RHEQF reviews and guides the providers which offers complete undergraduate and postgraduate programme in higher education sector in collaboration with UK and Overseas Universities. Providers need to be successful on the following quality themes after the successful inspection of RAQ.
1. Managing Academic Standards
This area is concerned with the security of threshold academic standards. It seeks to ensure that institutions:
- • position qualifications at the appropriate level of the relevant framework for higher education qualifications;
- • ensure that programme learning outcomes align with the relevant qualification descriptor in the relevant framework for higher education qualifications;
- • award qualifications which mark the achievement of positively defined programme learning outcomes.
This aspect also seeks to ensure that qualifications are awarded only where the achievement of relevant learning outcomes (module learning outcomes in the case of crediting achievement, and programme outcomes in the case of qualifications) has been demonstrated through assessment.
The institution is also expected to demonstrate that: academic (standards) management is separated from ownership; is regularly monitored, and embodies all appropriate external reference points.
A. Effective Management Structure and Academic Governance
A1 Academic management of the institution – Committees, Boards TR
A2 Owner’s greater attention to the oversight of institution’s academic progress
A3 Monitoring and review of programmes are implemented and academic standards are achieved
2. Managing the quality and enhancement of Students’ Learning Opportunities
This section evaluates the quality of learning opportunities that the institution provides. It covers a broad range of areas, each of which is evaluated. Areas of focus include:
Recruitment and admission of students; Learning and teaching;
Enabling student development and achievement; Student engagement;
Assessment; External examining; Programme review; Appeals and complaints;
Institutions are judged in each separate area as to whether they meet (or exceed) national standards, and the level of risk attached to maintaining the provision at an appropriate level.
- B1. Institutional process for programme design, development and approval
- B2. Principles of fair admission
- B3 Systematic review and enhancement of teaching and learning opportunities
- B4. Process to widen students’ academic and professional standards
- B5. Collective and individual students’ engagement in enhancement
- B6. Valid and reliable assessment process
- B7. Appointment of external examiners
3. Managing HEI Collaborative provision
The section seeks to ensure that a strategic approach to delivering learning opportunities with others is adopted. Appropriate levels of resources (including staff) are committed to the activities to ensure that the necessary oversight is sustained.
In addition to this, governance arrangements at appropriate levels must be in place for all learning opportunities which are not directly provided by the degree-awarding body. Arrangements for learning and pastoral/academic support are developed and then agreed with the awarding body.
The institution must have policies and procedures that ensure there are adequate safeguards against financial impropriety, or for conflicts of interest that might compromise academic standards and/or the quality of learning opportunities.
- C1 Appropriate levels of resources for the proposed provision
- C2 Financial sustainability and governance to meet the HEI Provision
- C3 Student’s employability and placements
- C4 Legal and regulatory capacity to grant academic awards jointly with other organisations
- C5 Capacity and capability to manage risk
- C6 Proportionate due diligence procedures in HEI collaborative provision