POLICY FOR APPROVING MARKETING AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS FOR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND PROVISION

Introduction

1.  This policy outlines the responsibilities and processes for approving marketing, publicity and other public information generated by the University’s collaborative partners in respect of University of Bolton awards.

2.  The QAA Code of Practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education, Section 2: Collaborative provision and flexible and distributed learning (including e-learning), October 2010, states that:

‘The awarding institution should ensure that it has effective control over the accuracy of all public information, publicity and promotional activity relating to its collaborative provision, and provision offered through FDL arrangements.’

3.  The University’s collaborative partnership agreements set out the University’s contractual requirements in respect of the prior approval of publicly available information.

Policy Statement

4.  This policy applies to all forms of published information, including print, electronic, web-based and broadcast media, or activities used in marketing or promotion of the University’s awards.

5.  For the avoidance of doubt the policy covers:

·  Prospectuses

·  Advertising

·  Press releases

·  Press articles

·  Websites

·  Course leaflets, flyers and other promotional material including materials that are used for promotional presentations eg power point slides

·  Posters

6.  Under this policy, all publicity and marketing materials relating to a collaborative agreement, partnership or programme requires the approval of the University prior to their publication or circulation. The procedure is set out in Annex R of the Collaborative Provision Handbook.

7.  In the case of progression and articulation agreements, no publicity or marketing may state or imply a formal relationship with the University unless a progression or articulation agreement has been approved in accordance with the University’s procedures.

8.  University branding must not be used in any way to imply that a course delivered by a partner organisation that is articulated to a University of Bolton programme has been approved or validated by the University.

9.  All publicity and marketing materials must accurately represent the approval status of the partnership or programme. For example, any programme undergoing approval can only be advertised as ‘subject to approval or validation’. This endorsement can only be removed when all validation conditions have been signed off by the Chair of the Validation Panel and an Agreement has been executed.

10.  The University’s Corporate Identity and Brand guidelines must be followed by partners.

11.  Partners must ensure that:

·  The University is acknowledged as the awarding body of the relevant programme;

·  References to the University are to the University of Bolton (and not Bolton University);

·  Partners’ programme web pages provide a link to the University’s website;

·  An approved version of the University’s logo is used

12. The University will ensure that it:

·  provides an entry for the relevant programme in the University’s courses database;

·  provides links to the partner’s website from the University’s webpages;

·  lists all approved partners on its website;

·  lists all institutions with whom it has articulation and progression agreements on its website.

Equality Impact Assessment

13.  The University of Bolton is committed to the promotion of equality, diversity and a supportive environment for all members of our community. Our commitment to equality and diversity means that this policy has been screened in relation to the use of plain English, the promotion of the positive duty in relation to race, gender and disability and avoidance of discrimination to other equality groups related to age, sexual orientation, religion or belief or gender reassignment. All University policies are subject to periodic review under the equality impact assessment process.

14.  An impact assessment has been carried out on this policy.

Other Related Policies

15.  This policy should be read in conjunction with the following University Policies:

Collaborative Partnership Handbook, Annex R

Monitoring and Review

16.  Overall responsibility for this policy rests with the Director of Marketing and Communications. The Head of Central Administrative and Business Support Services will ensure that the requirements of Annex R are observed by collaborative partners.

17. This policy will be reviewed every three years,

Dissemination of and Access to the Policy

18. This policy will be made available to prospective partners at the earliest possible opportunity. The policy is available to all staff, students, collaborative partners and the general public via the website at http://www.bolton.ac.uk.

19. All University policies, once approved, will be held electronically in a document repository on the University intranet and a hard copy deposited in the Vice Chancellor’s Office

Policy for approving marketing and publicity materials for collaborative partners and provision
Policy Ref: M & C 08/11
Version Number / 1
Version Date / August 2011
Name of Developer/Reviewer / Sarah Riches
Policy Owner / Marketing and Communications Unit
Person responsible for implementation (postholder) / Director of Marketing and International Recruitment
Approving Committee/Board / Corporate Management Group
Date approved / 27.02.12
Effective from / March 2012
Dissemination method (e.g. website) / Website
Review Frequency / Every 3 years
Reviewing Committee / Collaborative Partnerships Sub Committee
Consultation History
(individuals/groups consulted with dates) / Collaborative Partnerships Sub Committee approved subject to minor changes 27/02/12
Document History
(e.g. rationale for and dates of previous amendments)

March 2012