Student Guide for QAA Reviews in Wales
Publication date: 15 Feb 2022
In Wales, we work closely with higher education providers and a range of other organisations - such as the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and Universities Wales - to support and review the management of academic standards and quality.
Our Wales Strategic Advisory Committee is chaired by a member of our Board from the university sector in Wales.
The Committee provides strategic advice to our work and ensures that the Board is kept aware of specific matters of relevance in Wales.
Review Activity
Quality Enhancement Review
Quality Enhancement Review is our method for reviewing higher education providers in Wales. It combines quality assurance and quality enhancement, involves students and can be adapted to suit the scale and nature of particular universities and colleges.
Gateway Quality Review
Gateway Quality Review: Wales allows a higher education provider to demonstrate its compliance with the baseline quality requirements for higher education in Wales.
Student guide for QAA reviews in Wales
Students play a critical role in our quality assessment of higher education. We have therefore produced the following guide to provide an overview of student engagement in a review and help students and providers plan their preparation for review. It has been designed to maintain relevance if a review method is varied and should be read in conjunction with the relevant Review Handbook.
Thematic analysis
QAA produces case studies from commendations identified in Quality Enhancement Reviews to promote good practice across the sector.
Quality Enhancement Review Case Study: On-Campus Research Internships - the Cardiff Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme
Publication date: 08 Jun 2022
Quality Enhancement Review Case Study: Programme and Portfolio Management at Swansea University
Publication date: 08 Jun 2022
The Wales Quality Network (WQN) also regularly hosts presentations on commendations from the QER and other good practice across the sector in Wales and more widely. Resources from the WQN are available on our Membership Resources Site.
Wales Quality Network resources
Enhancement
HEFCW HEIR: Collaborative Programmes Wales Project - Guidance Resource Pack
The Collaborative Programmes Wales project was funded by the HEFCW Higher Education Investment and Recovery Fund. The project was led by Swansea University on behalf of the Universities Wales Learning and Teaching Network. The resource pack is designed to support anyone interested in exploring collaborative provision and may be used to enhance quality processes in this area. These resources are advice and guidance developed in collaboration with the sector and do not form part of the regulatory framework in Wales.
Welsh Language Commitment
We work by the principle that in our work in Wales, we will treat the English and Welsh languages as equal and meet the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 as it applies to us.
Welsh Compliance Notice
Publication date: 18 Feb 2020
Annual Report for 2020-21 on QAA's engagement with the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011
Publication date: 24 Jan 2022
Examining and Assessing in Welsh
We have provided guidance for higher education providers in Wales, that outlines principles and practices which apply whenever delivery and/or assessment takes place through the medium of Welsh within Wales.
Guidelines for Higher Education Providers on Effective Practice in Examining and Assessing in Welsh within Wales
Publication date: 18 Sep 2019
Working with Students
Information for students about QAA's reviews in Wales, and how they can get involved in the review process, is being developed in association with NUS Wales and students.
Student membership of review teams
Each of our review teams in Wales includes a student member, as part of our approach to engage students in quality assurance and enhancement of their own higher education.
Wise Wales
Wise Wales is a defining feature of further and higher education in Wales, and its aim is to ensure that Wales remains at the forefront of student engagement. Led by NUS Wales, Wise Wales is a joint initiative supported by HEFCW, QAA, Higher Education Academy (HEA), Universities Wales and Colleges Wales.
Qualifications Wales
Qualifications Wales regulates non-degree qualifications and the qualifications system in Wales. QAA is responsible for the regulatory framework through which Access to HE courses are regulated and recognised. The Access to HE Diploma is a level 3 qualification that offers adults with few or no qualifications the chance to progress to higher education. The MoU sets out the respective responsibilities for both parties with regard to this qualification offered in Wales.
Memorandum of Understanding between QAA and Qualifications Wales
Publication date: 22 Oct 2018
Contact us
For further information about our work in Wales, please complete our enquiry form to contact the team responsible for this area of work.