Quality Enhancement Review

We provide external quality assurance that is valued and respected, providing assurance to governing bodies, institutional partners, staff, students and graduates, as well as to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and the wider public. Our approach is enhancement-led and responsive to the context of each institution, and we ensure that it continues to meet the Quality Assurance Framework in Wales and HEFCW’s requirements.

Responding and reporting to Wales

Our review work in Wales is commissioned under a Framework Agreement for External Quality Assurance with higher education providers. We report on our work through Universities Wales and individual providers to our members, covering areas such as events, liaison and review activity.

Through the thematic and analytical reporting of Quality Enhancement Reviews, we seek to identify shared challenges and strengths, providing insight into best practice across the Welsh sector. We will be sharing chapters from the latest thematic report this academic year (2021-22). Building on this insight and knowledge gained from our wider involvement in Wales, we work to design and deliver programmes of activity to support step change in practice in priority areas chosen by our members.

Wales Quality Network

The Wales Quality Network is a valuable forum for discussion on quality-related matters and regularly hosts discussions and presentations on key challenges in practices in higher education, such as micro-credentials, student engagement and digital/blended learning. It also shares commendations from Quality Enhancement Reviews, providing an opportunity for colleagues to learn from best practice across the sector in Wales. We facilitate this Network for staff involved in quality assurance and enhancement and students.

Supporting collaborative engagement and sector-wide discussion

As part of membership in Wales, we:

QAA’s further work in Wales

We work closely with HEFCW and other key stakeholders such as Estyn,Colleges Wales, NUS Wales, Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, Universities Wales, and the Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate within Welsh Government. We also conduct Gateway Reviews and undertake Unsatisfactory Quality and Standards Investigations when commissioned to do so.

OUR COMMITMENT TO WELSH LANGUAGE

We seek to ensure that QAA is as accessible and inclusive as possible for Welsh speakers, in support of the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 Strategy and following our Welsh compliance notice. This includes bilingual outcomes and processes, the choice of Welsh-language communications, and equal opportunities to present and engage in Welsh across the wider QAA network. Our organisation-wide Welsh Language Working Group meets regularly to identify areas for development and enhancement.