Quinquennial revalidation

Initially, the schedule for quinquennial revalidation of home programmes will be based on the existing periodic review schedule. However, there is flexibility to extend the timescale for re-validation of individual programmes, for a period of up to two years, if there is clear evidence that they meet University criteria for quality, student outcomes, and currency.

4.3 The quinquennial revalidation process therefore involves an initial desk-based assessment by the FAESC/QLIC quality sub-group, to determine whether a re-validation is needed for all the programmes within the subject group due for review, or whether the validation period can be extended for any or all of the programmes.

4.4 The quality sub-group will consider the following factors:

• How long ago the programme was first validated or most recently revalidated
• A summary of modifications made since the above date
• When the programme was last re-accredited by the relevant PSRB
• Student recruitment numbers
• NSS/PTES scores, or other measures of student satisfaction
• Graduate outcomes (attainment/employability)
• Externality (external examiner reports, PSRB monitoring, industrial liaison/advisory activity, alumni activity including mentoring/placement activity, etc)

4.5 The Faculty quality sub-group will be looking for consistently good performance in respect of these indicators, over the last 3-4 years. Many of these indicators are covered in the annual quality monitoring/annual review report; therefore, Programme Leads or Subject Coordinators wishing to request an extension to the current validation period should refer to their annual review reports for the last 3-4 years, and make a brief submission to the quality sub-group (using template T2.19), setting out their rationale for seeking exemption from the current revalidation exercise. The rationale should cover the indicators listed above, and highlight any of the programme team’s recent achievements which they believe provide evidence that the programme meets University and sector expectations for quality, currency and benefits for students (for example, using the UK Quality Code, the OfS sector recognised standards, and relevant PSRB standards as reference points). Advice on submissions may be sought from the Faculty ADESE or Head of QA & Validations.

4.6 If the Faculty quality sub-group considers that strong evidence regarding the quality of the academic experience has been provided, the revalidation schedule will be updated to reflect the programme/s exempted from the revalidation exercise and this will be reported to QLIC. Otherwise, the programme team will be asked to prepare for revalidation, following the new programme approval process described in the Quality & Standards Handbook.

4.7 For programmes delivered through partnership arrangements, the process of revalidation for continuation beyond the end of the current contractual period is dependent on LPAG approval of the renewal of the partnership arrangements, through the process set out in the Quality & Standards Handbook chapter on collaborative partnerships.

4.8 Revalidation should usually take place at least 15 months prior to the expiry of the current contract, since permission to recruit to collaborative programmes is suspended in the last year of the contract, pending a successful outcome of the approval process. This is so that no students may be recruited for a start date beyond the date of expiry of the current contract until a satisfactory revalidation has taken place, in order to allow time to change or terminate the partnership without prejudicing existing applicants. However, this may vary according to the frequency and timing of intakes for different partnership arrangements, so advice on the timing of the revalidation exercise should be sought from the Faculty’s link QAO.

4.9 A review should be undertaken where a collaborative arrangement is to be discontinued and where students will remain on the programme/s beyond the date of expiry of the current contract. This is in order to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to protect the academic standards of the provision, and the interests of the remaining students registered for the Brookes award/s, during the period leading up to final closure of the partnership. LPAG approval is not required, but should be notified of the Faculty’s intention not to renew a contract.