Quality and Standards Committee

Background

Quality and Standards Committee (QSC) is key to university processes and ensuring standards, with a membership spanning all Faculties and Campuses. In the UK, this will include separate representatives for undergraduate and postgraduate levels within each Faculty.

The international campuses currently operate slightly differently in that the Associate Deans for Teaching and Learning are members, by virtue of their post. 

The process and terms of appointment for the UK campus (UNUK) is as follows:

• An outline person specification (see below) is available to prospective members.
• As vacancies become available University and Faculty networks will be used to advise academic staff a replacement committee member is required.
• Staff in schools may nominate themselves.
• If there is more than one nomination, candidates will be invited to interview.  In a situation where there is only one nomination the Chair will meet with the academic to discuss the role and remit of a QSC member.
• The term for service on the committee will be four years (Professional Services members are exempt from this).
• When a member reaches the end of their term they will only be asked to do a further year in exceptional circumstances. 
• Members cannot return to the Committee as representatives for 5 years after the end of their previous term; members can apply for the Chair and Deputy role within 5 years of a previous term.

Person specification

• Experience of Quality and Standards and related Quality Assurance structures
• Knowledge of the Quality Manual and the University of Nottingham Qualifications Framework (UNQF)
• Understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Committee, as set out in the Terms of Reference
• Awareness of University strategic objectives
• Ability to influence, and champion the committee’s interests and aims as appropriate
• Strong analytical and communication skills 
• Critical listening and appraisal skills
• Ability to work within a framework of collective decision-making in the best interests of the Committee and the University
• Integrity to act without self-interest
• Willingness to contribute knowledge, experience and views
• Vision and commitment

Conditions

• Attendance at five QSC meetings annually - October, January, March, May, June
• Approximately 150 hours per year as set out in the Workload Planning Model
• Act as an Educational Enhancement and Assurance Review (EEAR) panel member in a Quality Assurance role. 
• Prior agreement to be sought from line manager

Duties of Committee members

Responsibilities of Quality and Standards Committee (QSC) members include: 

• attendance at meetings of QSC and such working groups of that committee as may be established
• membership of the pool of members constituting Academic Appeals Panels and Academic Misconduct Committees, often in the role of Chair. Determining also whether individual appeals and complaints warrant a hearing before a Panel
• attendance at regular Faculty meetings with the purpose of communicating QSC discussions and decisions, as well as receiving Faculty concerns about quality assurance matters.
• being responsible for providing interpretation and agreeing minor amendments of an allocated section of the Quality Manual on behalf of QSC
• scrutinising and making recommendations with respect to new programme specifications
• making recommendations with respect to withdrawal of programmes
• approving revised programme specifications and new and revised modules where the Quality Manual requires the involvement of QSC due to the particular nature of the new/revised material
• approving nominations for the appointment of External Examiners that fall outside the stipulations of the Quality Manual and considering External Examiners' reports 
• deciding individual student/applicant cases falling out with the Quality Manual/Regulations. Such cases must be submitted for consideration by QSC by an appropriate person with delegated authority on behalf of the relevant school or professional service
• monitoring Schools' decisions on extenuating circumstances claims
• being prepared to act as members of working groups established by the University’s Education and Student Experience Committee and to assist the University’s Assistant Pro-Vice-Chancellor (APVC) for Teaching and Curriculum Leadership in communicating with Schools on teaching and learning developments

Conflict of duties

Members of QSC may not be able to take on posts at school or faculty level which may sometimes be in conflict with the duties of the role as outlined above.

Members of QSC will not be given items for consideration which have been put forward for approval by their own School.

Support for Committee members

In all of the above activities, members can expect to receive full support and guidance from appropriate members of Registry and the Admissions team. This will include providing information on precedents in handling appeals cases and on arranging discussion of issues arising from the approval of programme specifications.

In some cases, the Committee may need to take actions notwithstanding regulations. Guidance, in the event of such situations, can be found in the following:

• QSC guidance on decisions notwithstanding regulations  

If you would like to raise an item or paper with the Committee, please consult the following:

• QSC paper submission guidance  
• QSC cover sheet 
• QSC papers template  
• Quality Manual template 
• QSC template for cases outside of regulations  
• QSC procedure for cases outside of regulations