FAQ National Review of Awarding Arrangements

Following the outcome of the Targeted Peer Review into the University of Glasgow, SFC concluded, given the content of the report and the circumstances leading to its submission, that it was necessary to gain additional assurance that the matters identified at one institution were not replicated elsewhere.

SFC has a statutory responsibility to secure the quality of learning and teaching provision, protect and enhance the student learning experience and ensure quality assurance processes are robust, transparent and support confidence in standards. The National Review is intended to provide additional assurance that we are delivering against these statutory responsibilities.

The core purpose of the review is to:

• secure assurance in regard to the awarding arrangements of Scottish universities with a specific view towards the maintenance of academic standards and how that is managed and achieved;
• protect the interests of students; and
• learn lessons and support future enhancement.

The review will, in the first instance, focus on universities and their awarding processes, and related assessment and student support mechanisms. Where a university acts as an awarding body for a college, or other partnership, the review will include the arrangement.

Awards delivered by colleges which are awarded through other bodies such as Qualifications Scotland are not in scope. The process by which qualifications are credit-rated is not within the scope of this review as it is a process that is distinct from assessment and/or awarding mechanisms.

You can find out more about the scope of the review.

SFC’s statutory duty is to secure the quality of learning and teaching of funded provision and that is therefore our focus, however we recognise that institutional processes will cover all of their provision. Similarly, the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER) covers consideration of all provision, not only that which is funded by SFC, so QAA will be considering this carefully when designing the review, taking into account the need to achieve proportionality while also gaining the necessary assurances.

SFC will meet with QAA at intervals throughout the Review and consideration of proportionality and alignment to the scope will inform those discussions. QAA will also consider proportionality through the detailed design of the ‘deep dive’ element.

QAA is currently designing the deep-dive review method. Lessons from assurance and enhancement-focused review methods will inform the design process.

Please refer to the published review scoping document [PDF] for information about the review will be conducted.

In short, there will be three parts to the review:

A Desk-Based Review: a review of materials including outputs from Institutional Liaison Meetings (ILMs,) Self Evaluation and Action Plans (SEAPs), Quality Enhancement and Standards Review (QESR) reports and the most recent Enhancement-led Institutional Review (ELIR) or Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER) for all HEIs.

Thematic review or Deep Dive: the detailed approach (including the methodology and sampling approach) will be developed whilst the desk-based review is in progress, however this will include peer review activities in a sample of institutions. Information about the processes underdevelopment will be issued in due course.

Learning and enhancement activity: an opportunity to share lessons learned and good practice identified through the review process.

The University of Glasgow Targeted Peer Review lines of enquiry are a starting point and the development of the thematic review methodology will ensure the relevant areas are taken forward at this national level.

At this time, it is anticipated that any calls for information will be included in the thematic review only, however if QAA feels that further information is required, they will contact the relevant institution directly.

No. Phase 1 will not include direct engagement with institutions.

The following evidence sources will be used as the evidence base for the desk-based review: the formal notes of the Institutional Liaison Meetings (ILMs) from the past three years; the 2023-24 and 2024-25 Self Evaluation & Action Plans (SEAPs); Quality Enhancement & Standards Review (QESR) and Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER) reports. If an institution has not undergone  a TQER, the most recent ELIR report will form part of the evidence base.

QAA is in the process of designing the deep-dive review method. It is our intention that institutions, who are selected or volunteer to be reviewed, will have the opportunity to provide a self-reflective and contextual document as part of the evidence-base for the deep-dive review.

QAA will produce a summary report of the desk-based review for SFC at a sector level. Outputs of the Phase 1 desk-based review will be shared during Institutional Liaison Meetings.

The desk-based review is a starting point for the process and will seek to identify areas of focus relating to assessment practices, the maintenance of academic standards, changes in awarding processes or related student support matters. At this time, it is anticipated that any calls for information will be included in the thematic review only, however if QAA feels that further information is required, they will contact the relevant institution directly.

It is not intended that SFC will meet directly with institutions as part of the National Review process which is being conducted independently by QAA. However, should institutions have any questions or concerns, they should contact SFC either through their Outcome Manager or via quality@sfc.ac.uk.

Yes, both QAA and SFC are mindful of the impact this will have on institutions and will take into consideration where institutions are in relation to the TQER and what other activities are ongoing within the institutions. QAA will also consider carefully the proportionality of the approach to the thematic review as this process is designed.

QAA is currently in the process of developing the sampling methodology for the thematic review. Information on the criteria and evidence base used to determine the sample of institutions for review will be shared in due course.

QAA will design a sampling methodology that includes criteria by which institutions are identified for inclusion in the sample. Institutions will also be invited to volunteer to be included in the sample. Further information on the criteria for selection and the evidence used to identify institutions for inclusion in the sample will be shared in due course.

A sampling approach will be used for this thematic review. The sampling method is being developed; however, it is anticipated that the sample will be identified both as a result of the desk-based activity as well as through a call for volunteers to be included. Final consideration of the sample size will be taken in due course. It is important to note that an institution’s inclusion in the thematic review does not mean that a concern or risk is evident. Consideration will be given to the TQER cycle when selecting institutions for inclusion in the sample.

The approach to selecting the institutions is being developed, however it is anticipated to be a mix of institutions identified through the desk-based review and those that volunteer.

Consideration will be given to where institutions are in the TQER cycle and inclusion in the sample will not be an indicator of a specific concern. The aim is to gain assurance across the range of institutions in the sector.

No, the lines of enquiry will be tailored to each institution, based on the findings from the desk-based review and follow-up discussions with the institution to identify which are most applicable to the institution. This will also be informed by the size, scale, and shape of an institution’s provision.

We recognise that this may be an outcome of the review and if this does occur, SFC and QAA will consider the implications and agree on the most appropriate course of action which will be determined by the nature of the risks identified. This may include further consideration via the Scottish Quality Concerns Scheme or monitoring through the SFC Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model.

We are confident that this is a robust and proportionate approach to assuring national standards. All HEIs will be reviewed within the first stage of the review with a selection included in the sample for deep-dive reviews. Should QAA identify any significant concerns within any single HEI, the institution would be referred to the Scottish Quality Concerns Scheme. The design of the review will also afford opportunities to consider enhancing or reducing engagement or monitoring through the SFC Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model.

Guidance on this process is currently under development and will be shared with the sector in due course.

QAA will design a sampling methodology that includes criteria by which institutions are identified for inclusion in the sample. It is anticipated that the review will identify areas for enhancement as well as examples of best practice. An institution’s inclusion in the review sample is not indicative of a concern having been identified.

QAA is currently designing the sampling process and consideration will be given to the naming of institutions in due course. Transparency and openness in the context of our ‘no surprises’ culture will be a significant factor in that decision.

As previously noted, we anticipate that the review will identify areas for enhancement as well as examples of best practice. No judgements will be made as to whether an institution’s practice is effective or not effective at this stage.

No.

As previously noted, we anticipate that the review will identify areas for enhancement as well as examples of best practice. No judgements will be made as to whether an institution’s practice is effective or not effective at this stage.

This has, and will continue to be, made clear in public communications about the National Review.

SFC has previously made clear that we can be rightly proud of the reputation of Scotland’s tertiary sector and the quality of our learning, teaching and assessment. However, it is incumbent upon us all to act where risks or failures are identified to ensure that these are mitigated and managed appropriately to ensure continued confidence and that students’ interests are protected.

QAA will be designing the methodology for the review based on the Targeted Peer Review process and plan to collaborate and consult with the sector in developing the process and resources that institutions will need to support them. Guidance will be issued to support all stakeholders to understand the review process.

The thematic review will be a peer review process. QAA will recruit and train a pool of reviewers that will include staff and students from the sector. This will include reviewers who are in the existing Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review pool. Each institutional review will also have a QAA review manager.

The Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model (OFAM), of which the TQEF is part and which provides the assurance on the High Quality Learning and Teaching outcome, is designed in such a way for SFC to undertake periodic thematic reviews where a need or want is identified. This National Review is an example of that approach.

SFC has agreed with QAA, that this review will not displace any of their other activities. Additional resource is being provided to QAA to conduct this review process.

For institutions that have recently undergone TQER, the institution’s TQER report will feature as part of the desk-based review evidence.

If an institution that has recently undergone review through the TQER is included in the review sample, it indicates that they have met a number of the criteria for selection (those criteria are currently being developed). Selection for review does not mean that there is a concern about an institution’s awarding arrangements.

TQEF is an enhancement based approach which does not, by design, include a detailed assurance mechanism relating to the awarding of qualifications. SFC is exercising the provision within the Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model to undertake a thematic review which is designed to provide additional quality assurance that the systemic risks identified by the Targeted Peer Review of the University of Glasgow are not found more widely across the Scottish tertiary education sector.

A report of the outcomes of the review will be published, and a programme of enhancement activity will be developed to provide institutions with the opportunity to share lessons learned and good practice.

There may also be opportunities to use the outputs to inform existing or future Scottish Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP) projects and other enhancement activity.

While we recognise the importance of transparency in this process, further consideration will be given to the value of publishing the individual institutional reports versus the overarching review report. In particular, consideration will be given to the sampling approach (which means not all institutions will be included), that the lines of enquiry will differ across the sample and to the key themes that will be included in the final report.

Yes, we will continue to liaise with the TQSG as the Review progresses. This may be through a mix of correspondence and/or meetings.