About
Within the Education and Student Experience Division, the Academic Quality and Policy Office (AQPO) is responsible for a broad range of activities around academic quality assurance and enhancement, educational regulatory and policy development and student engagement, building on good practice and informed by the wider HE sector. AQPO aim to provide a professional and expert service for all staff, for the benefit of the University’s students by:
- supporting the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experiences), Associate Pro Vice-Chancellors, University Education Directors, Faculty Education Directors, Faculty Education Managers and committees in educational development;
- ensuring that discussion of educational initiatives and issues, including policy, is conducted, and major decisions are taken, by the academic community working through the committee system;
- working with staff and students to support the implementation of the University's quality assurance and enhancement processes;
- keeping abreast of relevant national and institutional developments to inform good practice within the University and coordinating University responses to external consultations;
- providing clear information and helpful advice and bringing professional expertise around internal and external regulations and policy in education.
The University regards quality assurance and quality enhancement as two aspects of the same process and practices an explicitly academic-led quality management and enhancement approach reflecting the centrality of active engagement by the academic community, which includes students, in all our processes.
The AQPO is led by a senior team consisting of the Director of Education Quality and Policy and the Academic Quality Managers, who are responsible for specific areas, although all members of AQPO work together to support the University’s quality agenda.
The three main areas of work are:
Oversight of quality assurance processes as they apply to University regulations, guidance and policies to ensure compliance and functionality. Supporting and advising education related committees, determining the agenda of work and activities. Ensuring that key issues in the sector are highlighted and considered by the University and any relevant changes or modifications to practice are incorporated. Working across the University to ensure collaborative provision arrangements are appropriate, securing the student experience and safeguarding University and legal requirements. Working with areas they manage quality assurance compliance issues and help to safeguard the University’s position in relation to external audits and reviews.
Managing the University’s process that governs the design and development of new programmes and units, providing essential guidance to academic colleagues and other staff. Ensuring University procedures for curriculum development and the approval, monitoring and review of programmes are robust and meet external reference points, managing relevant processes and ensuring systems are up to date and reliable. Working with academics (e.g. as critical friends) and other teams (e.g. Admissions and Strategic Planning) to ensure that up to date information and advice regarding the development of new programmes and curriculum changes are readily available. Ensuring that Professional, Statutory and Regulatory body requirements as they relate to programme and curriculum development and delivery at Bristol, are assessed and incorporated in curricular material.
Playing a key role in ensuring our student engagement and partnership agenda is in place and deliverable. Working closely with colleagues in the UoB Students’ Union to enable the student voice to be heard, and working collaboratively with students and academic colleagues to ensure such systems as the student representation are vigorous and reliable. Managing the broad range of processes around the delivery of procedures relating to student feedback, including unit valuation and internal and external surveys (e.g NSS). Working with other teams to ensure appropriate student representation and engagement in quality assurance, curriculum design and enhancement of teaching activities.