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Review for Educational Oversight: Union Theological College, Belfast

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Review for Educational Oversight: Union Theological College, Belfast Union Theological College Review for Educational Oversight by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education October 2012 Review for Educational Oversight: Union Theological College Key findings about Union Theological College As a result of its Review for Educational Oversight carried out in October 2012, the QAA review team (the team) considers that there can be confidence in how the Union Theological College manages its stated responsibilities for the standards of the awards it offers on behalf of Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland (PTFI) and Queen's University of Belfast. The team also considers that there can be confidence in how the provider manages its stated responsibilities for the quality and enhancement of the learning opportunities it offers on behalf of these awarding bodies. The team considers that reliance can be placed on the accuracy and completeness of the information that the provider is responsible for publishing about itself and the programmes it delivers. Good practice The team has identified the following good practice: the comprehensive academic and personal support provided for students (paragraph 2.6) Oversight: for Educational Review the effectiveness of the College Library Users Forum (paragraph 2.14). Recommendations The team has also identified a number of recommendations for the enhancement of the higher education provision. The team considers that it is advisable for the provider to: use external reference points when reviewing the PTFI Master of Ministry and Doctor of Ministry programmes (paragraph 1.6). The team considers that it would be desirable for the provider to: clarify the reporting relationship between the Faculty and the Curriculum Subcommittee of the College Management Committee (paragraph 1.2) formalise systems for identifying and disseminating good practice in learning and teaching (paragraph 1.9) link staff appraisal to peer observation of teaching within a staff development policy (paragraph 2.5) introduce an induction programme for new staff (paragraph 2.12) develop further the intranet to simplify navigation to resources for students (paragraph 3.3). 1 Review for Educational Oversight: Union Theological College About this report This report presents the findings of the Review for Educational Oversight1 (REO) conducted by QAA at Union Theological College (the provider; the College). The purpose of the review is to provide public information about how the provider discharges its stated responsibilities for the management and delivery of academic standards and the quality of learning opportunities available to students. The review applies to programmes of study that the provider delivers on behalf of Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland (PTFI) and Queen's University of Belfast. The review was carried out by Professor David Eastwood, Ms Ann Kettle and Ms Dorothy McElwee (reviewers), and Mrs Catherine Fairhurst (coordinator). The review team conducted the review in agreement with the provider and in accordance with the Review for Educational Oversight: Handbook.2 Evidence in support of the review included external examiners' reports, College Handbook, committee meetings' minutes, student evaluations, programme reviews, meetings with staff from the College, representatives of the awarding bodies and students. The review team also considered the provider's use of the relevant external reference points: the Academic Infrastructure Memorandum of Agreement between the College and Queen's University of Belfast. Oversight: for Educational Review Please note that if you are unfamiliar with any of the terms used in this report you can find them in the Glossary. Union Theological College (the College) was founded in the nineteenth century as the theological college of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The Church owns the College and provides the finance, information technology support, human resource and estate management functions. The College is a constituent college of Queen's University of Belfast (the University) Institute of Theology and is situated adjacent to the University campus. It delivers programmes which are validated and assessed by the University. There are six full-time and up to 15 part-time members of academic staff. The College professors constitute the Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland (PTFI), which has degree awarding powers in theology. These awards are conferred normally only on Presbyterian Church ordinands, who are also expected to enrol concurrently for a Queen's University of Belfast degree. There are currently 264 students enrolled on Queen's University of Belfast-validated programmes, including 63 on programmes leading to PTFI awards. At the time of the review, the provider offered the following higher education programmes, listed beneath their awarding bodies, with student numbers shown in brackets: Queen's University of Belfast Bachelor of Arts joint honours Theology with English, History, or Philosophy (48) Bachelor of Theology (78) Bachelor of Divinity (28) Graduate Diploma in Theology (11) Master of Divinity (9) Master of Theology (10) 1 www.qaa.ac.uk/InstitutionReports/types-of-review/tier-4. 2 www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/informationandguidance/pages/reo-handbook.aspx. 2 Review for Educational Oversight: Union Theological College Master/Doctor of Philosophy (17) Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland (PTFI) Bachelor of Divinity (3) Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Youth Ministry (10) Postgraduate Diploma in Ministry (44) Master/Doctor of Ministry (MMin, DMin) (6) The provider's stated responsibilities The College's responsibilities vary according to the awarding body. For university-validated awards, it shares with the University responsibilities for academic standards, assessment, learning resources, programme design and development, public information and student support. The College is responsible for staff development and teaching and learning. For the PTFI awards, the College is responsible for academic standards, assessment including external examiners' appointment, learning resources, programme design, development and review, placement arrangements, public information, quality processes, staff development, student support and teaching. The College has no responsibility for student admissions for either awarding body. Recent developments Oversight: for Educational Review Recent developments of programmes include the graduate awards in youth ministry. Admissions to the degrees of MMin and DMin have been suspended since 2011 in anticipation of a complete review in 2012-13. Student support was strengthened by the introduction of a student mentoring scheme in 2011. A recent building programme has been completed. This includes new common room facilities for students, additional seminar room and office space, and study facilities for postgraduate students. Students' contribution to the review Students studying on higher education programmes at the provider were invited to present a submission to the review team. The student submission was coordinated and drafted by the President of the Ministry Students Council and informed by student meetings, a focus group and evaluations from students' review. The College provided guidance, support and access to documentation. The team found the student submission informative and explored its content in meetings with students both at the preparatory meeting and during the visit to gain a clear picture of the student learning experience. 3 Review for Educational Oversight: Union Theological College Detailed findings about Union Theological College 1 Academic standards How effectively does the provider fulfil its responsibilities for the management of academic standards? 1.1 The College fulfils its responsibilities for the management of academic standards effectively. It delivers programmes as a constituent college of Queen's University of Belfast Institute of Theology, covered by the Memorandum of Agreement, and the responsibilities are clearly understood by the College staff. The professors of the College (the Faculty) constitute the Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland (PTFI), which separately has degree awarding powers and provides ministerial training programmes for ordinands of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. 1.2 The College Management Committee is appointed by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The Principal has executive responsibility under this committee for the management of all aspects of the College. The Curriculum Subcommittee of the College Management Committee oversees academic standards together with the Faculty. The connection between the Faculty and the Curriculum Subcommittee, and their respective responsibilities with regard to the management of the standards, is not clear. It is desirable for the College to clarify the reporting relationship between the Faculty and the Oversight: for Educational Review Curriculum Subcommittee. 1.3 The regulation and quality assurance processes of the PTFI awards are modelled on those of Queen's University of Belfast; for example, following recent changes to pathway regulations of the University's programmes to ensure more explicit progression between levels, similar changes have been made to pathways in the PTFI degree programmes. Students met by the team were aware of intended learning outcomes and progression between levels. 1.4 The College has recently reviewed the management of the academic standards of its PTFI programmes. As a result, the PTFI now meets frequently to consider matters such as
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