13:1 - May the odds be

forever in our favour

Creating a single operating

framework for a diverse

organisation

Val Innes

HE Operations Manager (SQA)

University of the Highlands and

Islands

Valerie.Innes@uhi.ac.uk

Welcome to our campus

• Tertiary institution

>8,300 HE students

>31,000 enrolled on FE programmes

• 13 academic partners

• 2 faculties

• 6 subject networks

• 47% HE undergraduates on SQA programmes

SCQF framework

For example

• BSc (Hons) Psychology

– 4 year honours degree

• BA (Hons) Popular Music

– Year 1 = HNC Music

– Years 2, 3, 4 = UHI degree

• BSc (Hons) Computing

– Years 1 and 2 = HND Computer Science

– Years 3 and 4 = UHI degree

What about SQA?

• Awarding body

• UHI is a single entity for all SQA purposes

– all SQA provision within the university’s SQA

centre considered HE ( >=SCQF level 7)

– all students registered via UHI single centre

• UHI holds maximum devolvable powers

from SQA for key quality assurance

functions

Our challenge

Synergy

Internal change

SQA quality

assurance

What changed?

• Roles combined

– SQA coordinator role

– Project management

• HN Operations Committee

• Network HN programme leaders

• SQA systems verification

• Network progression boards

SQA Quality Assurance Criteria

2015-18 • Systems verification: 1 of 4 QA processes

• 6 categories

– Management of a centre

– Resources

– Candidate support

– Internal assessment and verification

– External assessment

– Data management

• 29 criteria (out of 37)

So…?

• Evidence mapped to SQA systems

verification criteria

• UHI systems verification action plan • UHI/SQA Malpractice Policy

• Revised appeals procedure

• Clarified candidate evidence retention requirements

• Data cleansing

• Staff induction criteria

• Etc

Network progression boards

• Purpose:

– Tracking student progress (identifying those at risk of

not achieving)

– Ensure students are registered on the Group Award

and attached to the correct units

– Confirm entered results

– Ensuring that student withdrawals are timeously

processed and registered on SITS

• Interim and end-of-year boards

• 10 during 2015/16

• 12 for 2017/18

Network Progression

Board SLWG

HN Operations Committee

Mitigating circumstances

Core reports

What was the problem?

• Core reports

– Multiple report versions

– Title named individual APs but used by others

– Lack of ownership and coordination

– No one report did everything that is required

• Mitigating circumstances

– Degree process couldn’t apply to HN activity

– Each AP had own practice

– Lack of confidence in decision making

So…?

• Mitigating circumstances implemented

2016/17

• Core reporting revised and ownership sits

with HN OC

• Additional programmes engaging 2016/17

• ‘Ownership’ rollout

• Positive feedback!

What next?

Any questions?