Following approval for the introduction of each collaborative programme a Joint Board of Studies should be established between the collaborating partners to oversee the programme. The Joint Board of Studies should meet at least once, but preferably twice, a year.
The Joint Board of Studies will normally consist of members of teaching, supervisory and possibly administrative staff from Swansea University and the collaborating partners. The main function of a Joint Board of Studies is to monitor the academic and administrative progress of the programme. Its terms of reference and duties will be:
- to ensure that the quality assurance standards of the awarding institution are maintained and that appropriate quality assurance mechanisms are implemented;
- to consider the outcomes of the module review, programme monitoring and student feedback processes on an annual basis;
- to approve amendments to the structure/syllabus/assessment of the programme and to refer such modifications to the home Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee;
- to receive information regarding changes in programme staffing, teaching resources, physical and technical resources etc. and make any recommendations to the bodies detailed below as a result of such changes;
- to receive and consider reports concerning the development of the programme in question, which shall include statistical information on assessment, progression and completion as appropriate;
- to make nominations for the appointment of External Examiners and to receive External Examiners’ reports;
- to consider such matters as may from time to time be referred to the Joint Board of Studies by either the Director of Academic Services, the Academic Regulations and Cases Board or the associated equivalent bodies of the partner institutions or any associated professional or accreditation bodies.
A collaborative partnership is usually reviewed in the penultimate year of the contractual period. The nature and extent of the review will depend on the nature of the collaboration and Academic Quality Services will take a risk-based approach to decide the extent of the review. At the limited end, it would involve a small panel consisting of a Chair and cross-representation from the Collaborative Partnerships Board and the Programme Approval Committee reviewing the following documentation, as a minimum requirement:
- Current MoA;
- Any advanced notification of changes to the MoA (if it is to be renewed);
- Boards of Studies minutes (three years of minutes);
- Module specifications;
- Student feedback;
- Annual Reports;
- Consortium reports/minutes (if appropriate);
- Programme Handbook;
- Financial reports.
At the extensive end, in addition to the above documentation, a site visit by the Panel to the collaborative partner might be necessary.
The review is organised by Academic Quality Services with input from the relevant Faculty/School and the Academic Partnerships Department and/or the International Development Office, as appropriate.
