Support for Authors / Guidance 7(i)
Guidance 7(i)Annual Monitoring Reports Support for Authors
- Purpose of reports
Annual monitoring considers the effectiveness of programmes in achieving stated aims and intended learning outcomes/objectives, identifying issues associated with the achievement of programme standards and the quality of the student experience.It ensures that appropriate actions are taken to resolve issues, to disseminate good practice, enhance quality andto inform the planning process. Partner institution reports will be considered as part of the evidence base for the University Annual Monitoring and Enhancement process.
- Writing reports
Annual monitoring reports are intended to be live documents and should be written and updated regularly by report authors throughout the academic year, following consideration of evidence.
They should address those issues that are local to the programme(s) considered within the report, or concerns that are symptomatic of wider problems which need to be addressed by Faculties, Services, or the University/partner institution as a whole. Similarly reports should identify any good practice that can be disseminated across the Department, Faculty, University or partner institution.
In view of the wide circulation of reports, reports should be anonymised, i.e. students and staff should be referred to by their position and not by name within the reports and any appendices.
It would be unusual and undesirable for a report to focus solely on problems. The report provides an opportunity to celebrate success and draw attention toprogress, commendable practice and otherachievements. It is particularly important to present a balanced view, as reports are used as part of the paperwork for internal and external reviews and audits and are an important determinant of external perceptions of programmes.
Evaluation of evidence
Annual monitoring reports should be evaluative in character. In addition to descriptive text they shouldprovide context for any judgements or assertions, e.g. if achievement was outstanding, then indicate the level of achievement, and compare it with an appropriate benchmark, for example, the national subject average. They should also reference judgements or assertions to supporting evidence, e.g. the currency and relevance of a curriculum might be indicated by External Examiner commendations. This evidencecan be located within appendices to the report.
Evidence may be triangulated to a number of different sources. This is especially useful where a number of sources combined together present a strong case tosupport a claim. For example, the excellence of the teaching on a programme might be triangulated by good student achievement, generic outcomes of peer appraisal and feedback from students at Boards of Study.
All reports should follow the annual monitoring report template (appendix 7a). Guidance 7(iv) is anexample of a written overview commentary, action plans and good practice identified as suitable for dissemination.
Writing responsibilities
Franchised and Validated programmes:Link tutors from partner institutions are responsible for authoring the annual monitoring reports.The University Link tutors will support them with this as required, for example by commenting on a draft report.
Joint programmes: Link Tutors from partner institutions running joint programmes and the associated University Link Tutor are responsible for jointly authoring annual monitoring reports.
Where programmes are being run at more than one site it is important to have input from the programme leader at each location and to provide an overview of any issues or difficulties that arise from multi-site operation. For complex multi-site operations, an additional brief overview report may be required in identifying cross-cutting issues and themes.The Academic Quality Service will identify when an overview report is required.
Report structure
The annual monitoring report consists of a section for an evaluative and reflective overview commentary, action tables, notable successes and a good practice table.
Evidence to be considered /Appendices
The list of evidence to be considered is on page three of the report template. All evidence should be discussed with relevant colleagues, to determine agreed actions, success criteria, evidence for measuring success, agreed timescales, responsibility and mechanism(s) to report back. Authors should tick where the evididence has been considered.
For joint and franchised provision evidence is not required to be appended to the report as it will be retained within the relavent link faculty.
For validated programmes,evidence must be appended.
Reflective comments
Reflective overview commentary is required for all annual monitoring reports. The overview commentary must be included in section 2 of the report, to demonstrate the consideration of the evidence and support the actions identified.
Actions
There is an emphasis in reports on live action planning. Following consideration of each piece of evidence as it becomes available through the year; actions should be raised and entered within the action table.
Actions should be precise in nature, addressing particular issues by giving specific tasks to be completed in realistic timescales. Actions that have not been completed within the academic year should be carried forward and, if necessary developed further, in the following year’s action plan.
It is recommended that actions be written with specific tasks associated with them listed separately. This allows for clear measurement on the overall progress of actions and their subsequent completion. Tasks can be marked as complete and if incomplete, moved to the following year’s action plan
Actions should be recorded with appropriate context, citing point of origin, themeasurable outcome and referencingto evidence provided as appendices. Where the same issue or action may be placed in more than one section it is recommended these be described in one section only, referenced from other sections as appropriate. It is not expected that all sections of the action table will necessarily have associated actions.
Actions may be reactive, following evaluation or reflection of issues raised from a variety of evidence throughout the academic year.Actions need not only address problems. They can be proactive and lay out plans for future enhancements or other developments.
Actions are not necessarily the sole responsibility of the programme. Actions may reside at Department, Faculty, Professional Service, or University/partner institution levels. Authors should highlight the actions that need to be addressed at higher levels.
Guidance on considering evidence to help formulate actions is available in guidance 7ii. The questions below are useful prompts for each section of the AMR:
Recruitment and enrolment profiles
Consider recruitment and enrolment profiles and identify any enhancements that could be made to improve either the process and/or outcomes.
Targets (optional)
- Were targets met and were there any issues concerned with meeting targets?
Applications
- Are the levels of applications comparable to suitable benchmarks (e.g. university or national levels)?
- How do applications compare with previous years’ levels? Is there a significant trend?
- How has the programme/institution responded to any significant change in student numbers
Enrolment profiles
- Are the levels of enrolment comparable to suitable benchmarks (e.g. subject or national levels)?
- How do enrolments compare with previous years’ levels? Is there a significant trend?
Is the programme meeting the outcomes and objectives of relevant policies with regard to enrolment profiles?
Qualifications upon entry
- Is there anything of significance to note in the qualifications profile?
- How do qualifications upon entry compare with previous years’ levels? Is there a significant trend?
Disability
- Is there evidence of equality of opportunity for disabled students?
- How does the level of students with reported disabilities compare with previous years’ levels? Is there a significant trend?
Ethnicity
- Is there evidence that there is equality of opportunity for all ethnic groups?If not, what will be done to address this issue?
- How does the ethnic mix of students compare with previous years’ levels? Is there a significant trend?
Gender
- Is there evidence that recruitment is independent of gender?
- How does the gender mix of students compare with previous years’ levels? Is there a significant trend?
- Is there evidence that there is equality of opportunity for students of different gender?
Age profile
- Is there anything of significance to note in terms of the age profile of recruited students?
- How does the age profile in the year being monitored compare with that of previous years? Is there a significant trend?
- Is there evidence that there is equality of opportunity for students in different age groups?
Continuation and achievement
Consider the continuationand achievement data (where possible in the context of suitable benchmarks, such as the university KPIs for franchised programmes), in particular any significantnon-continuation and achievement, significant withdrawal, and transfer or failure rates. Where applicable, also consider data relating to individual articulation agreements and identify future developments or enhancements.
Continuation
Are there any continuationissues associated with the enrolment profiles of students (e.g. ethnicity, gender, age profile)?
Are there any issues associated with other significant and/or distinct cohorts (e.g.students entering via clearing, students entering via articulation agreements)?
How does progression compare with previous years’ levels, is there a significant trend?
Achievement
- Was the achievement at an acceptable level with particular reference to classification and completion profiles?
- Are there any achievement issues associated with the enrolment profiles of students (e.g. ethnicity, gender,age profile)?
- Are there any issues associated with other significant and/or distinct cohorts (e.g. students entering via clearing, students entering via articulation agreements etc)?
Employability statistics
- Consider the data from the graduates of the previous academic year (wherever possible in the context of suitable benchmarks). Consider the level of further study or take-up and of appropriate employment and identify any enhancements that could be made
- How does career destination data compare with previous years’ levels? Is there a significant trend?
- Is there evidence of graduates entering suitable graduate level jobs?
Curriculum development
Consider major issues related to this aspect raised by External Examiners, Professional, Statutory andRegulatory Bodies (if applicable), students and staff and identify future developments and/or enhancements.
- What are the main issues raised by EEs, PSRBs and students with regard to the curriculum?
- How could these be addressed?
- Does the enrolment profile have any implications for the structure or content of the curriculum?
- Are there student career implications for the curriculum?
New programmes
List new programmes which have completed their first year of operation.Comment on any strengthsor weaknesses associated with programme start-up by considering issues related to this aspect raised byExternal Examiners and students and identify any enhancements that can be made.Also, list any long-term conditions arising from the validation and describe how these were met.
Learning, teaching and assessment
Comment on the way in which the programme is meeting relevant outcomes/aims of appropriate policies concerned with learning, teaching and assessment. Also comment on major developments (e.g. introduction of new teaching practices, innovative modes of delivery, methods of assessment).
What major developments in learning, teaching and assessment have taken place?
If applicable, are there any issues associated with students recruited via clearing?
- Does the enrolment profile have any implications for the learning, teaching and assessment activity of the programme?
Consider issues related to this aspect raised by External Examiners and students and identify future developments and/or enhancements that can be made.
Comment on the number of academic misconduct cases and any measures taken to deal with them.
Learning and IT resources and student support
Learning and IT facilities
Comment upon the acceptability and appropriateness of learning and IT facilities and consider any issues related to this aspect raised by External Examiners and students.Identify any future developments or enhancements that might be needed.
- Does the enrolment profile have any implications for the type of facilities needed and access to them in order to meet students’ needs?
Student support
Comment upon the acceptability and appropriateness of support services and consider any issues related to this aspect raised by External Examiners and students. Identify any future developments or enhancements that might be needed.
- Does the enrolment profile have any implications for the type of support needed and access to it in order to meet to students’ needs?
- If applicable, are there any issues associated with students recruited via clearing?
Staff recruitment and development
Comment on the appropriateness of the staff profile if changes have been made and provide details of changes in staffing by appending brief CV details for new staff and a list of staff who have left.
Provide details of staff development undertaken during the reporting period and identify future staff development needs.
Quality management process
Comment on the quality management processes in place including, where appropriate, student engagement and involvement in quality assurance, and identify any enhancements that can be made. Comments may be included on programme handbooks, programme specifications, peer observation, student feedback processes, audits, reviews and validations.
Comment on the match between information in the student handbook, promotional material, theMemorandum of Co-operation (if applicable), student experience and consider issuesrelated to this aspect raised by External Examiners and students.
Operation and management of the collaboration
Evaluate the working of the link from your perspective. Comment on the link tutor arrangement and the nature, frequency and appropriateness of communication between the University and the partner institution on academic and administrative matters and identify any enhancements.
Confirm that agreed contingency plans remain appropriate. Where updates or changes are required these should be identified as actions.
Notable success/strengths and good practice
Notable success/strengths and good practice arising from within the programme which would be suitable for dissemination should be identified and reported within the table provided. For the purposes of quality monitoring, good practice is defined as those distinctive activities or strategies which improve academic quality and standards that can be shared across the institution. It should be distinguished from sound practice, which does not need to be highlighted for dissemination.
Data
Data sets to be considered for in-house, joint and franchised programmes will be made available to report authors by the University. Data for validated programmes is to be produced by the partner institution and should conform to the indicative data set provided within the report template appendix 1.
3. Submission
Reports are tobe submitted to the Academic Quality Service, who will review and forward a copy to the University Link Tutor.University Link Tutors will read and formally submit feedback comments within a month of receipt. The report and the University Link Tutor feedback are then distributed to the relevant faculty/department.
As part of the Annual Monitoring and Enhancement process the University Link Tutor feedback is returned to the partner institution. This will be the formal record of the University’s response to the Partner’s Annual Monitoring Report (AMR).
The deadline for submission of reports is 16 October 2017.
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