LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY CONTINUOUS AUDIT BRIEFING Quality Assurance Services

Composition of Audit Activities ACADEMIC AUDIT Regulatory process (see section D1 of the APR) Serves to assure Academic Board that delegated responsibilities for Q&S are being appropriately discharged (reports to committees) Promotes quality enhancement through recognition and dissemination of good practice

Types of Academic Audit Continuous Audit Monitoring and evaluation of routinely produced evidence (desk based) and observation of a range of activities Enhancement Audit specific issues or themes which arise from consideration of the outcomes of continuous audit and/or any other form of internal or external monitoring and review at faculty or university level Collaborative Activity Mutual review of franchise partners (incorporates audit) Enhancement audits of partners

Continuous Audit 2013/14 OBSERVATIONS Exam Boards and Committees -progression and award regulations are still working through -ties in with staff development activities Mitigation Panels -new process this year -looking for consistency of approach to assure Academic Board -looking for teething issues -outcomes will inform interim review of new process

Continuous Audit 2013/14 DESK BASED Module Handbooks / Guides / other? 4 UG and 4 PG Courses in each faculty How is module information shared with the student? When is module information shared with the student? Format? Consistency of approach? Focus on clarity of assessment information

Observation Procedure 1 Schedules of activity requested at start of semester 2 QAS appoints Audit Coordinator All QAS Quality Officers and Team Managers to participate FQTs asked to participate (quality practitioners) FQT Managers consulted on which “events” to observe Supporting materials / templates made available via online Quality Manual

Observation Procedure 2 Coordinator allocates participants 1-2 events to observe in a non- aligned subject area and s details and contacts Participants: confirm availability to QAS via – substitutions are possible – and thereafter liaise with event secretary to ensure location / time is confirmed familiarise themselves with the relevant guidance materials and regulations attend, observe and submit observations on standardised templates via to QAS

Observation Procedure 3 DO Remember to check the event details the day before Bring guidance materials with you Make notes and write up the form later Be unobtrusive and uninvolved! Look for good practice Anonymise individuals in your observations DON’T Be late! Be a stranger! Introduce yourself on arrival Intervene or give advice – defer to quality teams Sit where you can’t see or hear what is going on

Boards and Committees – Key Matters Pre-board undertaken? Check with secretary after if not clear Attendance – appropriate representation of internal and external examiners? Agenda – “refreshed version used”? Mitigation Panel / UPB reports available? Progression regulations – 30 threshold / 100 cp requirement for most now Award – appropriate methods applied? Chairs actions - any outstanding from last time? - process for new ones clear?

Mitigation Panels – Key Matters Frequency – meetings should be monthly Scope – meetings should be at faculty level Attendance of Faculty Mitigation Coordinators (FMC) (min of 2 per faculty) and general constituency (external) Report of mitigation at point of assessment made by FMC? Who is presenting the cases? Should be the FMC Are tariffs being applied consistently? Are arrangements for onward reporting to Board clear? Any issues that the FMP feels are unclear?

Any Questions?