Quality assurance & enhancement
The Further and Higher Education Act (Scotland) 2005 confers on the Council a statutory duty to assure and enhance the quality of the provision it funds. Outcome 7 of the SFC Corporate plan 2009-12, 'Effective Colleges and Universities', sets out the relevant actions and objectives with respect to this.
The Joint Quality Review Group (JQRG) was set up in 2006 to review our policy on quality issues. The JQRG report was agreed in August 2007. The three key principles identified in the report which underpin the approach to quality are:
- high quality learning;
- student engagement; and
- quality culture.
The report also contained many detailed recommendations on issues such as external review, governance and accountability, quality enhancement, student engagement, international education and public information about quality. Implementation of these recommendations was being taken forward by the Quality Working Groups.
There are two Quality Working Groups, one for each sector. The College and University QWGs respectively consider and offer advice and comment to the Council and to other interested parties all matters to do with quality in Scotland's colleges and act as a 'clearing house' for quality issues in the college and university sectors.
In line with our partnership approach to quality membership of each includes all key stakeholders and agencies. The College QWG is comprised of representatives from SFC, NUS Scotland, HMIE, Scotland's Colleges, Student Participation in Quality Scotland (sparqs) and the Quality Community of Practice (QCoP); the University QWG comprises SFC, Universities Scotland (US), NUS Scotland, the Quality Assurance Agency for Scotland (QAA), HE Academy, and sparqs. SFC provides the secretariat to both groups.
External evaluations of quality processes
We have commissioned the Centre for the Study of Education and Training (CSET) at Lancaster University and the Learning and Skills Network (LSN) to carry out independent evaluations of its strategy for quality enhancement in university and college sectors respectively. This evaluation process is being carried out over four years, beginning in AY 2008-09.
In October 2009, both CSET/Lancaster and LSN produced their first annual evaluation reports. You can access an extended summary and the full report for each sector by using the links below:
Universities
- First annual evaluation of the SFC quality enhancement strategy in the university sector extended summary
- First annual evaluation of the SFC quality enhancement strategy in the university sector full report
Colleges
- First annual evaluation of the SFC strategy for quality enhancement in the college sector executive summary
- First annual evaluation of the SFC strategy for quality enhancement in the college sector full report
The evaluation teams produce a six-monthly progress report. The second year progress reports can be accessed here:
The second Annual Reports are due to be completed by October 2010. They will be published here following discussion at the Joint Quality Evaluation Steering Group (JQESG).
Overview guide to quality assurance and enhancement in Scotland’s colleges and universities
The SFC has produced an overview guide to Scotland's quality assurance and enhancement arrangements. The guide provides a first point of reference for those interested in how quality is maintained and enhanced in Scotland's colleges and universities.