the University will enter int exchanges f a single term r up t a full academic year in length. Fr PGT Erasmus exchanges, the University will nt enter int agreements that invlve mre than ne term (3-4 mnths). It is anticipated that exchanges will be structured s as t satisfy the required prcess utlined belw: Student returns frm mbility and supplies prtfli Mderatin Exchange Mderatin Panel meets Hst Institutin prvides transcript Bard f Examiners makes prgressin decisin Start f the next academic sessin This prcess is utlined in further detail in sectin 4 f this plicy and prcess dcument. The Departmental Exchange Crdinatr must cmplete the Strategic Apprval frm and the Risk Assessment f Prpsed Partner frm, and thse frms will then be cnsidered by the Educatin Strategy Cmmittee and a recmmendatin made t the Executive Bard as apprpriate. Scrutiny at this stage will establish a preliminary view regarding the prpsal befre significant time and resurces are invested in mre detailed develpment f the prpsal. The decisin resulting frm the scrutiny f the Stage 1 dcumentatin will be cmmunicated t the Partnership Spnsr and Departmental Exchange Crdinatr with guidance regarding the next steps t be taken. 1

2 1.2 Stage 2 Due Diligence and preparatin f an Exchange Prgramme Specificatin t address prgramme delivery arrangements The aim f this stage is t ensure that due diligence prcesses, which lks at academic, legal and financial infrmatin, are cmpleted in an apprpriate depth fr every prpsed partnership. This enables the University t assure itself that the partner and the University have the capacity t successfully deliver the prpsed partnership; that risks are identified and mitigated; and cnfirm the ratinale, benefits and pprtunities presented by partnership. It is imprtant t bear in mind that due diligence is ften a mutual exercise and clleagues shuld expect t receive requests fr similar infrmatin frm the prpsed partner as part f their wn due diligence prcesses. The Departmental Exchange Crdinatr must cmplete: Due Diligence fr Student Exchange: Academic, Financial and Legal frm; Cllabrative Partner Institutin Library and Learning Resurces frm; Exchange Prgramme Specificatin frm. The cmpletin f these frms will prvide an pprtunity t explre elements f the prpsed exchange prgramme including: definitin f scpe and fit with Brunel prgrammes Schl/Subject Area/Prgramme/Level; definitin f permitted schemes f study (mdules) at the hst institutin fr students n given Brunel prgrammes; definitin f incming student prir learning and English Language requirements; definitin f mdule credit equivalence and the grade imprtatin mapping fr any utging student n the exchange prgramme (fr Eurpean exchanges this is defined straightfrwardly thrugh ECTS); definitin f supprt services available fr incming and utging students; academic management arrangements fr the prpsed partnership; definitin f applicability f University and hst institutin regulatins t students whilst n exchange; identificatin f key c-rdinatrs fr the exchange prgramme at bth Brunel and the hst institutin; definitin f legal liabilities. Visit t prpsed partners The requirement fr a visit t the prpsed partner institutin will be established at Stage 1. The purpse and details f any visits will be agreed at stage 2, when infrmatin abut particular aspects fr fllw-up will be available. The cmpletin f these frms will require ptential partner institutins t prvide detailed evidence regarding its wn management and gvernance structures, resurces and quality assurance. The infrmatin prvided in the dcumentatin and the visit reprt will be scrutinised by a specially cnvened panel with input frm legal and financial expertise as necessary t ensure that the prpsed partnership des nt pse any unreasnable reputatinal r financial risk t the University and t make a recmmendatin t the Learning and Teaching Cmmittee and Educatin Strategy Cmmittee as apprpriate. 2

3 1.3 Stage 3 Full Apprval The Vice-Principal (Educatin and Internatinal) n behalf f Senate will nrmally apprve exchange partnerships, and nly in exceptinal cases will the full membership f Senate be asked t apprve the partnership. Fllwing apprval, the full exchange agreement will be prepared by clleagues in the Academic Partnerships Office and sent t the prpsed partner fr their cnsideratin and signature (Inter-Institutinal Agreement if Erasmus). The signed partnership agreement will then be presented t the Vice-Principal (Educatin and Internatinal) fr final cnsideratin and signature. Partnership agreements cannt be entered int r signed by individuals r Schls/subject areas and can nly be signed by the Vice-Chancellr (r their nminated representative). 2. Befre mbility Please nte that this dcument uses the term mbility t define the time spent at a hst institutin. 2.1 Individual utging Brunel students: Befre a student may cmmence their exchange prgramme, they must gain apprval frm their Schl and the hst institutin fr the specific scheme f studies they will fllw in the hst institutin within the cnstraints f the defined exchange prgramme apprved by the University as in stage 2 abve. This apprval is frmalised in a Learning Agreement fr the student (signed by the student, the Schl and the hst institutin). The Learning Agreement shall include a definitin f the Brunel credit equivalence f the specific mdules t be taken at the hst institutin. The Learning Agreement requires a signature frm the Institutinal Crdinatr; the Exchange and Study Abrad Manager will fulfil this rle. Cpies f the signed Learning Agreement shall be prvided t the student and kept by APO, Schl and hst institutin. The APO must prvide each student with an Internatinal Risk Awareness Checklist t cmplete and submit prir t the student s participatin in the exchange. Students wishing t cmmence an Erasmus exchange prgramme must als enter int a Student Mbility Agreement; cmpletin f this agreement is facilitated by the Exchange and Study Abrad Manager. Students may nt cmmence their exchange prgramme until all required dcumentatin has been cmpleted and submitted. A pre-departure briefing will be prvided by the Schl and the APO that will address inductin and n-ging supprt fr exchange students. The Schl briefing will be prvided in line with guidance in the Departmental Exchange Crdinatr Handbk and the Exchange Student Handbk (an example Handbk frm the Schl f Scial Sciences can be fund n the University s Quality Assurance webpages). 3

4 The Registry will enter the individual scheme f studies as defined in the Learning Agreement int the SITS student recrd system fr later entry f grades and prductin f transcript. 2.2 Individual incming students: Applicatins are c-rdinated by the Exchange and Study Abrad Manager wh gains cnfirmatin f availability f mdules and (if applicable) apprpriateness f entry qualificatins; the applicatin is then frwarded t Registry Admissins fr prcessing and the ffer f an Assciate Student place. 3. During mbility Incming and utging students shall be prvided with the supprt as set ut in the partnership agreement; key crdinatrs fr the exchange prgramme at Brunel and the hst institutin shall cmmunicate any issues and will, where necessary, fllw the University s Student Placement Emergency Prcedure. 4. After mbility 4.1 Individual utging Brunel students After students return t Brunel, the APO will receive an fficial transcript fr each student frm the hst institutin. The Exchange and Study Abrad Manager will frward the transcript n t the relevant Schl s administrative staff wh will then liaise with the Departmental Exchange Crdinatr. A prcess f mderated grade imprtatin must then take place in the Schl. Fr internatinal exchange prgrammes (i.e. nn-erasmus) students are required t submit t their Schl a prtfli f all assessed wrk undertaken and assessed at the receiving institutin. Fr Erasmus exchange prgrammes, the ECTS grade imprtatin methdlgy shall be fllwed; please refer t the University s Recgnitin f Prir Learning (RPL) Plicy. The Departmental Exchange Crdinatr must, tgether with clleagues frm the subject area as apprpriate, review the student s transcript and prtfli, and cmplete the Graded Exemptins Mderatin frm. This frm sets ut the Departmental Exchange Crdinatr s recmmendatin f the student s imprted grades fr the mdules studied at the hst institutin. An Exchange Mderatin Panel (including External Examiner(s), an fficer and chaired by the relevant Department s Chair f the Panel f Examiners) shall then be cnvened, which shall be respnsible fr cnfirmatin f Brunel grades fr the graded exemptins. Care shuld be taken t ensure that there is n cnflict f interest between members f the Exchange Mderatin Panel and the student. The Exchange Mderatin Panel shall take place in a timely manner in rder t avid delays fr the student. The Exchange Mderatin Panel shall be prvided with the cmpleted Graded Exemptin Mderatin frm and have available t it the student s prtfli f assessed wrk (internatinal exchanges nly), the transcript frm the hst institutin, the student s Learning Agreement and the Exchange Prgramme Specificatin. Once the Exchange Mderatin Panel has agreed the imprted marks/grades, the External Examiner and the Chair will sign the Graded Exemptin Mderatin frm. Once signed by all 4

5 parties, the Graded Exemptin Mderatin frm shuld be submitted t the TAG ffice t recrd the utcme n SITS, cpying in the APO. The relevant Bard f Examiners will cnsider the student prfile, including the imprted grades, in the nrmal manner. 4.2 Individual Incming students Fr incming exchange students, transcripts must be made available within five weeks f their return t their hme institutin. Panels f Examiners must take place in a timely manner, therefre, and, fllwing the cnfirmatin f grades by the relevant Panel f Examiners, the Schl will prvide the student and their hme institutin with a transcript within ne week f the Panel. The Departmental Exchange Crdinatr must ensure that cpies f all transcripts fr departing exchange students are prvided t bth thse students and their hme institutin. 5. Transcripts (Brunel students) The student s extended transcript shall, fr the perid cvered by the exchange prgramme, state the specific mdules taken at the hst institutin, the Brunel equivalent credit rating, ECTS credit rating and Brunel imprted grade. 6. Reviewing exchange agreements The Exchange Prgramme Specificatin and the exchange partnership agreement will give the framewrk fr the delivery and management f the prgramme and nrmal annual mnitring prcesses and quality assurance mechanisms shuld be fllwed. Mdificatins t the partnership agreement can be utlined in amendments t the frmal agreement, which may be made as a result f annual mnitring r peridic review, fr example. When reviewing exchange agreements, it is imperative that any mdificatins are taken int accunt and that the equivalency f the learning utcmes is maintained. A review f each agreement is cmpulsry prir t the renewal f any agreement. 7. Renewing exchange agreements Renewal arrangements fr exchange partnerships are utlined in the exchange agreement. In rder t renew an exchange agreement, a case must be made regarding the n-ging viability f that agreement. The Renewal f a Student Exchange Partnership frm must be cmpleted by the Departmental Exchange Crdinatr and submitted t the Academic Partnerships Office by the end f Nvember each year in rder fr agreements t be renewed fr the next academic year. That case fr renewal will then be subject t scrutiny by Educatin Strategy Cmmittee and the University s Learning and Teaching Cmmittee, as apprpriate, t ensure that the exchange agreement remains apprpriate. 8. Terminating exchange agreements The delivering Schl shuld plan fr the rderly clsing dwn f the partnership within the cntracted perid f ntice. Any legal, financial r resurce aspects must be managed as part f this prcess. Thrughut the terminatin prcess, bth partners must cnsider their bligatins 5

6 t ffer supprt t students (r applicants) in rder t ensure that they are able t cmplete their studies within the expected registratin perid. A clause pertaining t terminatin will be included in each exchange partnership agreement. Pr-Vice Chancellr (Quality Affairs) December