University Academic Quality and Standards Committee
Shortcuts: Purpose | Terms of Reference | Membership | Quorum | Mode of operation | Meeting dates | Record of business
The University Academic Quality and Standards Committee (AQSC) is a sub-committee of the University Education Committee.
Purpose
a) Oversee the framework for the quality and standards of education provision (undergraduate, taught postgraduate and research postgraduate programmes) and the student academic experience at the University;
b) Oversee and ensure appropriate action is taken in response to identified quality matters at the relevant level (institution, faculty, school, programme), particularly where there is evidence of risk to quality and standards;
c) Oversee and respond to the requirements of external quality assurance bodies, such as the Office for Students, the Quality Assurance Agency, and Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies;
d) Provide academic scrutiny of proposals for new and the review (where needed) of existing programmes and for new and renewing educational collaborative partnerships;
e) Be responsible for the maintenance of education regulations, policies and codes of practice;
f) Promote and report upon good practice and innovation
Terms of reference
The Committee has delegated authority from University Education Committee (UEC) for decision-making on the matters within its remit, except where:
• the Committee believes that a decision would benefit from a broader discussion at UEC (in which case it will provide a summary of the matter with a recommendation);
• a decision is required that has significant implications to the University’s education provision and/or the student academic experience;
• otherwise stated in a specific term of reference.
Oversight of the Quality Framework
1. To govern and oversee the effectiveness of the University’s Quality Framework for assuring educational provision at the University, taking account of both the internal and external context, ensuring that it takes proper account of the views of students, external examiners, external quality bodies and members of staff.
2. To ensure that the individual components are integrated and combined to form a cohesive Framework.
3. To set the agenda for review and identify specific priorities and themes to be reviewed by the University Quality Team on an annual basis, in liaison with the University PGR Committee for those relevant to research postgraduate programmes and students.
Operation of and outcomes arising from the Quality Framework
4. To review the (individual and summary) outcomes from the University’s quality framework, ensuring that the quality and standards of education provision and the student learning experience are being upheld and relevant concerns or imperatives are being satisfactorily addressed by:
i. Identifying any institutional-level quality matters and ensuring that these are resolved;
ii. Overseeing school and programme education action plans as mechanisms for improvement;
iii. Being assured that appropriate action is taken in response to identified issues or concerns by faculties, schools and programmes; and requiring timely action where a significant risk to quality and standards is identified.
5. To oversee the submission of the annual report to the Board of Trustees on quality and standards.
6. To respond to any issues identified from a review of institutional level data and information on key quality measures, which includes scrutiny of degree classification ratios.
7. To receive and consider oversight reports from examination boards (the Research Degrees Examination Board and taught Examination Boards) so as to be assured of the quality of the awards being made by the University and, for taught degrees, to contribute to the scrutiny of degree classification ratios.
External quality assurance bodies and requirements
8. To oversee preparations for institution-level quality reviews (e.g. by the QAA) and on specified conditions for the University’s ongoing registration as a provider with the Office for Students.
9. To ensure alignment between the University’s requirements for quality and standards and all relevant external reference points, including the UK Quality Code.
10. To respond to external imperatives and relevant consultations as they relate to the quality and standards of education provision.
Approval of programmes and partnerships
11. To scrutinise proposals and make recommendations for approval to University Education Committee for establishing new programmes of study or new areas of provision and significant changes to existing programmes.
12. To oversee the review (where applicable) and re-accreditation of existing programmes.
13. To oversee the implementation and effectiveness of teaching-out plans for programmes that are being withdrawn.
14. To scrutinise proposals and make recommendations for approval to University Education Committee for establishing new and renewing educational collaborative partnerships, and to oversee existing partnerships.
Regulatory framework
15. To develop discrete education regulations or policies where a substantial issue relating to academic standards has been raised and/or there is a significant risk of non-compliance (note: currently delegated to Codes Executive Group).
16. To scrutinise and agree new and significant revisions to education regulations, codes of practice, and policies that govern the University’s academic provision and the student academic experience.
Academic integrity
17. To oversee the implementation, development and maintenance of a developmental approach to academic integrity at the University, including dealing with allegations of academic misconduct.
18. To monitor institutional level data and information regarding academic misconduct across the University and intervene where appropriate.
Identify issues and good practice
19. To highlight, report and refer any arising issues and areas of good practice with regards to academic standards and, more widely, learning, teaching and assessment.
Membership
The membership of the Committee for 2024-25 is as follows:
| Job title | Name |
|---|---|
| Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education Quality and Standards) (Chair) | Professor Kate Whittington |
| Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (PGR) or nominee | Dr Angeliki Papadaki (nominee) |
| Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) or nominee | Dr Mark Allinson |
| University Education Director (Quality) | Professor Catherine Hindson |
| University Education Director (Quality) | Professor Helen Heath |
| University Education Director (Quality) | Professor David Dymock |
| Director of Academic Quality and Policy or nominee | Mike White (nominee) |
| Faculty Education Director representatives |
Dr Peter Brennan (UG) Dr Jo Rose (PGT) |
| Faculty Head of Student Administration (representing the FHSAs) | Emma Curran |
| Bristol SU Sabbatical Officers |
Mia Stevens (UG) Gurvin Chopra (PG) |
| SQR representative |
Sophie Osbourne |
| Representative from AQPO [Adviser to the Committee] | Chris Walker |
If a member of AQSC is representing a group (the FEDs, FHSAs or AQPO) or is an Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor or their nominee and is unable to attend a meeting of the Committee, another representative will normally attend on their behalf.
Quorum
The Chair (or nominee) and at least five other staff members of the Committee to include two UEDs.
Established subgroups
Mode of Operation
1. The Committee will normally meet seven times a year.
2. The Committee will normally report to University Education Committee following each meeting.
3. The Committee’s annual schedule of business will be identified at the start of each academic year. Additional items of work are subject to annual negotiation with the Chair of the University Education Committee.
4. Chair’s powers may be utilised between meetings of the Committee to address exceptional circumstances. Any action undertaken through Chair’s powers will be reported to the next meeting of the Committee.
Meeting dates
University Academic Quality and Standards Committee reports to University Education Committee so the meetings are scheduled to enable this.
| Paper deadlines | Meeting dates | Reports to University Education Committee (UEC date) |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 28 August 2024 | Thursday 5 September 2024 | Wednesday 25 September 2024 |
| Tuesday 22 October 2024 | Thursday 31 October 2024 | Wednesday 4 December 2024 |
| Tuesday 26 November 2024 | Thursday 5 December 2024 | Wednesday 22 January 2025 |
| Tuesday 21 January 2025 | Thursday 30 January 2025 | Wednesday 5 March 2025 |
| Tuesday 25 February 2025 | Thursday 6 March 2025 | Wednesday 2 April 2025 |
| Tuesday 1 April 2025 | Thursday 10 April 2025 | Wednesday 7 May 2025 |
| Tuesday 13 May 2025 |
Thursday 22 May 2025 |
Wednesday 4 June 2025 |
| Paper deadlines | Meeting dates | Reports to University Education Committee (UEC date) |
|---|---|---|
|
Wednesday 27 August 2025 |
Thursday 4 September 2025 |
Wednesday 24 September 2025 |
|
Tuesday 21 October 2025 |
Thursday 30 October 2025 |
Wednesday 3 December 2025 |
|
Tuesday 25 November 2025 |
Thursday 4 December 2025 |
Wednesday 21 January 2026 |
|
Tuesday 20 January 2026 |
Thursday 29 January 2026 |
Wednesday 4 March 2026 |
|
Tuesday 10 March 2026 |
Thursday 19 March 2026 |
Wednesday 15 April 2026 |
|
Tuesday 14 April 2026 |
Thursday 23 April 2026 |
Wednesday 13 May 2026 |
|
Tuesday 12 May 2026 |
Thursday 21 May 2026 |
Wednesday 10 June 2026 |
Record of business
Summary reports from University Academic Quality and Standards Committee are available for download (UoB only).