In this post, Professor Tina Harrison Assistant Principal for Academic Standards and Quality Assurance and Nichola Kett Head of Quality Assurance and Enhancement Team outline a new theme supported by The Quality Assurance Agency and highlight a call for expressions of interest for collaborative clusters. Deadline for applications is 2 October 2020…
What are the Enhancement Themes?
The Enhancement Themes aim to improve the student learning experience. They involve institutions, staff and students working together, sharing practice and generating new ideas for learning and teaching.
What is the new Theme?
Resilient Learning Communities explores the changing needs and values of an increasingly diverse student community, and a rapidly changing external environment. It is a timely Theme which aims to explore what future learning communities will look like, how they will want to learn, how they can be supported, what attributes they will bring, and how we can engage with the changing external environment to influence strategy and policy. The Theme will run from 2020 to 2023.
Further information can be found in the Resilient Learning Communities Information Flyer on the QAAS website.
How does the Theme work?
The Theme works at three levels:
- Each institution agrees a plan of work linked to the Theme
- Groups of institutions work in collaborative clusters to progress an area that will have benefit for the whole sector
- Sector-wide work involves all institutions working collaboratively to achieve more than they might individually
How are we influencing the work of the Theme?
The Quality Assurance Agency Scotland (QAAS), who support the work of the Theme, have asked for ideas for potential whole sector projects and we have identified the following existing University activities and priorities that link to the new Theme:
- Near Future Teaching – the future of digital education
- Curriculum Review
- Graduate attributes
- Equality and diversity
- Widening Participation Strategy
- Sense of belonging
The Students’ Association will also identify their activities and priorities to inform the work of the new Theme.
Early call for expressions of interest for collaborative clusters
Ideas for potential whole sector projects can be submitted via Mural, a simple collaborative iterative whiteboard.
Information for those who are interested in leading a collaborative cluster can be found on the QAAS website:
The deadline for applications is 2 October 2020.
Tina Harrison
Tina is Assistant Principal Academic Standards and Quality Assurance and Professor of Financial Services Marketing and Consumption. Tina joined the University in 1993 and continues to maintain an active academic role in the Business School. She has had overall responsibility for the University’s quality assurance framework as Assistant Principal since 2009. She plays a key role in the Scottish HE quality landscape as a member of QAA Scotland’s Advisory Board, chair of the sparqs University Advisory Group, and member of the Quality Arrangements for Scottish Higher Education (QASHE) group.
Nichola Kett
Nichola Kett is Head of Quality Assurance and Enhancement Team in Academic Services, where she oversees the implementation and management of the quality framework and manages the quality assurance and enhancement team. Nichola also engages with and contributes to key University learning and teaching activities.
