QESR Action Plan (June 2023)

This action plan sets out the University’s response to the recommendations within the report from the QESR conducted in academic year 2022-23. The QESR review visit took place on 18 November 2022. The QESR report was published on the Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) website on 2 February 2023.

The actions within this report were considered and approved by the University’s Student Experience Committee on 17 May 2023 and subsequently shared with the University Senate on 28 June 2023. The Student Experience Committee will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the action plan. Further information on the status of actions is available from Dawn Martin, Assistant Secretary, Governance and Quality Enhancement.

Acronyms used within the action plan:

GQE Governance and Quality Enhancement
ILR Institution-led Review
LEAD Learning Enhancement and Academic Development
QSS QMU Student Survey
SEC Student Experience Committee
SPARQS Student Partnerships in Quality Scotland

Recommendation 1

Assessment feedback - in building on its Consistency of Assessment Feedback project and the positive steps taken to implement improvements in feedback practice following ELIR 4, the University is asked to draw upon existing good practice at programme level to develop an institutional approach which sets out the expectations for students across all modes and locations of study regarding the quality and timeliness of the feedback they receive on assessments.

Action	Timescale	Responsible	Status
Establish a Working Group to develop a cross-institutional approach to the quality and timeliness of assessment feedback.	June 2023	LEAD Centre Director	Complete
Reflect on the previous SEC projects: ‘Consistency of Assessment Feedback’ and ‘Feed forward’.	June 2023	LEAD Centre Director with input from project leads	Complete
Review progress against the recommendations from the ‘Consistency of Assessment Feedback’ project.	June to September 2023	Assessment Feedback Working Group	Complete

Development of student assessment and feedback literacy

Action	Timescale	Responsible	Status
Work with students and staff to support the development of Student Assessment and Feedback Literacy. Key stakeholders include the QMU Students’ Union, Student Champions, Peer Assisted Learning (PALS) Leaders, Effective Learning Service, Programme Leaders and Module Coordinators	September 2023 to May 2024	LEAD Centre Director with input from key stakeholders identified in the ‘action column.	In progress (September 2023)

Action

Timescale

Responsible

Status

Work with students and staff to support the development of Student Assessment and Feedback Literacy.

Key stakeholders include the QMU Students’ Union, Student Champions, Peer Assisted Learning (PALS) Leaders, Effective Learning Service, Programme Leaders and Module Coordinators

September 2023 to May 2024

LEAD Centre Director with input from key stakeholders identified in the ‘action column.

In progress (September 2023)

Development of staff assessment and feedback and literacy

Action	Timescale	Responsible	Status
Update QMU LTA Guidance for 2023-24 to include information and signposting on assessment and feedback and restate expected feedback turnaround times.	April to May 2023	LEAD Centre Director	Complete
Identify examples of good practice around assessment feedback through various routes.	April to August 2023	Assessment Feedback Working Group	In progress (September 2023)
Showcase identified good practice and scholarship around assessment feedback.	August to October 2023	Assessment Feedback Working Group	In progress (September 2023)
Embed this into events, resources and academic development offers for Programme Teams.	September 2023 onwards	LEAD Centre

Mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that the work of each of the staff and student strands informs the other. This will include crossover in the membership of workstreams.

Recommendation 2

Review of student-facing professional services - in reviewing its approach to student-facing professional services, the University should develop a systematic institutional approach and consider how to enable a more explicit enhancement-focus that facilitates consideration of institutional priorities. Building upon the successful example of academic ILR processes, student-facing professional review processes should systematically and consistently engage students and external expertise.

Action	Timescale	Responsible	Status
Seek input from heads of professional services on the current and future arrangements.	May 2023	Assistant Secretary, GQE	Complete
Prepare paper for SEC approval setting out proposed new arrangements and draft five-year schedule of professional services review events.	May 2023	Assistant Secretary, GQE	Complete
Consult sector colleagues on the format of the proposed self-evaluation template.	August 2023	Assistant Secretary, GQE	Complete
Confirm five-year schedule of professional services review events.	August 2023	Vice Principal&University Secretary	Complete
Publish updated guidance and self-evaluation template.	August 2023	Assistant Secretary, GQE	Complete Self-evaluation template published internally.
Conduct review of Library Services and report to SEC.	March 2024	Assistant Secretary, GQE; Head of Library Services	Provisionally scheduled for 28 or 29 February 2024
Evaluate refreshed approach and report to SEC.	May 2024	Assistant Secretary, GQE
Refine arrangements in response to evaluation and seek approval of any changes from SEC.	August 2024	Assistant Secretary, GQE
Implement remainder of five-year schedule as agreed in August 2023.	August 2024 to May 2028	Assistant Secretary, GQE; Heads of professional services

Recommendation 3

Student engagement in surveys - drawing on existing good practice at programme and module level, the University, in collaboration with the student body, should seek to understand barriers to, and implement mechanisms which will increase student engagement with internal surveys.

Action	Timescale	Responsible	Status
Undertake desk-based research and consult with Student Champions and Class Reps to inform recommendations to SEC.	May 2023	Retention and Surveys Team	Complete
Review the QMU Internal Student Survey (QSS), adopting a co-creation approach with students, including in relation to communications and analysis. Seek guidance from SPARQS to inform the review.	August to December 2023	SEC Working Group	Working Group established; first report to SEC on 27 September 2023; second report to SEC on 29 November 2023
Launch refreshed QSS.	February 2024	Retention and Surveys Team with support from academic and professional services colleagues and the Students’ Union.
Implement recommendations for increasing student response rates to various internal surveys as agreed by SEC in May 2023.	September 2023 to April 2024	Retention and Surveys Team with support from academic and professional services colleagues and the Students’ Union.	In progress (September 2023)
Evaluate response rates for internal surveys and consider whether further adjustments are necessary.	November 2023 to May 2024	SEC acting on advice from the Retention and Surveys Team.
Implement agreed enhancements for subsequent iterations of internal surveys.	September 2024 onwards	Retention and Surveys Team with support from academic and professional services colleagues and the Students’ Union.