Quality at Queen Margaret University
Quality Matters:
Why is quality important?
The credibility and value of Higher Education
(HE) in the UK and internationally rests primarily on the quality of taught and research programmes.
Within the UK
the major funding bodies are concerned that public money is used
effectively. Therefore, they need to establish that Higher Education Institutions
(HEIs) deliver a high quality learning experience and
that their teaching and awards are of a high and consistent standard. Understandably, students and applicants are also interested in the quality of provision and comparability of the student experience at different HEIs. Information on the student experience is publicly available, for example in league tables and through the results of the National Student Survey (NSS).
Who is responsible for quality?
Responsibility for quality and standards is devolved primarily to
HEIs, although the funding bodies conduct periodic reviews of each
institution through the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). In Scotland external reviews of each institution take place at least once every five years. Additionally, Professional and Statutory Bodies (PSBs) operate
regulatory procedures for the approval and periodic review of many programmes. At QMU, this applies to the majority of healthcare programmes as well as some others.
What are the key reference points for quality in Scotland and the UK?
In Scotland the Scottish
Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides generic descriptors
for each higher education award and level, from Certificates of
Higher Education to Research Degrees.
The Quality Assurance Agency's Academic Infrastructure offers a set of nationally agreed reference points that give all UK HEIs a shared starting point for developing their own quality framework. These include: Guidance on Programme Specifications; the Code of Practice and Subject Benchmark Statements.
Within the framework of published guidelines and periodic external
reviews, each HEI is expected to operate its own policies and procedures
for the management of academic quality and standards. The appropriateness of the agreed arrangements is evaluated through external review, as described above.
As external reference points are subject to change, it is important that HEIs review their quality framework periodically to ensure continued fitness for purpose and a learning experience that meets the needs of all students, their future employers and the wider community.
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