Changes to the Quality Handbook

February 2010

24/2/10: Updated External Examiners for Taught Programmes Appointment Procedure to reflect LATEU responsibilities in this procedure.

10/2/10: Added External Examiners for MPhil Programmes - Joint Recommendation and Report Form.

December 2009

1/12/09: Added revised Delegation of Senate Powers document and revised AQSC coversheet.

November 2009

6/11/09: Added new Guidelines section to 'Strategies and Policies' tab to hold the new guidance document on Writing References for Students. More guidelines are being written.

September 2009

8/09/09: Updated all references to the University Calendar to use new URLs. Also fixed broken links to LATEU website and replaced ISS with iSolutions.

9/9/09: Added documents to Completion of Research Candidature page, added links from Form Store.

14/9/09: Updated Exams Policy for Disabled and Dyslexic Students and added new page and document Guidance on Making Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Staff and Students - plus new navigation and A-Z entries

30/9/09: Updated Exams Policy for Disabled and Dyslexic Students with new Appendix 2 from School of Medicine, covering policy for BM students.

August 2009

Updated all word documents to refer to new national qualifications levels (4,5,6,7 and 8) replacing HE1, HE2, HE3, Masters and Doctoral

Removed all references to NQF replacing with correct FHEQ in pages and Word documents

Removed all references to units so that module is used consistently throughout in pages and Word documents

July 2009

31/07/09: Updated LTERAP forms for 2009

30/07/09: Updated pages to refer to national FHEQ levels rather than HE level 1, 2 and 3 and added new policy and guidance on Peer Development of Teaching to replace Peer Observation of Teaching

9/06/09: Moved advice about Doctoral Degrees from LATEU website to page Guidelines for Doctoral Degrees.

April 2009

28/04/09: Updated link to Health & Safety office and form SP6 on Guideline for Students Studying Away from the Univesity. Updated link to form SP6 in Practice Placement Guidelines document and uploaded new version.

January 2009

22/01/09: Added revised External Examiners for Taught Programmes Fes & Expenses claim form and new claim form for PGR External Examiners Fees and Expenses 

21/01/09: Revised Diploma Supplement guidance on recording of marks

9/01/09: Added Declaration of Academic Integrity for online submission of assignments and linked to page Declaration of Academic Integrity cover sheet.

September 2008

03/09/08:  Added good practice guidance on staying safe and emergency contact details for students studying away from the University (AQSC April 2008) and links to Health and Safety Office guidance

26/09/08: Added Guidance on Student Handbooks, which aims to reduce duplication and mis-matching advice and information for students from various sources.

August 2008

1/08/08: An amended Doctoral Examiners' Joint Report and Recommendation form was approved by AQSC at its April and July meetings. Schools are asked to use this new form with immediate effect (from 1 August). Please note that the word 'PhD' in the title has been changed to 'Doctoral'.

1/08/08: The Nomination Form for Appointment of Examiners for a Postgraduate Research Degree has been amended (page 2, section A 2. External Examiner) to clarify the wording with regard to 'collaboration with an external body'. An amendment has also been made to the note on the last page of the form regarding the collective experience of the examining team. The new wording reflects what is set out in the guidance on Appointment of Examiners for Postgraduate Research Degrees. Both amendments were approved by AQSC on 23 April 2008.

1/08/08: Updating of the Guidance on Extension of Candidature - Research Students, and the related form Request Form for Extension of Research Candidature were approved by AQSC on 23 April following amendments proposed by a working group. The amendments to the form clarify that extensions should only be used in exceptional circumstances, reflecting what is in the Guidance document.

29/08/08: 

  • The revised LTERAP Guidance for Schools uploaded
  • Guidance for presentation of AQSC papers added
  • Word files now conform to the new University brand image

June 2008

Memorandum of Agreement form has been removed. The processes for the agreement are being reviewed and a new template will be available when this has been completed.

March 2008

12/03/08: Additional page added to University Strageties for the new Fitness to Study policy for the University, available from the Student Services Support web site.

February 2008

Update to "Using the Academic Integrity Statement: Guidance for Schools" to include the revisions approved by AQSC 6th February 2008.  The revisions take into account the changes to regulations published in the Calendar, issues regarding serial and multiple incidents, issues involving two or more students in different roles, and drawing attention to the possibility of the consequential effects of penalties. 

November 2007

14/11/07: Moved Guidelines for Doctoral Degrees and Integrated PhD Programmes to the Institutional Framework section, under Research Students - Policies and Regulations. Also moved Approval of Professional Doctorates and Programme Specification Template for Professional Doctorates to the Programme Design and Approval section, under Academic Approval Process. Updated A-Z Index and Form Store accordingly.

15/11/07: Uploaded revised versions of the Special Circumstances Policy and Special Circumstances Request form. Also added PDF versions of all forms used by students, updated Form Store and added link to University Calendar to home page.

October 2007

2/10/07: Changes were made to several pages to reflect the use of 'professional doctorate' to describe 'postgraduate research degrees with a major taught element' or 'taught research degrees'. These were: Approval of Professional Doctorates, Guidelines for Doctoral Degrees, Programme Specification Templates for Professional Doctorates and Appointment of Examiners for Professional Doctorates.

2/10/07: External Advisor's Report template added

3/10/07: Link made to the Calendar - Progression and Classification Rules

3/10/07: Programme Specification template added

3/10/07: Guidelines for Examiner's Boards when there are Missing Marks added

3/10/07: Delegation of Senate Powers - Educational Quality and Standards added

3/10/07: Student/Course Reps: Examples of Good Practice in Schools added

3/10/07: Support Services for Students added

3/10/07: Guidance on the Doctoral Exam Process added

4/10/07: changes made to Regulations Governing Academic Appeals to reflect that a single set of regulations now covers undergraduate and postgraduate students

11/10/07: link made to Computer-Assisted Assessment Policy on ISS website

September 2007

11/9/07: The new website went live - numerous small changes have been made to the layout and structure since then, but none that affect the content except those noted.

17/9/07: An update to the Report form for External Examiners of Taught Programmes which highlights the need for anonymity for staff as well as students

August 2007

During the period January-August 2007, the Quality Handbook was extensively revised and restructured. The information contained in the existing Quality Assurance Handbook website was converted to Word documents, reviewed and edited. A new website structure was created using the University's 'content management system' and the Word documents are linked to this. One primary aim was to improve access to and simplify use of the information by staff. Another was to enable efficient maintenance of the information, including features such as this change log.