Agenda and Papers - University of Edinburgh

DRAFT The University of Edinburgh
Guidance for Student Support Services
Quality Assurance Framework
(web link to flowcharts)
1. Purpose
The Student Support Services Quality Assurance Framework (SSSQAF) assures the
quality of the student experience in regard to Student Support Services by:
• Supporting reflection on the strategic and operational role of support
services in relation to their impact on the student experience;
• Supporting reflection on the ways in which Student Support Services
engage with students and other stakeholders to monitor and improve the
quality of services;
• Supporting reflection on the ways in which the Student Support Services
promote high quality learning and continuous quality enhancement;
• Taking account of the requirements of Professional, Statutory and
Regulatory bodies (PSRBs), where appropriate;
• Providing a forum for the sharing and dissemination of good practice.
2. Overview of Process
The SSSQAF consists of three key elements:
1. Annual monitoring
All Student Support Services that fall under the SSSQAF submit an Annual
Quality Assurance (QA) Report, using a standard template, to the Quality
Assurance Committee (QAC) Sub-committee on an annual basis. The Annual
(QA) Report is a self-evaluation document, but will draw on evidence including
feedback from students.
Student Support Services which are accredited by Professional, Statutory and
Regulatory bodies will submit their Accreditation Reports to the Sub-committee
along with their Annual (QA) Reports.
2. Periodic Enhanced Review
In addition, some key front-facing Student Support Services are subject to a
periodic review process. In developing the periodic review element we have
taken account of the impact of the Student Support Service on the student
learning experience and the extent of external accreditation already carried out;
the aim is to keep the review proportional to the impact of the support service.
Four monitoring and review combinations are possible:
3. Thematic review
A third method of review is the Thematic Review, whereby key interests and
issues are reviewed in more depth across clusters of Student Support Services.
3 Different categories of review (web link to flowcharts)