About the University

Oxford Brookes University is one of the top-performing modern universities – it is ranked No.1 for both teaching and research in the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2018, and is the UK’s only university in the QS Top 50 Under 50 Ranking for 2019.

Brookes has around 18,000 students studying on a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, many of which carry professional accreditation. Many other students are registered on programmes of study leading to Brookes awards through collaborations with partners in the UK and around the world.

The University is based on several campuses in and around Oxford. The largest campus is in Headington, just outside the city centre. Other campuses are at Wheatley, Marston Road, Harcourt Hill, and in Swindon. See the campuses and facilities pages on the University website for details of the location of the different sites.

“Oxford Brookes University is committed to leading the intellectual, social and economic development of the communities it serves through teaching, research and creativity that achieve the highest standards.”

The key priority areas for Oxford Brookes University’s 2020 Strategy are:

• delivery of an outstanding student experience
• the further development of world-class research
• making a positive commitment to our wider community
• creating sector-leading, high quality services for the future

The key strategy relating to the achievement of the first of these objectives is the Strategy for Enhancing the Student Experience, or SESE, which is supported by a programme of enhancement projects. Links to web pages with further information about the SESE and PESE are given in the ‘Useful Links’ section (10) below.

Read more about the 2020 strategy, and our guiding principles

The University has a broad portfolio of academic and professionally-accredited programmes, delivered by Departments and Schools organised within four Faculties, as follows:

Oxford Brookes Business School

• Nick Walton - Director of Undergraduate Studies
• Dr Nicolette Michels - Director of Postgraduate Studies

Faculty of Health & Life Sciences

• Dr Helen Packer - Biological & Medical Sciences
• Mary Malone and Sarah Snow - Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery
• Maxine Fletcher - Psychology, Health & Professional Development
• Dr Carolyn Mason - Sport, Health Sciences & Social Work

Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences

• Prof. Simon Kovesi - English & Modern Languages
• Prof. Joanne Begiato - History, Philosophy & Religion
• Dr Abbey Halcli = Social Sciences
• Prof. Mary Wild - School of Education
• Mark O’Brien - School of Law
• Prof. Keith Moultrie - Institute of Public Care

Faculty of Technology, Design & Environment

• Matt Gaskin - School of Architecture
• Dr Paul Whitty - School of Arts
• Gordana Collier - School of Engineering, Computing & Mathematics
• Prof. Ramin Keivani - School of Built Environment

You can find out more about each subject area and the programmes they deliver by visiting the Faculty and Department web pages

Directorates

The academic Faculties are supported by a range of professional support services, organised into what we call ‘Directorates’, as follows:

• Academic & Student Administration (incorporating Strategic Change & Planning)
• Estates & Campus Services
• Finance & Legal Services
• Human Resources
• IT Services
• Learning Resources
• Marketing & Communications

An A-Z list of all the teams within these Directorates, with links to their web pages.

The University also works with a range of partner organisations in the UK and overseas to deliver programmes leading to Brookes awards, and you may be appointed to examine on one of these programmes. A list of these programmes can be found on our register of collaborative arrangements

QLIC is the University’s senior quality committee, with authority for decision-making delegated by the Academic Board. It is responsible for maintaining an overview of the appointment of external examiners and of the issues raised in their reports, including those appointed to the University’s collaborative arrangements.

Faculty quality committees are responsible for ensuring that Programme Leads (and Programme Managers at partner organisations, supported by Brookes Liaison Managers) provide timely and satisfactory responses to external examiners’ reports. QLIC’s ‘sister’ committee, the Teaching & Learning Enhancement Committee, also reports directly to Academic Board, and oversees activities to enhance the student experience across the University.

Examination committees make recommendations to the Academic Board on progression and awards. Every programme of study leading to a University award will be overseen by an examination committee and the Programme Lead for the awards you examine will be able to provide you with further details of when it meets and how it operates. See also the Useful Links section (10) below for links to the University Regulations relating to examination committees.

For courses within the Undergraduate Modular Programme (UMP), there is a two-tier structure with Subject Examination Committees (SEC) operating at Faculty level and making recommendations for awards which are checked and verified by a university-wide committee: the Undergraduate Confirmation Forum (UCF – previously knowns as the MEC).

The SECs, which include subject external examiners, meet at the end of each semester (see Useful Links below). They are responsible for the assessment of a defined set of modules and programmes and for making recommendations on progression and awards to students within their subject fields.

The Undergraduate Confirmation Forum also meets after the end of each semester and receives the recommendations from the SECs. It meets in two sessions: firstly, to consider recommendations for the progression of continuing students, and secondly to consider and confirm awards for graduating students.

The Regulations provide a framework for teaching and assessment at Oxford Brookes. It is a comprehensive publication covering the academic regulations, policies and procedures governing all the University’s provision, aimed at staff and students, and can be found on our University Regulations page