Annual Quality Monitoring and Enhancement

The Quality Monitoring and Enhancement (QME) process is one of the ways in which the OU regularly evaluates the quality and standards of its provision (also see Partnerships and Research sections).

Throughout the academic year, modules and qualifications are reviewed using a suite of data dashboard products, which provide a range of metrics from performance to student satisfaction. Modules are reviewed more thoroughly after their first presentation (post-launch review) and every 5 years thereafter (lifecycle review). External advisers also complete reports commenting on the currency, validity and classification profiles of qualifications and modules when compared to similar provision at other universities.

Module, qualification and external adviser reports are used as evidence to support an annual Board of Studies report which includes:

• a summary prepared by the Board of Studies student representative
• assurance of academic standards across the Board of Studies
• an evaluation of student performance data
• performance against Access, Participation and Success objectives
• information on student employability and career progression
• an evaluation of student satisfaction data
• an evaluation of student engagement (student voice) over the year
• a rolling action plan
• sharing of best practice
• issues for faculty attention
• issues for institutional attention.

The Boards of Studies’ reports and further evidence are then considered by a university-level peer review group, who report to the faculties on outcomes in terms of academic standards and the student learning experience. Overall findings and recommendations from the process are outlined in an annual report which is submitted to:

• Qualifications and Assessment Committee for academic standards
• Student Experience Committee for the quality of the student learning experience and
• Academic Quality and Governance Committee for overall quality assurance and enhancement.

Recommendations and resultant actions are followed up by the Academic Quality and Standards team and reported to relevant committees.

The outcomes of QME lead to changes of university procedure, sharing of best practice and improvement of the student learning experience.