QAA Higher Education Review

QAA Higher Education Review

In November 2014 the College was be visited by a Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) team who reviewed our Higher Education provision (Foundation Degrees, Degrees, HNC/D and Teacher Training qualifications).

The QAA review team formed the following judgements about the higher education provision at Salford City College.

  • The maintenance of the academic standards of awards meets UK expectations.
  • The quality of student learning opportunities is meets UK expectations.
  • The quality of the information produced about its provision is meets UK expectations.
  • The enhancement of student learning opportunities is meets UK expectations.

The QAA review team identified the following features of good practice at Salford City College.

  • The development of a well considered portfolio of programmes which reflects local employment needs and supports widening participation (Expectation B1).
  • The involvement of students in the interview and appointment of teaching staff (Expectation B5).
  • The systematic process for responding to external examiners’ reports, addressing issues raised, and drawing out good practice (Expectation B7).
  • The robust annual process for the monitoring and evaluation of programmes and the comprehensive self-evaluation report and action plan (Expectation B8).

The QAA review team makes the following recommendations to Salford City College.

By June 2015:

  • to increase the involvement of students in the formal quality assurance and enhancement processes (Expectation B5, Enhancement)
  • to draw together the various improvement activities to provide a more strategic and targeted approach to enhancement (Enhancement).

The QAA review team affirms the following actions that Salford City College is already taking to make academic standards secure and/or improve the educational provision offered to its students.

  • The actions being taken to support and enhance students’ progression which assist in improving retention and achievement (Expectation B4).
  • The steps being taken to further develop a specific higher education learning and teaching culture (Expectation B3).
  • The plans in place to develop a strategy for work placement learning and employer engagement (Expectation B10).

The full report is available on the QAA website. The College has produced an action plan in response to the review findings which has been posted in the download section