Student engagement is central to everything we do at Glasgow Caledonian. This applies to quality assurance and enhancement in the same way that it applies to every other area of University life. The student voice provides the unique learner perspective and collectively informs the continuous enhancement of learning, teaching and the wider student experience.
There is a wide range of opportunities available for you to get involved in some of the activities of the Department of Quality Assurance and Enhancement - whether as a student or as a student representative – and we encourage you to get involved where you can.
Get involved:
Student Partnership Agreement
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The University and Students’ Association are committed to the continuous enhancement of the student experience. Student engagement and partnership working are at the heart of all that we do.
Together we form a strong partnership built upon trust, mutual respect and our Common Good mission. We are proud to have a strong and recognised track record of involving students as partners in all aspects of their learning and wider student experience.
The whole of the GCU community – students, staff and the Students’ Association – is responsible for partnership working in practice. To find out more about what this means and how you can get involved, see our Student Partnership Agreement page.
Student Partnership Forums
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Student Partnership Forums are a key mechanism used to receive feedback from students on their programme of study. At the Student Partnership Forum, class representatives and Programme Leaders come together to discuss common areas of interest in relation to learning, teaching and the wider student experience.
Student Partnership Forums meet once per trimester. All students are encouraged to engage in the forum for your own programme of study, either through undertaking a representative role or by providing your class representative with feedback when asked to do so ahead of the meeting.
Student consultation
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There will be opportunities to engage with quality assurance and enhancement activities throughout the academic year in the form of student consultations. For example, we may ask for your input in relation to the review of a policy or process.
Student consultation is typically done through some of the following methods: student focus groups (online or in-person); Padlet walls; Students' Association committees, such as SAGE and EDI committees; Students' Association autumn and spring Academic Representative Gatherings.
Opportunities to be involved are normally promoted by the Students' Association and/or Student Communications and we encourage you to get involved where you can.
Student representation on University committees
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Students are represented on University Court and in academic governance structures, including Senate, Education Committee, Learning Enhancement Sub-committee, School Boards and Programme Boards.
To find out more about student representation and how you can get involved as an academic representative, see the Students' Association page on representation
Programme Approval, Programme Review and Enhancement-Led Internal Subject Review (ELISR)
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The Department of Quality Assurance and Enhancement coordinates an ongoing cycle of approval and review events.
Programme Approval events take place when a new academic programme is proposed for delivery. Programme Review events take place when an existing academic programme is reviewed, normally every five years. Enhancement-Led Internal Subject Review (ELISR) events take place when a whole subject area or department (rather than an individual programme) is reviewed, normally every five years. Students play a crucial role in these key activities and you can find out more about how you can get involved by visiting Approval and review events.
Thematic Review
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The Department of Quality Assurance and Enhancement carries out Thematic Reviews of areas that may not be fully captured during Programme Approval, Review and ELISR. Thematic Reviews involve a strong element of student consultation. In addition, the team carrying out the review normally includes a student (Full Time Officer).
The most recent Thematic Review looked at the operation and effectiveness of Student Partnership Forums, formerly known as Student Staff Consultative Groups (SSCGs). A number of enhancements are currently being implemented, as a direct result of student and staff feedback.
External Review - ELIR
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All universities in Scotland undergo independent external reviews, carried out by a team of staff and students from other institutions, on behalf of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Scotland. Until recently, this was known as Enhancement-led Institutional Review (ELIR), which took place every five years.
In September 2022, new guidance was published on quality arrangements for 2022/23 and 2023/24. Over these two academic sessions, each university will have an Institutional Liaison Meeting (ILM) and undergo Quality Enhancement and Standards Review (QESR).
External Review visits involve stakeholder meetings with both students and staff. Opportunities to be involved are normally communicated by your programme team and/or the Students’ Association.
