Collaborative Provision Information

2008/09 1. Introduction

The purpose of this document is to advise collaborative partners of where they can find information on the University’s policies and procedures with regards to collaborative activity and to provide a contact list and sources of help at the University should further assistance by required.

2. Collaborative Activity

The University has a long established and extensive network of collaborative partners. This has succeeded in making higher education accessible to students in many localities, thereby benefiting local communities and industries as well as developing the potential of the individuals concerned. It has also given confidence to many students from non-traditional backgrounds to take the first steps towards higher education. Overseas, it has helped to attract students from many different cultures thereby enriching the learning experience for all students.

For further information on the University’s collaborative activities please refer to Section C1 of the Academic Handbook.

3. Forms of Collaboration

The University recognises two categories of collaborative provision. These are collaboration for the delivery of University awards and collaboration other than for award delivery.

University awards are delivered via partnership awards. These awards are devised by the University, either for itself or in partnership with another institution. They are validated, operated, monitored and reviewed through Faculty Quality Assurance Committees (FQAC) and programme, subject and award board structures. They include franchise activities, partnership developments, direct delivery arrangements and shared ownership awards.

2 The University anticipates that collaboration other than for award delivery is likely to increase in the future. Examples of these forms of collaboration include joint research projects, advanced standing arrangements and operational or strategic alliances.

For detailed definitions of the forms of collaboration please refer to Section C2 of the Academic Handbook.

4. Types of Collaborative Partner

The University recognises several different kinds of partnership. These range from nationally funded educational establishments to private colleges and non-educational organisations and agencies.

Partnerships with further education colleges are the means whereby the University’s awards are delivered at local level, primarily across Wales. Recognised partner colleges have access to staff development activities, teaching and learning initiatives, marketing opportunities and specialist advice. The University has two categories of further education partnerships; Partner College and Accredited College. All further education colleges are initially categorised as a partner college but they can apply for accredited college status subject to set criteria.

The University may enter into partnership with institutions of higher education of equal standing. This could be for the purposes of research and consultancy or development of jointly-owned awards.

The University also has a range of partnerships with educational institutions whereby it recognises their students for entry to an identified programme with advanced standing, and non-educational partnerships may also be considered by the University.

For detailed definitions of the types of collaborative partner and information on the level of award that partners may deliver please refer to Section C3 of the Academic Handbook.

3 5. Institutional Approval

A proposed collaborative partner is required to have achieved institutional approval before any collaborative arrangement over the development or delivery of awards is agreed. Institutional approval is normally granted for five years, after which a full institutional review is held.

The process for institutional approval is distinct from the approval of any partnership award, direct delivery arrangement, advanced standing agreement or other specific collaborative activity. For full details of the responsibilities and process of institutional approval please refer to Section C4 of the Academic Handbook.

6. Approval and Management of Collaborative Awards

The University’s policy is to apply the same quality assurance procedures to collaborative awards as to on-campus awards. This ensures that that all provision is treated equally, as far as possible, and the quality and standard of all awards are comparable.

For full details of the responsibilities and process of the approval and management of collaborative awards please refer to Section C5 (and Sections A2 & A3) of the Academic Handbook.

7. Approval and Re-Approval of Collaborative Arrangements

The University’s network of partner institutions is extensive, with many different types of status within that network. The different status applied to the partnership reflects, among other things, the maturity of the relationship and the level and range of awards offered by the partner.

Detailed criteria for the approval and re-approval of collaborative arrangements can be found in Section C6 of the Academic Handbook.

8. Recognised Teacher Status

4 All staff in partner FE colleges and private institutions that teach on University approved programmes within those institutions must become recognised teachers of the University in respect of those subjects and modules which they deliver.

Full details of the RTS scheme including the criteria and application process can be found in Section C7 of the Academic Handbook.

9. Partnership Liaison Officers

Each faculty has a member of staff appointed as its Partnership Liaison Officer. Their task is to act as a link person between the University and partners, and to oversee the operation of partnerships. For most types of partnership, their role will include the following activities: - organise planning meetings before the academic year begins, or before a new partnership arrangement starts - visit each partner twice a year, or other appropriate interval - prepare colleagues at partner colleges for participation in Field and Award Examination Boards - monitor and respond to the staff development needs of colleagues at partner colleges - resolve problems and be aware of other sources of help - ensure that an up-to-date list of contact details is exchanged between the University and partner - understand the roles of all colleagues involved in delivering the provision - advise on changes made to the regulations for taught awards - ensure that colleagues at partner colleges understand the annual monitoring procedures and timescales and, if necessary, provide help with the documentation - evaluate module feedback questionnaires with colleagues from partner colleges - provide feedback to partners from activities such as the annual monitoring exercise

For contact details of each partnership liaison officer please refer to page 9.

5 10. Teaching Materials

Previous experience has shown that the level of teaching materials provided to partner colleges varies across modules. While some colleagues provide all notes/handouts etc. other colleagues view their teaching notes as their own property and can be reluctant to provide them to partner colleges. As such, it is expected that the University will provide the following for each module:

- module specification (as validated or updated) - teaching plan/scheme of work - updated reading list - course work/assignment examples, case studies and tutorial sheets - assessment deadlines - assessment criteria

For further details and to discuss the provision of teaching materials please contact the appropriate partnership liaison officer in the first instance.

11. Blackboard

The University has installed Blackboard to allow students to access their course materials at any time via the internet. Blackboard also allows students to hold on-line discussions and tutorials, review their progress, request help from tutors and extract information from the University’s electronic library system.

For further information on accessing and using Blackboard please refer to the on-line guide at http://bbguide.glam.ac.uk/ and the frequently asked questions below:

What is Blackboard? Blackboard is an example of a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment). A VLE is a piece of Computer Software that supports electronic or on-line learning.

6 What is Blackboard used for? Blackboard provides a method of hosting University modules online. It provides users with easy access to materials, communication tools, such as e-mail, discussions forums and chat/whiteboard systems and also on-line assessments.

Who is it for? Lecturers mainly, but a number of support areas have found Blackboard useful e.g. Student Services have set up a Blackboard area.

Who can have access? Anyone who has a valid reason for using it.

How do you request access? Staff should be able to access Blackboard using their UNI username and password. If you're not able to log in and have already registered at http://ssaa.glam.ac.uk then please contact the LCSS Customer Services (tel: 2882 / e-mail: [email protected]).

12. Assessment

The University recognises its responsibility to ensure the equitable treatment of all its students in assessment and to protect the standards of its awards across the range of its provision. To this end, it maintains a comprehensive assessment regime directed towards the fair and just assessment of students’ performance against defined, published and externally endorsed criteria.

For further details of the University’s assessment policy and management of assessments please refer to Sections B.2.5, B.2.6, B.2.7 and B.2.8

13. External Examiners

Consultation with independent external specialists is an essential element of the University’s management of standards and quality. External

7 consultants support the programme approval process, while external examiners oversee programmes in approval. Such external scrutiny:

- assures national comparable standards for the awards - captures evidence on the standards and quality of the awards on a frequent basis - provides the opportunity to reflect on practice and improve the learning experience for students

For full details of the responsibilities and process of appointment of external examiners please refer to Section A9 of the Academic Handbook.

14. Publicity Material

The University requires that all advertising and publicity material produced by collaborative partners must adhere to University guidelines and therefore all promotional materials should only be printed (or published electronically) once signed off by the University in the first instance. Any subsequent changes to these materials (after the initial sign off) must also be cleared by the University. Following receipt of promotional materials for consideration, the University will respond to the partner within agreed timescales.

An alternative arrangement has been agreed for the University’s Welsh Further Education partner colleges. On condition that the colleges use the University’s agreed logo and accompanying description (appropriate to their collaborative status) in their publicity materials, they do not have to gain the University’s approval prior to publication. Agreed text that clearly states the nature of the relationship between the University and college must also be used in all instances.

If a collaborative partner wishes to discuss any promotional activities they should contact the Marketing & Student Recruitment Department in the first instance.

15. Staff Development

8 The University will seek to support the development requirements identified under the RTS scheme where possible and offer tuition fee abatement1 to partner college staff who undertake a University course. Additionally, the University’s staff development programme of in-house activities is open to partner college staff.

For further information please contact the Human Resources department in the first instance.

16. Contact List and Sources of Help

For help on Contact Details Annual Monitoring Hayley Burns 01443 482725 Head of Quality, [email protected] Academic Registry

Awards Congregations Morwenna Holdsworth 01443 482906 Awards Officer, Academic [email protected] Registry

Collaborative Committee Chair: Julie Lydon 01443 482551 PVC Academic [email protected] Development 01443 482910 Secretary: Gareth Beach [email protected] Senior Administrator, Collaborative Office

Contracts/Memorandum Gareth Beach 01443 482910 Of Understanding Senior Administrator, [email protected] Collaborative Office

Anne Pepper 01443 482012 Administrator, [email protected] Collaborative Office

Examination procedures Jean Pritchard 01443 482015 and timetables Examinations Officer, [email protected] Academic Registry

External Examiners Samantha Green 01443 484225 Administrator, Academic [email protected] Registry

1 Subject to meeting the criteria of the fee abatement policy

9 Learning support, Jeremy Atkinson 01443 482600 including library and Director, Learning & [email protected] learning resources, e- Corporate Support learning support, Services Blackboard etc. 01443 482632 Steve Morgan [email protected] Head of Learning Resources 01443 482441 [email protected] Alan Davies Head of Information Systems

Marketing, promoting Ioan Evans 01443 482886 programmes, student Deputy Director, M&SR [email protected] recruitment

Quality assurance Hayley Burns 01443 482725 procedures and policy Head of Quality, [email protected] Academic Registry

Regulations Hayley Burns 01443 482725 Head of Quality, [email protected] Academic Registry

Staff development needs Rob Baker 01443 482655 or activities Deputy Director, HR [email protected]

Student Admissions Ioan Evans 01443 482886 Deputy Director, M&SR [email protected]

Student Appeals, Hayley Burns 01443 482725 Complaints, Disciplinary Head of Quality, [email protected] Procedures and Academic Registry Assessment Infringements

Student Enrolment Hywel Nash 01443 482016 Student Logistics [email protected] Manager, Academic Registry

Student Finance (loans, Dave Smith 01443 482675 debt counselling etc) Student Money, [email protected] International Support, and Student Communication Services Manager

Student Careers Guidance Euros Evans 01443 482387 Careers Centre Manager [email protected]

Student Counselling Ros Morton 01443 482082 Student Counselling [email protected] Manager

10 Submitting a RTS Anne Pepper 01443 482012 application Administrator, [email protected] Collaborative Office

University’s Calendar Stephanie Williams 01443 482017 Senior Administrator, [email protected] Academic Registry

Faculty Partnership Liaison Officers2 Advanced Technology Dawn Story 01443 482723 Collaborative Manager [email protected]

Geoff Evans 01443 482596 [email protected]

Mike Thomas 01443 482221 [email protected]

John Egan 01443 482535 [email protected]

Creative and Cultural Robert Hamer 01443 668682 Industries Collaborative Manager [email protected]

Ben Challis 01443 484170 [email protected]

Glamorgan Business Arthur Morgan 01443 482939 School Collaborative Manager [email protected]

Scott Parfitt (Franchise 01443 482938 Quality Support Officer: [email protected] FD/HND/C Business Admin and BAMB

Health, Sport and Science Drewe Phillips 01443 483098 Collaborative Manager [email protected]

Dr Chris Lee (Sport 01443 482469 Science) [email protected]

01443 482454 Dr P G (Wilf) Hall [email protected]

01443 482108 Nicola Rossiter (Admin [email protected] queries)

Humanities and Social Cath Jones 01443 483415 Sciences Collaborative Manager [email protected]

2 Some faculties use a variation of this title.

11 Alan Jones 01443 482308 [email protected]

Sarah Whitfield (for 01443 482581 administrative queries) [email protected]