The Education Action Plan (EAP) is a core component of the University’s Quality Assurance (QA) framework. It is a live, iterative document that records the school’s educational priorities and actions that have been identified to address these, and other issues that arise from annual, periodic, and ongoing QA mechanisms. All schools must maintain an EAP document and this forms the basis of the annual University Quality Team review, and the Periodic Programme Revalidation. The EAP Cycle and Timeline Taught (PDF, 187kB) and EAP Cycle and Timeline Research (PDF, 133kB) illustrate the timeline of the annual EAP process. Please also see the Policy for Education Action Planning (PDF, 117kB) and the EAP Process (PDF, 104kB)
As part of the EAP process schools must carry out an annual review of their taught units and programmes, and postgraduate research programmes including any programmes that are part of a Doctoral Training Entity (DTE). This gives schools the framework to reflect on all aspects of their teaching in a timely manner as it provides the opportunity to:
The outcomes from these annual reviews will feed into the EAP priority setting and will be reflected within the EAP. For further information on conducting annual review please see Annual Review of Programmes.
Where can I find my school's Education Action Plan?
Education Action Plans are held in the QA Framework Documents SharePoint site.
What goes into the Education Action Plan?
As well as the educational priority areas and actions that have been identified to address these, Schools should include other relevant actions relating to its education provision arising from the following:
How do I complete my Education Action Plan?
Please refer to the Hints and Tips on Completing your PGR EAP and Hints and Tips on Completing your Taught EAP
How should I use the Education Action Plan?
The EAP is intended to be a useful planning tool that the school can use to record its educational priorities, and actions arising from any of the events listed above. Schools have found the EAP to be most beneficial and effective when it is used as a live and iterative record of actions and is reported and updated at regular School meetings, e.g. the Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC). You may want to consider reporting the EAP as a standing item on the SSLC agenda, and using the meeting as a regular opportunity to monitor progress on the actions. The template allows a space for you to record progress on each action, and to provide an update date to help you track and monitor progress.
You can add new actions to the EAP throughout the year at anytime, for example after the review of PGT outcomes in January/February, or to record relevant actions agreed at an SSLC meeting.
The current EAP for each school must be updated and kept saved in the centrally-held shared folder. Locally saved versions of the EAP should be avoided as the UQT will not be able to access these in preparation for the annual UQT review.
How do I write actions and monitor progress within the Education Action Plan?
Please refer to the Guidance for Writing the Education Action Plan (PDF, 161kB) for details on writing the EAP.
When do I complete the Education Action Plan?
The EAP should be kept up to date throughout the year, and new actions may be added at anytime. The previous year's EAP should be closed off and outstanding actions carried over to the forthcoming year in around June/July. The priority areas must be agreed and recorded in the EAP by 3rd October, which is a week before the start of the University Quality Team review cycle. The University Quality Team will use the school's EAP to inform its review.
How does the EAP integrate with the Education and Student Experience section of the IPP Thumbnail?
Actions and priority areas that are identified through regular quality assurance mechanisms including student surveys and TEF metrics, are recorded in the school’s Education Action Plan (EAP). Actions in the EAP should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Priority areas should be more strategic covering larger themes but must be linked to actions which specify how these will be addressed. Actions that require resourcing input from the Faculty should be recorded in the EAP, describing how the school intends to take forward resourcing requests with the faculty.
The Integrated Planning Process (IPP) thumbnail is a strategic, forward looking overview of the school’s direction over the next four years. The thumbnail is not supposed to be comprehensive and remains an iterative document of the school’s strategic direction. It can be used to flag resourcing issues that have been raised with the faculty, which may have also been recorded in the EAP.
There is a two-way flow of action and prioritisation between the school's IPP thumbnail and its EAP. EAP priority areas may usefully inform the Education and Student Experience section of the thumbnail. Strategic priorities relating to Education and Student Experience that have been identified in the IPP thumbnail may translate into actions that are recorded on the EAP.
Outcomes from the University Quality Team reviews will feed into the school and faculty IPP.
The Planning Office and AQPO can provide further generic advice about integration between EAP and IPP. However, please contact the School Manager if you require advice about specific school priorities.
Guidance for Education Action Planning 2023/24
| Late July - September 2023 | Carry out annual programme reviews and agree the EAP Priority areas for 2023/24 |
| 16th October | Deadline for updating PGR EAPs with priority areas and actions arising from annual reveiw |
| 23rd October | Cycle of Universty Quality Team review of PGR programmes starts |
| 30th October | Deadline for the Taught programme EAPs with priorirty areas and actions arising from annual review |
| 6th November | Cycle of University Quality Team Review of UG and PGT programmes starts |
|
December - February 2024 |
PGT review of outcomes |
|
June 2024
|
Carry forward any outstanding actions to the 2024/25 EAP template |
If you have any queries about the EAP process please email aqpo-info@bristol.ac.uk
