Faculty Education Directors, along with Faculty Managers, Finance Business Partners and Deans, are asked to approve business cases at the Faculty level. Business cases are then considered by the Business Case Approval Board.
Faculty Education Directors are empowered to make decisions about whether or not changes to an existing programme or unit require University-level approval (high-risk), and subsequently to make changes to the approval workflow if they see fit. Faculty Education Directors may, having reviewed proposals, direct the AQPO to change the status of a proposal (from needing University level approval to needing faculty approval only, or vice versa). Further information about the definition of changes and assessment of risk can be found in the Guidance for proposers section.
The Faculty Education Directors normally chair the faculty committees that confirm proposals are complete, have received due scrutiny, and that in the view of the Faculty, are academically sound and therefore either appropriate to bring before University Academic Quality and Standards Committee and University Education Committee for final approval, or are fully approved. There is further information in the Guidance for Committee approval of new degree programmes and major changes section.
Faculty Education Directors have the discretion to require external references and student consultation information on a change that only requires faculty level approval.
For proposals being considered by University Academic Quality and Standards Committee, Faculty Education Directors will be asked to draft a coversheet for the academic case and attend the meeting for discussion of the item.
If you have any questions or concerns, or require advice, please contact Sophie Billings by emailing approval-help@bristol.ac.uk
