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Quality Improvement Service
The Quality Improvement Service provides a range of quality assurance and improvement services to the Faculties, Schools and Services of the University. The Service works in partnership with other areas of the University to provide a means by which we can be assured of the quality of our educational provision and its relevance to our students.
The Quality Improvement Service (QIS) is located in room S033, Mellor Building, Stoke Campus.
Primary purpose
The Primary purpose of the Quality Improvement Service is to assist in the maintenance and enhancement of the quality of the University's educational provision.
Primary responsibilities
QIS is reponsible for the administration of the University's quality assurance and improvement procedures. The Service has the following primary responsibilities:
- to advise Faculties, Schools and Services on quality policy and process both internal to the University and those of external bodies such as the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA);
- to arrange the validation of new awards/programmes and the critical review of existing awards;
- to provide administrative support for the quality assurance of the University's collaborative provision;
- to provide officer support for a number of University Boards and Committees;
General responsibilities
Members of QIS act as officers to a range of University Boards and Committees, for example, Quality Sub-Committee, Learning, Teaching and Assessment Committee, plus other ad hoc working parties related to quality matters when required;
External examiner nominations and appointments are administered within QIS, as are the reports external submit at the end of each year;
QIS is reponsible for establishing and overseeing the annual monitoring of University awards;
University validation events and reviews, both on and off campus, are administered by the Service. Institutional-level visits, prior to a validation event involve an officer from the Service.
The Service supports the University in the preparation for audits and reviews conducted by the QAA.
Quality at Staffordshire
The University's framework for quality assurance is informed by the following objectives: assurance of academic standards; quality learning experience; and opportunities for student achievement. These objectives are underpinned by the following principles: responsibility and accountability; communication; quality assurance as a process; and quality enhancement. Read more about Quality at Staffordshire »
QA handbook
The Quality Assurance Handbook describes the framework of procedures that Staffordshire University has established for the quality assurance and improvement of its educational provision. The procedures are designed to safeguard the quality of the student's learning experience at the University. Read more about QA handbook »
SURF Quality Assurance Handbook
This handbook describes the procedures developed by Staffordshire University and its college partners for the quality assurance and improvement of SURF programmes. Read more about SURF Quality Assurance Handbook »
Overseas QA handbook
International collaborative activity poses particular challenges for the management and enhancement of the quality of student experience and the assurance and maintenance of academic standards. This Handbook seeks to address those issues by defining policy and practices - which will be reviewed at regular intervals - to guide the University and its staff in our international collaborative operations. Read more about Overseas QA handbook »
UK Non-SURF QA handbook
This handbook describes the procedures developed by Staffordshire University for the quality assurance and improvement of programmes delivered by UK partner institutions not within the Staffordshire University Regional Federation. Read more about UK Non-SURF QA handbook »
External examiners
This page draws together all External Examiner related information contained within the three quality assurance handbooks. Links are provided to appropriate University regulations. The page also contains information on the University's scale of fees and provides access to all External Examiner related forms. Read more about External examiners »
The Student Voice
The student voice forms an essential part of Staffordshire University's quality assurance processes. This feedback is used to enhance the quality of our awards as well as the wider student experience. Read more about The Student Voice »
Forms and Documents
This section contains electronic downloads for all forms, documents and templates controlled by the Quality Improvement Service. Most forms are in Microsoft Word format and may be completed electronically. Read more about Forms and Documents »
