Review team express confidence in the University of Aberdeen’s quality arrangements

A review by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has expressed confidence in the University of Aberdeen’s progress in continuing to monitor, review and enhance its higher education provision to enable effective arrangements to be in place for managing academic standards and the quality of the student experience.

The review was carried out by a team of three independent reviewers who were appointed by QAA. It took place on 14 February 2023.

The team identified the following areas of good practice:

• The University has an effective approach to planning and implementing its strategies in relation to learning and teaching, exemplified by the widespread engagement of staff and students with action plans that underpin the University Strategy.
• The University has successfully embedded learning from the national Enhancement Themes, enabling Theme priorities to be realised in a wide range of institutional policy and practice, including ongoing work to decolonise the curriculum.
• Significant progress has been made in implementing its vision for blended learning, particularly by utilising the recommendations from its in-depth review of blended and online learning and assessment practice.
• The longstanding, embedded and collaborative relationship the University has with the Aberdeen University Students’ Association, which is based on genuine and effective partnership working across all aspects of university life.

Professor Ruth Taylor, Vice-Principal Education, University of Aberdeen said: ‘I am delighted that the Review Team for our Quality Enhancement and Standards Review is confident in the University of Aberdeen’s academic standards and the quality of the student learning experience.

‘Working in partnership with our students to create inclusive education is at the heart of our Aberdeen 2040 Strategy, which will continue to guide our approach over the coming years and enables us to offer a strong student experience. I am particularly pleased that the review team recognised and commended a number of areas of good practice including our inclusive approach to blended education, and our approach to student partnership.

‘We now look forward to working with our student community to take forward further enhancements as we reflect on the findings.’

QAA has also made the following recommendations: 

• Ensure that all students have access to external examiner reports for their programme of study by the end of academic year 2022-23.
• Continue work to finalise the University’s approach to personal tutoring arrangements, to ensure it provides equity of experience for the institution’s changing student population, particularly postgraduate taught students.