1. The UK Quality Code and Chapter B9
Ellie Russell- Projects Officer, The Student
Engagement Partner

2. Higher Education Review

3. Higher Education Review (HER)
HER is the way that QAA checks how well universities and colleges in England and Northern Ireland make sure their students' education is of a high enough quality and reaches the right academic standards.
Checks if institutions are meeting the Expectations set out in the UK Quality Code.
Is a flexible, risk-based method which applies the greatest scrutiny where it is most needed. Strong track records in managing quality and standards are reviewed less frequently.

4. The Judgements Academic standards/Academic Threshold standards
The quality of students’ learning opportunities
Information about higher education provision
The enhancement of students’

5. Threshold Academic Standards
Threshold academic standards are the minimum level of achievement that you have to reach to succeed on your course and achieve the qualification.
A key feature of this is that threshold academic standards should not vary from one higher education provider to another.
UK Quality Code Part A: 6 expectations

6. The quality of students’ learning opportunities
Academic quality is how well higher education providers supports students in their learning: the teaching, the support available, how are assessed, and the resources available.
UK Quality Code Part B: 11 expectations

7. Information
Providers produce information for their intended audiences about the higher education they offer that is fit for purpose, accessible and trustworthy.
UK Quality Code Part C: 1 expectation

8. Enhancement
‘Deliberate steps are being taken at provider level to improve the quality of students'
learning opportunities’.
Embedded in Quality Code - Part B: Assuring and enhancing academic quality.
Strategic approach to enhancement of student
learning opportunities, not just a collection of examples of good practice.

9. QAA website Higher Education Review Handbook www.qse-training.co.uk
More information
QAA website
Higher Education Review Handbook

10. UK Quality Code

11. UK Quality Code
The UK Quality Code for Higher Education (the Quality Code) is the definitive reference point for all UK higher education providers.
It makes clear what higher education providers are required to do, what they can expect of each other, and what the general public can expect of them.
The Quality Code covers all four nations of the UK and all providers of UK higher education operating overseas. It protects the interests of all students, regardless of where they are studying or whether they are full-time, part-time, undergraduate or postgraduate students.

12. Purpose to safeguard the academic standards of UK higher education
to safeguard the academic standards of UK higher education
to assure the quality of the learning opportunities that UK higher education offers to students
to promote continuous and systematic improvement in UK higher education
to ensure that information about UK higher education is publicly available

13. What does the Quality Code contain?
The Quality Code has three Parts (A, B and C) on standards, quality and information. These are broken down into a series of Chapters which cover different aspects of higher education.
Each Chapter sets out an Expectation for the topic and a series of Indicators that reflect sound practice.
The manner in which providers meet the Expectations is their own responsibility.

14. Part A - Setting and maintaining threshold academic standards
Chapter A1: The national level
Chapter A2: The subject and qualification level
Chapter A3: The programme level
Chapter A4: Approval and review
Chapter A5: Externality
Chapter A6: Assessment of achievement of learning outcomes

15. Part B - Assuring and enhancing academic quality
Chapter B1: Programme design and approval
Chapter B2: Admissions
Chapter B3: Learning and teaching
Chapter B4: Student support, learning resources and careers education, information, advice and guidance
Chapter B5: Student engagement
Chapter B6: Assessment of students and accreditation of prior learning
Chapter B7: External examining
Chapter B8: Programme monitoring and review
Chapter B9: Complaints and appeals
Chapter B10: Management of collaborative arrangements
Chapter B11: Research degrees

16. Part C: Information about higher education provision
This shorter Part is not subdivided into Chapters. It addresses how providers make available information that is fit for purpose, accessible and trustworthy.

17. Utilising the UK Quality Code
There are a number of ways to use the UK Code to achieve change, such as:
Review Expectations and benchmark current practice
Using Indicators to focus campaigns or lobbying
Producing an Annual Quality Report
- Direction to answers and action

18. Match the scenario with an Indicator in the UK Quality Code.
Exercise
Match the scenario with an Indicator in the UK Quality Code.

19. Answers
A= 1
B= 5
C= 4
D= 2
E= 3

20. Chapter B9: Academic appeals
and student complaints

21. Chapter B9: Expectation
Higher education providers have procedures for handling academic appeals and student complaints about the quality of learning opportunities; these procedures are fair, accessible and timely, and enable enhancement.

22. Some things to mention
READ THE PREAMBLE: information on scope, equality and diversity, independent review and distinguishing between complaints and appeals.
For example:
Appeals or complaints may be made by individual students or, in appropriate cases, collectively by groups of students.

23. Some more things to mention
As this Chapter forms part of the Quality Code, its remit is necessarily limited to academic appeals and complaints about the quality of learning opportunities. This does not preclude higher education providers extending these principles to
appeals or complaints on other matters.
The Expectation and Indicators in this Chapter do not generally distinguish between appeals and complaints because of the high level of commonality in the underlying principles applicable to both.

24. Exercise Discuss the Expectation:
How does your institution currently meet this Expectation?
How does the students’ union help your institution to meet this Expectation?
Discuss the Indicators:
Are there any missing?