Review team expresses confidence in the University of Edinburgh’s quality arrangements

A review by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has expressed confidence in the University of Edinburgh’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. The review visit took place on 16 November 2023.

The team identified the following good practice:

• The work of the University’s Institute for Academic Development in establishing a network of secondees and associates embedded within the schools to support developments in learning and teaching.   

QAA also made the following recommendations:

• Make progress on and accelerate its actions in response to the recommendations from the previous Enhancement-led Institutional Review (ELIR) (2021), ensuring effective and consistent implementation by all Schools, and monitor the outcomes, in order to evidence significant progress within the next academic year. 

• Expedite the final drafting, approval and implementation of its Learning and Teaching Strategy to help staff and students understand how major strategic projects work together and provide clarity on the strategic approach to enhancing learning and teaching.  

• Take immediate action, within the current academic year, to ensure that the new Assessment and Feedback Principles and Priorities (developed in response to ELIR) are fully implemented in all Schools, that feedback turnaround times and quality are monitored effectively, and that prompt action is taken to address any shortcomings.  

Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said: 'We are delighted with the outcome of the QESR report that confirms the effectiveness of the arrangements we have in place for managing quality and standards and recognises the work of our Institute for Academic Development as an area of good practice. We welcome the feedback from the Panel and the recommendations in moving forward our priorities to enhance learning and teaching and the student experience.'

You can read the full Quality Enhancement and Standards Review report for the University of Edinburgh on the QAA website.

(News story image: University of Edinburgh, Sam Sills)