Educational Partnerships

The University of Bristol has a number of different kinds of educational collaborative arrangement at undergraduate, taught postgraduate and research postgraduate levels. The principal forms of partnership activity at the University are:

• Doctoral Training Entities - e.g. collaborative Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs), Industrial Doctorate Centres (IDCs) and Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs);
• Programmes delivered collaboratively – e.g. the MB ChB medical programme with our regional NHS Trust partners through the Clinical Academies;
• Joint and dual awards with other degree-awarding bodies – e.g. the joint MSc Robotics with the University of the West of England;
• Collaborative doctoral supervision – e.g. co-supervision of a PhD student with a supervisor from another academic institution, where the student typically spends a period of study based at the partner institution; or where a PhD student carries out research in an industry setting, with an academic and an industrial supervisor (e.g. CASE awards);
• Placements/work based learning - which might be professional, industrial or clinical, e.g. programmes with study in industry, social work placements, GP placements or PGCE placements;
• Delivery/service provision – i.e. involving external partners in formal teaching, assessment and/or provision of resources (which might be at unit level), e.g. practical classes delivered at the partner’s facilities, using their specialist equipment and/or with the involvement of their teaching and/or technical support staff;
• Study abroad and student exchange arrangements, such as ERASMUS.

A broad range of activity is covered by the term ‘educational partnership’ or ‘educational collaborative arrangement’. For further information on different types of partnership, please refer to the Glossary of Terms, and Section 4 of the Policy Framework for educational collaborative arrangements. The University of Bristol has agreed on a standard terminology used within the institution to refer to its different types of educational partnership activity, although other institutions in the UK and in other countries may use different terms for some of these activities.

A sponsorship-only arrangement, or a voluntary work experience opportunity or placement arranged by the student (as opposed to one which is a formal component of their programme of study), would not be considered to be an educational partnership.

The Quality Assurance Agency defines educational collaborative activity as follows: “…the critical factor is whether the achievement of the learning outcomes for the module or programme are dependent on the arrangement made with the other delivery or support organisation(s).” - QAA Quality Code Chapter B10, Managing higher education provision with others (2012)

In relation to research collaborations with external partner(s) that do not involve an educational component, please contact the Research & Enterprise Development (RED) team for further advice.

For proposals to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an international partner as a framework for general cooperation, rather than to develop a specific educational collaboration, the University International Committee has developed an MoU template and process. Please consult your Faculty International Director for further advice in the first instance.

If unsure whether the activity you have in mind would constitute an educational partnership, please contact the Academic Quality and Partnerships Office (AQPO) for further advice.

The University of Bristol is responsible for assuring the academic standards of its awards and the quality of learning opportunities for its students, regardless of who is involved in the delivery of its educational provision or where it takes place.  No student should be disadvantaged in terms of the quality of learning opportunities delivered collaboratively with other institutions, in comparison with those delivered solely by the University.

It is therefore essential, when working with external partners to deliver learning opportunities, to ensure that all organisations involved have a clear and explicit understanding of their roles and responsibilities, and to identify and take steps to mitigate any potential risks.

Chapter B10 of the QAA Quality Code, Managing higher education provision with others (2012), sets out the Expectation that UK higher education providers are required to meet in order to assure academic standards and quality in the context of collaborative educational provision.

The approval process is designed to ensure that the University has a coordinated approach to the development of its partnerships and an opportunity to assess associated benefits and risks, and can ensure that collaborative provision is appropriately planned, resourced and managed.

All new educational collaborative arrangements need to go through an initial approval process.  Given the range of different types of collaborative arrangement, the approval process is adapted according to the nature of the specific arrangement concerned and in proportion to the level of complexity and risk involved.  It is important that this process happens before any commitment is made to the prospective partner institution or to student(s).

If the proposal is to set up a collaborative programme, then approval in principle for the partnership must first be secured, before the programme goes through the University’s programme approval process.

Proposals for new educational partnerships require an Academic Lead who will take forward the development of the proposal, with support from professional services. The Academic Lead is a member of University staff with appropriate knowledge, skills and sufficient time available to undertake the role. If a proposal for a new partnership is successful, the role of Academic Lead will involve liaising with counterparts at the partner institution(s) to ensure the successful maintenance of the partnership, and ensuring the partnership is managed and delivered in accordance with the collaborative Agreement and with the University’s quality assurance procedures.

The Academic Quality and Partnerships Office (AQPO) is the first point of contact if you are thinking of developing a new educational partnership, and can guide you through the approval process, bringing in support from other professional services as needed (e.g. Bristol Doctoral College, Research & Enterprise Development, Secretary’s Office, Finance Services). The International Office manages study abroad and exchange arrangements and can advise on these.

Whether a potential collaborative arrangement originates from within the University or from a prospective external partner, the internal requirements for the initial approval of any such arrangement will still apply. Any proposed new activity with an existing partner must also go through the approval process (i.e. where this constitutes a new development not covered by the existing Agreement with that partner). Please contact the Academic Quality and Partnerships Office (AQPO) for further advice. 

Please contact the Academic Quality and Partnerships Office (AQPO) at an early stage for advice and to discuss any potential proposal. Some initial questions to think about are:

• Why would it be beneficial to collaborate with this particular partner / these partners at this time?
• Does the School/Faculty or University have any prior experience of working with the proposed partner(s)?
• What are the timescales involved in getting the proposal approved (e.g. is there a deadline to bid for external funding)?
• Is there a new programme or major change to an existing programme that would need to be approved as part of the proposal?
• How many partners are involved and what kind of partner(s) are they (degree awarding body, non-UK institution, industrial company)?
• What would the respective roles and responsibilities be of the University and of the partner organisation(s), e.g. in relation to teaching, assessment, supervision, student support, location of delivery?
• What sort of financial and resource implications might there be for the proposed collaborative activity?
• Which partner would be making the degree award or is a dual or joint award being considered? If the latter, what is the rationale for this?

Strategic approval for the partnership activity must be secured before the bid is signed off. In these circumstances it may be necessary for a ‘fast track’ approval process to take place, so it is strongly advised to contact the Academic Quality and Partnerships Office (AQPO) at the earliest possible stage to indicate the timescales involved and to ensure that sufficient information can be made available about the proposed bid to enable a timely decision to be reached. 

There are many potential benefits of collaborative working. It can play an important role in delivering excellent and innovative education for Bristol students through the combination of expertise and resources. For example, educational partnerships can promote an internationalised education experience, enhance student learning opportunities and employability, and contribute to research priorities. 

However, educational collaborative arrangements can also involve risks. These might include risks to academic standards and quality and the student experience, or financial, legal and reputational risks. In addition, staff time and resources to effectively develop and manage a partnership can be substantial. These considerations are taken into account as part of the development, approval and review processes for the University’s educational partnerships.

A written agreement must always be put in place with an educational collaborative partner before the activity in question commences, regardless of whether the lead partner is the University or the external partner. This agreement may take various forms, depending on the type of collaborative activity concerned, but should confirm the respective roles and obligations of all the partners.

A Collaboration Agreement may need to be put in place, i.e. a formal, signed, legally binding document which sets out the nature and duration of the collaborative arrangement. Further detail concerning the day-to-day administration and management of the partnership arrangement may also be set out in a supplementary Operating Agreement.

Once an educational partnership has been approved, the Academic Quality and Partnerships Office (AQPO) will work with the Academic Lead concerning the development of the written agreement, coordinating input from the Secretary’s Office, Finance and other professional services as required. The agreement must be signed by an authorised signatory of the University.

The written Agreement will need to clarify key aspects of the partnership, such as arrangements for student admissions, registration, support, assessment and awards; financial arrangements; the applicable regulations and quality assurance processes; and provisions for withdrawal or termination of the agreement.

Where an existing Collaboration Agreement with a partner institution is coming to the end of its term, a periodic review of the educational partnership will be arranged. This should take place in good time before the current Agreement expires, to enable either renegotiation or an orderly conclusion of the arrangement, as appropriate.

The purpose of the review process is specifically to consider the functioning of the collaborative arrangement, to identify whether circumstances have changed since the arrangement was put in place/ last reviewed, and to determine whether the University wishes to negotiate the renewal of the partnership, and if so, on what basis. No commitment can be made to renegotiate or renew an arrangement until the review process has been satisfactorily concluded.

For study abroad and exchange arrangements, please contact the International Office for advice on the review process. For all other educational collaborative arrangements, please contact the Academic Quality and Partnerships Office (AQPO).