Partnership Oversight and Development Handbook 2017 - 18 · PDF fileLink Tutor Report Template...
Transcript of Partnership Oversight and Development Handbook 2017 - 18 · PDF fileLink Tutor Report Template...
Partnership Oversight and Development
Handbook 2017-18 Process guide standards and enhancement for franchised provision
Issued by: Dr. Julian Coleman
September 2017
Preface
This handbook is intended to provide detailed information about the University’s
process for assuring the standards of its franchised programmes with partners. The
process is designed to facilitate a collaborative approach to assurance and the
enhancement of teaching quality, the learning environment, student outcomes and
learning gain.
From September 2016 the oversight process will be underpinned by upto three
annual Partnership Development Meetings (PDMs). The PARTNERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT MEETING will act to bring relevant colleagues from the University
and the Partner together to collectively consider quality monitoring data and
documentation. A Live Action Partnership Plan (LAPP) will be created and updated
at the PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MEETING. LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP
PLANs will form an appendix of the Partnership Overview Form (POF). The
PARTNER OVERVIEW FORM is a shared summary document containing the
partnership details with appendices including the LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP
PLAN and a Partnership Business Plan.
Partnerships with institutions that have their own mature quality systems may
negotiate with the University to use their own documentation for monitoring. This
negotiation is undertaken using a document equivalency listing, and the handbook
also explains this process.
The handbook is set out in sections covering the PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
MEETING, the LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLAN, and the Quality Portal (a web-
based storage area set-out in academic years, for Quality monitoring documentation)
At the end of the handbook are a number of appendices containing the standard
agendas, membership list and document templates.
We hope you find the handbook helpful and that the process it describes is both
efficient and effective.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of the process, please contact the Academic Group
Co-ordinator for Standards and Enhancement in the Off-Campus Division –
Mrs Claire Aindow e: [email protected] t: 01204 903694
Version: September 2017
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Partnership Development Meetings
3. Live Action Partnership Plan
4. Quality Portal
5. Partner Overview Form
6. Appendices
6.1. Process diagram
6.2. Partnership Development Meeting Agenda, Membership List and Document
List
6.3. Live Action Partnership Plan Template
6.4. Link Tutor Report Template
6.5. Quality Document Equivalency List
6.6. Module Box checklist
1. INTRODUCTION
The process outlined in this handbook is designed to promote a joint approach for
assuring standards, reviewing and continuously improving provision.
‘Oversight and Development’ is the phrase used to describe the annual cycle of
collecting/reviewing data on the partnership and determining continuing
improvements. ‘Data on the partnership’ means feedback from key stakeholders
such as students, external examiners, internal moderators, module tutors, link tutors
and programme managers as well as numerical data on student attainment and
achievement. This set of data is further defined and described within the University’s
Annual Monitoring Process Guidelines (current version dated 2016/17 - available by
following the link below):
(http://www.bolton.ac.uk/Quality/RM/AnnualMonitoring/Home.aspx)
This Handbook describes how the above process is applied in the context of our
collaborative provision partnerships.
The process diagram in Appendix 1 presents an overview. The process is centred
around four main concepts:-
Partnership Development Meeting (PDM) a meeting up to three times per
year to review quality monitoring data, update and decide upon new
improvement activities
Live Action Partnership Plan (LAPP) a continuously updated improvement
plan capturing actions normally determined at the PARTNERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT MEETING (actions can be added at any time, but the
majority of actions will result from the pro-active review of quality monitoring
data at the PDM)
Quality Portal (QP) data collected for review at the PARTNERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT MEETING will be stored on a web-based quality portal
(currently using the University MOODLE system). Administrative assistance
from the University to upload.
Partner Overview Form (POF) a brief document with partnership details (key
contacts, address, programmes etc.) with appendices including the LIVE
ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLAN, the Equivalency Listing (see below), a
Business Plan, and a log of partnership visits.
Partners with their own mature and functioning quality monitoring systems may
agree the equivalency of their own document set to replace standard University
documentation. This is carried out via a Quality Document Equivalency Listing
(appendix 5), with the agreed alternative document then used at the PARTNERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT MEETING, and stored on the QUALITY PORTAL.
The PARTNER OVERVIEW FORM (complete with appendices) is reviewed
periodically at the University’s Partnership Panel.
2. PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS (PDMs)
Each partnership normally holds up to three Partnership Development Meetings
(PDMs) per academic year. The timing of the meetings is normally -
1) Meeting 1 Oct / Nov;
2) Meeting 2 Feb / March
3) Meeting 3 June / July
PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MEETINGs may be held physically on partner
premises, or at the University, or by video conference. They may be minuted if
Administrative Support is available, or otherwise noted by the Academic Partnership
Manager.
The purpose of the PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MEETING is to reflect upon
data about the partnership that is relevant and available at the time of the meetings
(For example meeting 1 will consider External Examiner reports and responses,
Programme Survey data (e.g. National Students Survey NSS) and module level
monitoring from the previous academic session.
The University programme administrator organises the meeting and sends out the
document request to the nominated partner contact.
Document listings appropriate to the timing and business at each of the three
meetings are set out in appendix 2. The documents listed and requested for the
meeting constitute those documents required by the University as part of Annual
Quality Monitoring. Where fewer than three meetings are held, the document request
list will be negotiated with the partner to provide sensible timings.
(http://www.bolton.ac.uk/Quality/RM/AnnualMonitoring/Home.aspx) .
After the meeting, documents will be stored on the Quality Portal (QUALITY
PORTAL) and administrative help at the University is available to upload.
PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MEETINGs are normally chaired by the Academic
Partnership Manager. Membership is defined in appendix 2.
Actions arising from the review of data at the meeting should be agreed at the
meeting and entered (by the Academic Partnership Manager) onto a ‘partnership
continuing improvement plan’ termed the Live Action Partnership Plan (LAPP).
LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLANs can be updated continuously as actions take
place, and progress reviewed and actions added at the PARTNERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT MEETING.
The Partnership Development Meeting is in two parts.
Part 1 should be attended by the University Link tutors and partner Course
Managers. The purpose of part 1 is to complete a ‘link tutor report’ concerning
the assessment cycle for the academic cycle previous to the current
PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MEETING. For example, for the
October/November assessment cycle, the previous summer semester/refer
period will be reviewed.
The link tutor report confirms that the module boxes from the previous
semester are up-to-date, following the module box checklist, and that any
improvement actions arising from moderation are recorded for action. The link
tutor report also confirms the storage location for the module box information
at the partner. A template for the link tutor report is presented in appendix 4.
The completion of the Link Tutor Report removes the need to store
module box information on the Quality Portal.
Link Tutors must complete this task with Course Managers at least 7
days prior to the PDM. This activity is not minuted.
Part 2 is the more formal part of the meeting (minuted or noted). The standard
agenda is set out in appendix 2.
3. LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLAN (LAPP)
The template for the LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLAN is shown in appendix 3.
The LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLAN is a continuous improvement plan, based
on the review of partnership quality data and documentation.
Actions must be discussed and agreed by all parties in the partnership and may
result in improvement action either at the University or at the Partner Institution.
It is the responsibility of the University Academic Partnership Manager (APM) to
keep the LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLAN up to date. This is a continuous
process, as actions are completed and signed off or new actions generated.
However it is recognised that the majority of new actions will be discussed and
agreed at the three PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MEETINGs as well as existing
items progressed or signed off.
The LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLAN forms an appendix to the PARTNER
OVERVIEW FORM (POF) and PARTNER OVERVIEW FORMs are periodically
reviewed at the University’s Partnership Panel (see appendix 1 for process diagram).
4. QUALITY PORTAL (QP)
Each partnership has a QUALITY PORTAL for the current academic year. The
QUALITY PORTAL is a web-based repository for Quality Documentation. QUALITY
PORTALs are pre-populated with the titles and timing of documents required. These
correspond to the document requests for the three PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
MEETINGs, hence documents supplied for the meetings will subsequently be stored
on the QUALITY PORTAL.
Partner staff and University staff (Link Tutors and Academic Partnership Managers)
have access to view documents and administrative support at the University is also
available to keep the QUALITY PORTAL up-to-date. Some partners may also
choose to store their module box documentation on the Quality Portal. In this case,
the partner will be responsible for uploading module box documents to the portal.
5. PARTNER OVERVIEW FORM (POF)
The PARTNER OVERVIEW FORM is a summary document providing key
information concerning the partnership. The main part of the form has key contact
details, address, programmes validated, contract numbers etc. Appendices of the
form contain:-
1. The LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLAN (LAPP)
2. The partnership Business Plan
3. A log of key visits, meetings, joint development events etc.
4. Quality Document Equivalency List
It is the responsibility of the Academic Partnership Manager (APM) to keep the
PARTNER OVERVIEW FORM up to date.
APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Partnership Oversight Process
September October November December January February March April May June July August
3 weeks prior to
meeting.
Administrator
sends out
predetermined
document
request and
meeting agenda.
Document
requests to be
relevant to the
time of year.
Responsibility
for providing
each document
is made clear in
the request
APM Chairs.
Meeting agenda
created
including
updates on
actions from
LAPPs and
consideration of
NSS data. Link
tutors,
administrator
and partner staff
on membership.
Within 3 weeks
of meeting, APM
updates
reported
actions, and
adds any new
items to the
LAPP.
LAPPs go to
OfCD Quality
Standing Panel
which red flags
any for SEO
Intervention.
LAPPs also form
appendix to
Partnership
Overview Forms
(which are
viewed by the
University
Partnership
Panel)
LAPPs go to
OfCD Quality
Standing Panel
September October November December January February March April May June July August
Interim concerns escalated to Off
Campus Management at any point
in time and could potentially be
escalated to SEO
Partnership Panel Raise
"Cause for concern"
triggering specific SEO
Intervention (to be defined
by SEO), risk based by
exception
Update
Live Action Partnership Plan (LAPP) - Owned and created jointly by APM, Link Tutors and partner staff (forms appendix A of Partnership Overview Form)
Quality Portal Repository1)Agreed Equivalency Assessment (agreed by Partnership Panel)
2)Minutes of PDM meetings
(including Link Tutor report forms)
3) Other documents as per
document request list
Agenda and DocumentRequest 1
Partnership Development Meeting 1
UpdateAgenda and DocumentRequest 2
Partnership Development Meeting 2 Update
Agenda and DocumentRequest 3
Partnership DevelopmentMeeting 3
Off Campus Quality Standing Panel 1
Off Campus Quality Standing
UniversityPartnership Panel
UniversityPartnership Panel
Off CampusDivision Board of Studies
Off Campus Division Board of
Appendix Two: PDM documentation
PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MEETING
Date: [ ]
Location: [ ]
AGENDA
Part One LINK TUTOR AND PROGRAMME MANAGER REVIEW OF
MODULE BOXES (please refer to module box checklist for
required content) – complete link tutor report for item 6
below at least 7 days prior to PDM
Part Two FORMAL MEETING
PART A
1. Welcome to members and apologies for absence
2. Minutes or notes of previous meeting held on [ ]
3. Matters arising
PART B
4. Review quality documentation papers (see document request list)
5. Review and update Live Action Partnership Plan (LAPP)
6. Link tutor report (s)
7. New programmes: existing developments and future plans 8. Partnership operational matters and agreement of new LAPP items
9. Any Other Business
10. Reserved matters (confidential matters – attended by partnership senior management and APM only
Membership
Partner
Head of HE/Centre Director
Program Managers
Head of Quality
University
Academic Partnership Manager (Chair)
Link tutors
Invited members
AGC SELE for school (University)
AGC SELE Off-Campus Division (University)
Head, Off-Campus Division
Head of School, University of Bolton
Nominated partner/ University staff including administrators
Document request The following documents will be requested from those identified in the table as papers for the meeting. Document
request to be circulated three weeks to the meeting (and will be loaded onto the Quality Portal (QP) by UoB staff –
with any updates collected on the day of the meeting)
Where it is agreed that a partner has fewer than three PDMs per year, the documents will be allocated to the meetings
in agreement with the APM.
In brackets and emboldened indicates the member of staff to supply the data/document.
Meeting 1 Oct/ Nov Meeting 2 Feb/March Meeting 3 June/ July
Documents to
be reviewed
at meeting
(Agenda item
4) and
uploaded
onto QP
Programme Survey Data (e.g.
NSS data, UPSS)
(APM or Partner Contact,
depending on who conducts
NSS)
Latest SSLC minutes
(APM or Partner Contact,
depending on who
conducts SSLC)
Latest SSLC minutes
(APM or Partner Contact,
depending on who conducts
SSLC)
EE report(s) and responses
Link Tutor to supply EE
report and response
(Link tutor to circulate EE
reports to Partner and co-
ordinate response)
Enrolment data
(APM or Partner Contact
depending on whether
students are counted as
UoB numbers or partner
numbers)
Enrolment data
(APM or Partner Contact
depending on whether
students are counted as
UoB numbers or partner
numbers)
Latest SSLC minutes
(APM or Partner Contact,
depending on who conducts
SSLC)
Retention data
(APM or Partner Contact
depending on whether
students are counted as
UoB numbers or partner
numbers)
Retention data
(APM or Partner Contact
depending on whether
students are counted as
UoB numbers or partner
numbers)
Enrolment data
(APM or Partner Contact
depending on whether
students are counted as
UoB numbers or partner
numbers)
Attainment data
(APM or Partner Contact
depending on whether
students are counted as
UoB numbers or partner
numbers)
Attainment data
(APM or Partner Contact
depending on whether
students are counted as
UoB numbers or partner
numbers)
Retention data
(APM or Partner Contact
depending on whether
students are counted as
UoB numbers or partner
numbers)
Updated Programme plans
(Course Manager with
support from Link Tutors)
Marketing material for next
academic year (Partner)
Attainment data
(APM or Partner Contact
depending on whether
students are counted as
UoB numbers or partner
numbers)
External Access list for review
(APM)
Draft programme plans
(Course Manager with
support from Link Tutors)
Report on staffing, resources
and staff development
requirements
Report on complaints and
academic misconduct cases
(Partner)
Induction plan (Partner)
e.g. link to relevant resources,
timetable, induction pack
Report on student enrichment
and employability activities
(Partner)
Student support (personal
tutoring) plan (Partner)
Updated Programme plans
(Course Manager with
support from Link Tutors)
Link tutor report per
programme (after meeting)
(Link Tutor)
Link tutor report per
programme (after meeting)
(Link Tutor)
Link tutor report per
programme (after meeting)
(Link Tutor)
Documents
requested for
QP upload
only
Programme handbooks
(Partner staff)
Partner student handbook
(Partner)
Updated Operations Manual
(APM)
Updated Operations Manual
(APM)
Programme summaries for Off
Campus Division Quality
Standing panel (Course
Manager)
A brief over view of the
current operation of the
programme (max. approx..
150 words) highlighting any
issues or areas of good
practice
Appendix 3: LIVE ACTION PARTNERSHIP PLAN Template
Live Action Partnership Plan: [UoB/[Partner name]]
*Evidence source – indicate how the issue/good practice arose (NSS data, Retention Data, Module Evaluation, SSLC minutes, External Examiner Report)
** TEF Aspect – indicate if the issue is related to a) Teaching Quality, b) Learning Environment, c) Student Outcome and Learning Gain
Date of latest update:
NB: APM to update and save to the Quality Portal after each Partnership Development Meeting
Problem to be
addressed/good
practice to be
enhanced
Evidence
source*
Action to be taken Target
Date
Action
by
Related TEF
aspect**
Success
indicators
Evaluation, update and sign-off
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Appendix 4: Link Tutor Report Template
Partner Centre Name :…………………………….. Link Tutor Name :…………………………….. Partner Course Leader / Manager Name :…………………………….. Date of Visit :…………………………….. Sample module boxes reviewed on visit:
Module Number and Name
I have reviewed the module boxes for content as per the Module Box checklist and confirm
that quality assurance processes are proceeding as per University requirements:
Signed: (Link Tutor)
Name:……………………………..
Signed: (Partner Course Manager / nominee)
Name:…………………………….
Comments / improvement actions Link Tutor:
Comments from partner staff:
Precise location / storage of Module boxes:……………………………………………
Appendix 5: Equivalency Listing
Quality monitoring equivalency listing
The documents in column 1 (and described in column 2) are required as part of the University of Bolton Quality monitoring cycle.
The purpose of this listing is to indicate the equivalence of Further Education College quality documentation, in place of the standard University of Bolton
document. Once agreed, it is permissible to use existing FE documentation in place of its UoB equivalent, on the Quality Monitoring MOODLE portal. Because
documents can vary between FE Colleges, this listing is created per partner centre.
Partner to complete columns 3 and 4 and submit to the Academic Partnership Manager
Partners Centre:
1 2 3 4 5
UoB Document Requirement
(to be loaded onto Moodle
Quality Portal)
Brief description, purpose, who
creates it, when
Partner equivalent
Document title
Brief description,
purpose, who creates it,
when
Equivalence comments
1. MR Module Report – A brief review of
the module, written by the module
tutor at the end of the module,
indicating what went well and what
might be improved for the next
running.
2. Module Guide
Sets out an overview of the module,
a teaching strategy, a reading list and
details of the assessment. These are
created prior to the commencement
each time a module is taught.
It is mandatory under the franchise
arrangement to include ALL of the
sections in the Bolton Template and
to follow the Bolton Structure as
closely as possible.
3. Assessment
briefs and Exam Papers
Assessment briefs should be
included in the Module Guide, and it
is mandatory to include the
information in the Bolton Template.
4. Moderation Forms
1. A) Assessment brief
B) Exam paper
C) Marked work
Bolton format
Forms for internal and external
moderation of assessments and
marked work – these are stored on
the portal to evidence that each
assessment has been internally and
externally moderated, along with a
sample of marked work.
5. Programme Plan
Programme Quality Enhancement
Plan
Reflective enhancement plan for the
programme. Includes reference to
programme content, assessment,
teaching and learning, quality
monitoring. Evidenced from student
feedback, course committee
meetings, external examiner reports,
analysis of results etc.
Should be updated incrementally
through the year. Would normally be
created by the partner Course
Manager or equivalent, and shared
with the link tutor via the quality
portal.
8. SSLC Minutes Staff Student Liaison Committee
minutes. The SSLC meets at least
twice per year. It has students
representation (usually at least one
Student representative per year per
programme) Student reps are trained
by the student union. Agenda items
include Student feedback, course
leader report, discussion of
improvement plans, discussion of
external examiner report, discussion
of achievement rates, discussion of
programme changes
This is an agreed equivalence listing:
Signed: University of Bolton
-------------------------------------------------
Print:
Signed: Partner College
-------------------------------------------------
Print:
Appendix 6 Module Box Checklist Module Box Checklist
Partner Name here: Programme Name here
Programme Handbook supplied Programme Handbook Approval pro forma completed
Programme Handbook Yes/no Yes/no
Please
list
modules
by name
and
number
below
Module
guide
Module
Guide
Approval
Pro
forma
Module
Spec
1st page
of
Moodle
Assessment
1 brief and
model
answer /
indicative
content
Brief Ans
Assessment
1
moderation
pro forma
Assessment
2 brief and
model
answer /
indicative
content
Brief Ans
Assessment
2
moderation
pro forma
Assessment
1 sample of
marked work
Int / ext
moderation
of
assessment
1 sample
Int Ext
Assess
ment 2
sample
of
marked
work
Int / ext
moderation
of ass 2
sample
Int Ext
Module
Evaluati
on
question
naires
Module
Report
e.g.
MPA
7001
Intro
to PA