Periodic Review

Principles and Purpose

It is a UW requirement that all courses are reviewed on a 5 year cycle. The periodic review process permits this to take place at the level of the individual course, a group of courses or a subject area as a whole. Exact groupings are negotiated between the Academic Quality Unit (AQU) and Institutes in the lead up to review events. In principle, each course should be involved in only one review event in any 5 year cycle, although on occasion there may be a need for more frequent or early review.

The purpose of the periodic review process is based upon Section 7 of the QAA Code of Practice (Programme design, approval, monitoring and review). There is a clear link between processes of course approval, periodic review and annual evaluation whereby each process informs the others. For example, periodic review will involve discussion of documentation for students (ie. Course Handbook and Programme Specification) emanating originally from the approval of provision as well as annual evaluation reports from previous years. Alternatively, an outcome from periodic review may be a condition or recommendation to reapprove a course within a certain time period, in order to guarantee standards or the quality of the student learning experience.

The Academic Quality Unit provide and maintain a draft report template, which summarises the outcomes of the periodic review process.

The process is centred around an Evaluation and Development Document (EDD). AQU officers outline the nature of this document at the preliminary meeting. Guidance on composing the EDD is also available.

The University's Framework for the Management of Quality Assurance and Enhancement aims to ensure that processes do not conflict with each other. For that reason, periodic review does not involve the approval of restructuring of provision (revalidation), but seeks to achieve the following aims:

• To evaluate and confirm the academic standards of awards within a subject area.
• To evaluate the quality of learning opportunities for students within a subject/programme area.
• To ensure the effectiveness of a subject/programme’s management of quality assurance and approach to quality enhancement.
• To support reflective evaluation of courses and assist a subject/programme team in producing a development plan.
• To share good practice across the University.
• To meet external expectations or requirements.

The University maintains a commitment to open and discursive peer review focussed on academic perspectives from elsewhere in the sector, and to include, where relevant, members from industry, commerce and the professions. This assists the University in ensuring that awards are comparable in standard to those elsewhere in Higher Education, and is a valuable method of benefiting from the expertise and experience of others. It also facilitates enhancement across the institution.

The University also recognises that the process of Review is not limited to the event itself and that decisions pertaining to the development of the award should be included in the lead-up and aftermath of Review. In particular, the process is designed to encourage course teams to be reflective and innovative, to utilise external networks and to take the opportunity to discuss means of enhancing the quality of provision.

Internal consistency of standards and dissemination of good practice are facilitated by a system of involving staff representation from another UW Institute in every review process. This ensures that no subject or its courses can be reviewed solely within the terms of its own discipline or profession.

Expenses claim form - External panel members

Expenses claim form - Students/Stakeholders