Between January and June 2007 HLSP reviewers completed the
gargantuan task of monitoring 164 programmes in 79 different
Education Providers throughout England Scotland and Northern
Ireland. The success of this process was due to the hard work
commitment and professionalism demonstrated by reviewers and
education providers implementing a new quality assurance process.
We are pleased to share some reflections on that process and
identify some lessons learned.
Peter Goward, Managing
Reviewer, gives his perspective on the peer review / light touch
approach in which the review hones in on pertinent
issues and avoids creating undue repetition and duplication of
effort for the host organisation. Less time than previously is
spent in the University and more time is spent exploring issues in
the practice learning environment, gathering real evidence of
learning experiences. Education providers comment the light touch
approach enables more relevant issues to be explored and in greater
depth than ever before.
Jess Reeve shares a day in the
life of the administrative team in Cambridge who are
responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the Quality
Assurance approval and monitoring visits for Programme Providers in
England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Karen Hill, Reviewer from the
practice arena, focuses on making little things matter
as part of the quality assurance process, so that bigger goals are
achieved, and the importance of collaboration between colleagues
from service and education backgrounds
.
Nigel Harrison, Reviewer from
an education background, shares his experience of the
monitoring and approval processes and the personal and
organisational benefits of taking on the role. These include
increased confidence in managing approval and monitoring in your
own organisation, a better understanding of regulatory issues and
quality assurance processes in general and returning to your own
organisation with fresh ideas and different solutions to familiar
problems.
Jill Barr, offers an education
providers perspective on being monitored, the
challenges involved, the workload and the lack of enthusiasm,
countered by the team pulling together developing new energy and
enhanced working relationships with their stakeholders and
achieving a positive outcome.
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