/ Quality Handbook

AQH-I3-4 Operations Manual Guidelines – Model D

Version 8.0 August 2013

Operations Manual

for programmes approved

to be offered in partnership between

the University of Sunderland (the University)

and

[PARTNER NAME] (the Partner)

in accordance with the University’s Collaborative Model D (Tutor Supported Delivery)

Version History of Template (for QAE use only):

Version / Occasion of Change / Change author / Date of modification / Modifications made
1.0 / Original placed in Academic Quality Handbook / S Sutcliffe / September 2008 / Mainly references to new University structure
2.0 / Updates to University collaborative processes / C Gardner
O Palimeris / October 2009 – June 2010 / Various, to reflect the new CP processes implemented 2009
3.0 / Staff Changes / S Patience / September 2010 / Section 2.1.3 updated
4.0 / QMSC approved Roles of APLs Sept 2010 / C Gardner / 20.10.2010 / Introduction updated
5.0 / Updates to University terminology, to provide link to current University faculty staff, and updated links to websites / C Gardner / 12.01.2011 / Various, to reflect new University CPA terminology, Section 2.1.3 replaced with faculty structure link to current faculty staff details, & section 20.
6.0 / Changes to Services / S Patience / April 2011 / Change to contact list
7.0 / General Update / C Gardner / August 2011 / General Update
8.0 / Clarify responsibilities of the parties for developing teaching materials / C Gardner / August 2013 / Update to clause 11.2.3
And update hyperlinks

Implementation and Modification History (for Faculty use only):

Version / Occasion of Change / Change author / Date of modification / Modifications made / Version signed off by Faculty (date & details)
EXAMPLE / Issued to Partner on approval to run programme / xxxxxxxxx / 20.1.10 / Template annotated to incorporate more details of specific arrangements / FQMSC (minutes 15.02.10 refer)
1.0

Your support and co-operation will be very much appreciated, and any feedback you can provide on the effectiveness of the Operations Manual template would be gratefully received. Please contact Quality Assurance and Enhancement at the University of Sunderland.
CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 MANAGEMENT OF THE PARTNERSHIP

3.0 DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMMES AND MODEL OF DELIVERY

5.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

6.0LEARNING AND TEACHING

7.0 PUBLIC INFORMATION

8.0 ALLOCATION OF STUDENT NUMBERS

9.0 RECRUITMENT AND ADMISSIONS

10.0 STUDENT INDUCTION

11.0 PROGRAMME DELIVERY

12.0 ASSESSMENT

13.0 EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

14.0 PROGRAMME AND PARTNER REVIEWS

15.0 STAFF DEVELOPMENT

16.0 LEARNING RESOURCES

17.0 HUMAN RESOURCES

18.0 STUDENT SUPPORT

19.0 STUDENT COMPLAINTS, APPEALS AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

20.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

21.0 EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

22.0 TERMINATION

23.0GLOSSARY OF TERMS

24.0USEFUL LINKS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1Welcome to the University of Sunderland’s Faculty of xxxxxxxxxxxxxx and the Department of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Your Centre has now been formally approved to run one of the University’s programmes.

1.2This operations manual has been designed to promote common understandings about the respective roles and responsibilities of the Partner and University staff involved in the delivery, management, quality assurance, and co-ordination of the University’s collaborative programmes. Mutual understandings are essential to assure parity of the student experience, regardless of the site of delivery. It is designed by the University for use by all University and Partner staff associated with the provision. The University and the Partner are jointly responsible for ensuring that this is issued to all staff who contribute towards programme delivery.It is important to us that staff feel supported and have appropriate mechanisms for:

  • Contacting relevant staff
  • Resolving issues in a timely way
  • Working together in a true partner relationship including full understanding of the University’s processes, procedures and regulatory requirements

1.3It thus amplifies the roles that staff in each organisation are expected to fulfil as laid down in the Collaborative Provision Agreement that governs this collaboration. It may also be useful to refer to the University’s Guidelines on the Role of Assistant Programme Leaders at Partner Institutions accessible through:

Clauses from the Agreement are included as italicised sections throughout the Manual, beneath which the requirements are explained in more detail. The Agreement has been drawn up to reflect the University of Sunderland’s Collaborative Processes - see:

together with its Collaborative Models of Provision paper and relevant sections from the Quality Assurance Agency’s Code of Practice (e.g. Collaborative Provision & Flexible and distributed learning (including E-Learning) (last amplified October 2010)). These Agreements are normally reviewed every six years.

Please refer to the University’s Academic Quality Handbook for all guidelines referred to in this manual, see:

1.4Your support and co-operation will be very much appreciated, and any feedback you can give us on the effectiveness of the Operations Manual would be gratefully received.

2.0 MANAGEMENT OF THE PARTNERSHIP

2.1MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE: UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND

Please refer to:

for details of the University of Sunderland Management Structure.

2.2Management structure: the partner [to be inserted]

2.1.3 Faculty Structure: University of Sunderland

Please refer to to access specific individuals/Departments

Each University Faculty includes a Dean, Associate Dean – Student Experience, Associate Dean – Resources, Research and External Engagement, Associate Dean – Recruitment and Development and Heads of Department.

Faculty / Departments
Applied Sciences / Department of Computing, Engineering & Technology
Department of Psychology
Department of Pharmacy, Health & Well-being
Department of Sport & Exercise Sciences
Education and Society / Department of Education
Department of Social Sciences
Department of Culture
The Faculty of Business and Law / Sunderland Business School
Department of Law
Centre for Flexible Learning
Arts, Design and Media / Department of Arts & Design
Department of Media

Figure 1: University Faculties and Departments

3.0 DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMMES AND MODEL OF DELIVERY

3.1The AGREED University programmes (as defined by the relevant programme specification produced and approved by the University) will be offered at approved Partner sites by MODEL D, through tutor supported delivery by Partner staff approved by the University to support the provision. Further details of the Model are accessible via the following University guideline link

For a full list of programmes/sites covered by this manual please refer to the Collaborative Provision Agreement – Quality Assurance and Schedule of Programmes Annexes, available on request from Quality Assurance and Enhancement.

4.0CONTACTS INFORMATION

4.1‘Central’ and key Faculty University of Sunderland telephone numbers

Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive / tel: 0191 515 2036
Deputy Vice Chancellor & Chief Executive(Academic) / tel: 0191 515 2039
Deputy Vice Chancellor & Chief Executive (Resources) / tel: 0191 515 2460
Director of Academic Services / tel: 0191 515 2060
Director of Human Resources / tel: 0191 515 3427
Assistant Director of Academic Services / tel: 0191 515 2433
Assistant Director (Marketing and Recruitment) / tel: 0191 515 2667
Assistant Director (Student & Learning Support) / tel: 0191 515 2903
Collaborative Provision Manager / tel: 0191 515 2063
Educational Partnerships Administrators, Marketing and Recruitment / tel: 0191 515 3892
tel: 0191 515 2806
Senior Quality Assurance & Enhancement Officer, (Officer to Higher Education in Further Education Practitioner’s Group and central contact for Edexcel) / tel: 0191 515 2065
Senior Quality Assurance & Enhancement Officer (Officer for Collaborative Practitioner’s Group) / tel: 0191 515 2069
Educational Partnerships Officer (Communications), Marketing and Recruitment / tel: 0191 515 3892
Educational Partnerships Officer (Resources, Marketing and Recruitment / tel: 0191 515 2806

4.2Faculty, Department, and programme University of Sunderland contacts:

[to be expanded as appropriate]

Dean of Faculty / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Faculty Associate Dean (Student Experience) / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Faculty Quality Management Sub-Committee Chair / xxxxxxxxxxxx
HE in FE Practitioner’s Group nominee#
Centre Leader / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Programme Assessment Board Chair / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Programme Studies Board representative / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Programme Leader / xxxxxxxxxxxx
Administrative staff / xxxxxxxxxxxx
General Enquiry Telephone number for the Faculty / xxxxxxxxxxxx

4.3Partner Contacts (to be completed by Partner)

Programme/Module Assessment Board representative
Programme/Module Studies Board Chair
HE in FE Practitioner’s Group nominee#
Assistant Programme Leader

# (WHERE APPROPRIATE) HE and FE Practitioner’s Group nominees (of the HE in FE Group) have agreed to act as a central channel of communication for their organisation/Faculty; e.g. to facilitate submission by the University (via the FacultyQuality Officer) of external examiner’s reports to relevant College staff via this named nominee.

5.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The sections below represent broad responsibilities that are described in more detail in relevant sections of this Manual.

5.1The University has responsibility for:

  • The Award, including quality assurance of the partnership, programmes and of the student experience
  • Programme planning, design, assessment and review
  • The provision of the University Centre Leader and Programme and Module Leaders at the University
  • The approval of Partner staff appointed to support the delivery of programme materials
  • Supporting staff development of Partner teaching support staff
  • The approval of public information including marketing materials in respect of the provision
  • Programme admission decisions and the registration of students to the University’s student records system (SITS)
  • The issuing of offer letters to students
  • Information services support (providing any agreed access to the University’s Library services)
  • The appointment of and liaison with external examiners
  • The organisation, management and operation of Assessment and Studies Boards
  • Amendment and discontinuation of programmes with agreed notice
  • Provision of transcripts of results and final award parchments

5.2The Partner has responsibility for:

  • Adhering to University policy and procedures
  • The appointment of staff attributed to supporting delivery of the provision across the sites of delivery (in accordance with University criteria and approval), and related administrative staff
  • Provision of staff/tutor induction and development at each Partner site of delivery
  • The co-ordination of student applications and student records management
  • Information services support, e.g. ensuring agreed levels of library facilities at each site of delivery together with any other agreed specialist resources
  • The submission of reports to the University and other, timely, information on registered students as may be required
  • The marketing of the programme for local recruitment
  • The co-ordination of staff and student feedback from each Partner site of delivery
  • The submission of public information including marketing materials to the University for approval following any in-house Partner approval
  • Student Induction for University Programmes
  • Student academic and pastoral support.

5.3Role of the Study Centres

A student will join a programme based at a local Study Centre. The Study Centre will provide:

  • local tutors.
  • tutorial/practical sessions with appropriate support for all taught modules.
  • adequate hardware/software to support practical computer-based sessions.
  • tutorial facilities for project students.
  • a base library of all key and support texts for the relevant programme.
  • facilities for all examinations.
  • a front-line student counselling service.
  • a communication link with the programme team at Sunderland.
  • a receipting service for all coursework hand-ins.
  • a student counsellor.
  • Role of Programme Leaders

The Programme Leader is in charge of the whole programme, and oversees each stage or Level of the programme at the University of Sunderland.

5.4Role of Centre Leaders

Centre Leaders will be appointed by the University of Sunderland. Their roles are articulated in the University’s Academic Quality Handbook via the following link:

* N.B Only the Centre Leader at Sunderland has the authority to extend the deadline for a particular assignment. This can be done if a complete cohort is affected by unforeseen difficulties, e.g. network problems at a Study Centre over several weeks of a module.

The template for the annual report that University Centre Leaders need to produce each year is accessible via the following link:

+APPENDIX+5+Template+for+Centre+Leader%27s+Annual+Report.doc

5.5Role of Module/Instance Leader

Each taught module on the programme will be the overall responsibility of a Module/Instance Leader based in the Department at the University of Sunderland. The Module Leader will:

  • Be responsible for the academic content of the module in that they will prepare any updated material deemed necessary.
  • Be responsible for the production of assessments, which will be moderated using standard Department procedures.
  • Be responsible for the recording of assessment results.
  • Be responsible for the presentation of results for all assessments within the module at the appropriate Module Assessment Board.
  • Answer queries and offer advice to Local Lecturers on all aspects of the running of the module.
  • Respond to individual student queries with regard to their module. Where normal communication channels have been exhausted (via the local tutor). Students are free to contact Module Leaders directly by E-Mail or through their study centre. E-mail contact should be copied to the Centre Leader so that central oversight of any difficulties is maintained.
5.6Role of Administrative Staff

Contact with the administrative team is primarily via the contact details provided above. E-mails will normally be acknowledged within two working days.

5.8Role of Study Centre Staff

5.8.1Local Study Centre Co-ordinators will:

  • Provide first-line advice and act as a vehicle for communication with the Centre Leader at Sunderland where students are experiencing any difficulties in their private or work lives which may affect their performance on the programme.
  • Facilitate day-to-day communication links between the local student body and the programme team at Sunderland.
  • Ensure that registration forms are completed by students in a timely manner.
  • Co-ordinate the election of student representatives for each cohort of students.
  • Organise meetings with student representatives to discuss any and all aspects of the running of the programme. A report of any major issues raised by these meetings will be sent to the Centre Leader in Sunderland.
  • Ensure that feedback is provided by both staff and students for the relevant Board of Studies
  • Co-ordinate all receipting of coursework hand-ins and examination arrangements.
  • Be the sole point for students notifying the Centre Leader of late assignment hand-in.*
  • Ensure that students are aware of mitigating circumstances procedures. Note that where mitigation circumstances are claimed by a student, that the acceptance of such mitigation is the responsibility of the Extenuating Circumstances Panel, which meets monthly. Extenuating Circumstances can only be accepted by this panel at the appropriate meeting, and not at any other time.
  • Prepare an Annual Report from the Study Centre for each subject area at the end of each academic year. The template for this report is accessible via:

5.8.2Role of Local Lecturers

Each Study Centre will nominate Local Lecturers who will be appointed for every taught module on the relevant programme. Some Lecturers may be appointed to more than one module, but each module will have an individual who is responsible for co-ordinating the operation of that module. To support the Local Lecturer, a Module Leader (or Instance Leader) in Sunderland (an academic member of staff) has been appointed to have overall control of the operation of modules as appropriate (see section on Module Leaders and Instance Leaders).

Local Lecturers will:

  • Co-ordinate the operation of the module in the local centre.
  • Deliver PowerPoint lectures where appropriate providing first-line response to any queries raised by students.
  • Refer queries requiring further consideration to the Module Leader for the appropriate module.
  • Conduct all tutorial activities required for a particular module.
  • Co-ordinate the handing out of all coursework assessments where relevant.
  • Liaise with the local Student Counsellor where problems arise.

In order to qualify as a local lecturer, a candidate must satisfy the Head of Department at the University of Sunderland that he/she has the necessary academic and professional qualifications and background to support teaching at the appropriate level.

6.0LEARNING AND TEACHING

6.1Learning and teaching of the programme will be as described in the student handbook and programme and module guides

7.0 PUBLIC INFORMATION

7.1General

The University reserves the right to publicise its collaborative programmes in its own publicity materials and in other publicity materials agreed with its partners.

7.2Marketing and Promotion

7.2.1The University will be responsible for: receiving and approving the accuracy of publicity materials prior to their implementation and regularly monitoring these and other information issued to registered or prospective students in respect of the collaborative provision.

7.2.2The Partner will be responsible for:

a)submitting to the University, publicity materials in respect of the collaborative provision, for approval prior to their implementation;

b)publicising locally the availability of the programme(s) and the recruitment and admission arrangements.

7.2.3The success of the programmes(s) at your Study Centre relies very much on the successful marketing and promotion of your particular locality. You will know best which particular mediums are best for you area, and how and where you can target potential students. All publicity material must be approved by the University of Sunderland, to ensure a consistent, appropriate and professional corporate image. It is essential therefore that you pass any publicity material to your Centre Leader for approval, prior to using it.

8.0 ALLOCATION OF STUDENT NUMBERS

8.1The number of student places per annum will be agreed with the University in accordance with the Financial Annex to the Collaborative Provision Agreement.

9.0 RECRUITMENT AND ADMISSIONS

9.1General

9.1.1The University will be responsible for:

a)liaison between the Partner and the University regarding the offering of conditional (and, subsequently, unconditional) places on the programme;

b)issuing conditional and unconditional place offers, including admissions Terms and Conditions, (and, where appropriate, to specify the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score requirements) to student applicants in accordance with University programme regulations;

c)approving/declining non-standard entry applications in accordance with the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) procedures of the University.

9.1.2The Partner will be responsible for:

a)forwarding completed student application forms to the University prior to the programme start date;

b)communicating with the University regarding University approval of non-standard entry applications.

9.1.3Applications are made on the University of Sunderland application form and will be considered by the relevant University Programme Leader or delegated representative.

9.2Entry Criteria

The normal entry criteria for admission to the agreed University programmes are detailed in the relevant University programme specifications and University of Sunderland academic regulations accessible through: