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Section 3

Current and planned provision for published information bearing on quality and standards

3.1 The University's general approach

The University notes that the Agency acknowledges that institutions (particularly those, like Cambridge, which are being audited early in the cycle) will need time to meet all of the requirements set out in HEFCE circular 02/15. It notes also that discussions are still taking place in national forums about certain of these requirements and the technical means of delivery. Until the outcomes of these discussions are known, the University considers it premature to determine, in detail, its own position on certain parts of the information set, not least because of the considerable resources required for implementation and constant updating.

Our basic approach will be driven by three considerations:

a willingness to make publicly accessible data which are demonstrably useful to 'stakeholders';
national efforts to generate performance indicators across the sector must not distort or ignore each HEI's particular purposes and arrangements. We are strongly committed to each university being able to provide its own commentary so that raw data can be set in a meaningful context;
data should not be required which undermine the quality assurance processes they purport to calibrate.

3.2 Information currently publicly available

The University already makes publicly available a vast and eclectic range of information through its web-site and in publicly available documents. The University Reporter is publicly available in both formats. Special, annual editions include data on admissions statistics, student numbers, classing distributions and examination results. Interested parties can accordingly access much data bearing on quality and standards such as: undergraduate applications and acceptances by subject, college, school type, gender and ethnic origin; examination classes by subject and gender; levels of demand, by course, for graduate entry; research degree submission rates; the number of graduate students failing to achieve the qualification sought; and the entire annual lecture programme across the University. Annual reports are published by a number of bodies whose remits bear on the University's provision, including the General Board, the Board of Graduate Studies and the Careers Syndicate. These are in addition to reports of significant educational developments which appear in Reporter prior to Discussion in the Regent House (the Remarks made at which are also subsequently published). In general terms, the requirement that all changes in the University's courses appear in Reporter contributes to their wide publicity. The role of the Reporter as the authoritative means of formal communication across the University and the potential for the Regent House to scrutinise and question announcements contained in it help to ensure the accuracy of its contents. The University's particularly high profile in the media encourages particular vigilance in the accuracy of the public information it issues. As part of its consideration of the publicly available data sought in the Cooke Report, the University will endeavour to take steps to make other public data available in a more accessible and coherent way.

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3.3 The University's approach to the 'Cooke' dataset

The following reviews each part of the dataset recommended by the Cooke Report and outlines the University's current position and strategy. The text in italics corresponds to that in section 11 of HEFCE Circular 02/15.

1 Information which should be available in all HEIs:

a. Information on the institutional context

i The HEI's mission statement.
 A statement of the University's mission and its core values is published on the website at http://www.admin. cam.ac.uk/univ/mission.html.
ii Relevant sections of the HEI's corporate plan.
 The University's Strategic Plan is presently being redrafted. A draft has been prepared for discussions with the Chairs of the Councils of the Schools, to be scheduled early in 2003 when the Government's plans for University funding are clearer. These discussions will proceed in tandem with discussions concerning the proposals for the new Resource Allocation Model. The draft Strategic Plan is currently available. It is anticipated that a final version will be available by summer 2003.
iii Statement of the HEI's quality assurance policies and processes.
 Policies and procedures are contained in the University's Guide to Quality Assurance and Enhancement, hard copies of which are made available to all teaching institutions in the University. It is planned that this document will also be published on the website in searchable form early in 2003.
iv The HEI's learning and teaching strategy and periodic reviews of progress.
 The original Learning and Teaching Strategy is published on the website at http://www.admin. cam.ac.uk/reporter/1999-2000/weekly/5805/9.html. The strategy for 2002-03 to 2004-5 will be posted by 1 October 2003. Periodic reviews of the progress of the strategy are undertaken by a management group reporting to the General Board's Education Committee. Information about these reviews is available in the minutes and papers of the relevant University committees.

b. Information on student admission, progression and completion:

i Student qualifications on entry.
 This information is available in the University from the Cambridge Admissions Office and the Student Records and Statistics Section.
ii The range of student entrants classified by age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background, disability and geographical origin as returned to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
 This information is available in the University from the Cambridge Admissions Office and the Student Records and Statistics Section. A subset is published annually in a special number of the Cambridge University Reporter (Student Numbers). Information on undergraduate applications and acceptances is published annually in a special number of the Reporter (Statistics of applications and acceptances).
iii Student progression and retention data for each year of each course/programme, differentiating between failure and withdrawal.
 This information is either regularly available for individual Tripos courses or can be produced at need by Faculties or Departments. It is not at present routinely available centrally, but it will be on implementation of a new Student Information System 'CamSIS' (planned for 2004).
iv Data on student completion.
 This information is available centrally from the University's Student Records and Statistics Section.
v Data on qualifications awarded to students.
 This information is available centrally from the University's Student Records and Statistics Section and is published annually in a special number of the Cambridge University Reporter (Student Numbers).
vi Data on the employment/training outcomes for graduates from the First Destination Survey (FDS).
 This information is available centrally from the University Careers Service.

c. Information on the HEI's internal procedures for assuring academic quality and standards

i. Information on programme approval, monitoring and review:

programme specifications
 Programme specifications for each programme that lead to a University award are available centrally in the Education Section. It is hoped that all specifications will be available in draft form by January 2003, and in final form by the beginning of the academical year 2003-4. It is anticipated that Faculties and Departments will be expected to publish their programme specifications on their websites, although this decision has not yet been made. Discussions on the most effective way to accomplish publication are taking place between personnel from the Education Section and the University Computing Service's webmaster. We note that the template proposed by HERO for publishing information on quality and standards includes programme specifications, contrary to the requirements of the Cooke Report. We are liaising closely with the HERO Technical Group and have agreed to take part in a pilot project on the production of on-line information. We shall proceed with making our programme specifications further available in the light of HERO's deliberations. However, we anticipate that management of the publication of programme specifications will not be an easy task. We had not envisaged one central University site to which all programme specifications would be posted, but rather that they would be hosted on individual Faculty or Department servers. This could make forming links to one central site such as HERO difficult.
a statement of the respective roles, responsibilities and authority of different bodies within the HEI involved in programme approval and review
 This information is published in the University's Guide to Quality Assurance and Enhancement, available in all Faculties and Departments.
key outcomes of programme approval, and annual monitoring and review processes
periodic internal reports of major programme reviews
reports of periodic internal reviews by the institution of Departments or Faculties
 Information on these processes and their outcomes will be found in the minutes and papers of the University bodies under whose auspices they fall. For example, discussions of programme approval and reports of internal reviews are available through the General Board's Education Committee. Annual monitoring and review of programmes takes place at the local, not the central, level. Information on annual review will be found in the papers of relevant Faculty or Departmental bodies, e.g. Faculty Boards or Teaching Committees.
accreditation and monitoring reports by professional, statutory or regulatory bodies
 Such reports will be available in the Faculty or Department responsible for the provision being accredited. The Education Committee is exploring the feasibility and use of collecting such reports more systematically on a central basis. Currently they generally only reach central bodies if problems are encountered or support is specifically requested.

ii. Information on assessment procedures and outcomes:

assessment strategies, processes and procedures
 These are available locally in Faculties and Departments. Many institutions publish marking and classing criteria either in student handbooks or on their websites, and reference copies are kept in the Education Section.
the range and nature of student work
 Faculties, Departments and Colleges hold information on the range and nature of student work within subject areas. This takes the form of information given in University Statutes and Ordinances, course syllabuses, and student handbooks. The retention of formally assessed student work is subject to Examinations Data Retention Policies within each Faculty, acting within the Education Committee's Guidance on Examinations Data.
external examiners' reports, analysis of their findings, and the actions taken in response
 These documents are available both locally and in the Education Section. An annual analysis of the External Examining process is undertaken by the Education Committee, and discussion of the review is found in its papers.
reports of periodic reviews of the appropriateness of assessment methods used
 Reports of such reviews can be found in the papers of the Education Committee or its working parties or subcommittees. Examples include the Report on Indicators of Academic Performance (overseen by the Joint Committee on Academic Performance), a consultation on the use of degree classes (by the Education Committee), and an ongoing review of assessment methods (by the Institutional Audit Working Party).

iii. Information on student satisfaction with their HE experience, covering the views of students on:

arrangements for academic and tutorial guidance, support and supervision
library services and IT support
suitability of accommodation, equipment and facilities for teaching and learning
perceptions of the quality of teaching and the range of teaching and learning methods
assessment arrangements
quality of pastoral support
 Information on these issues is available locally in Faculties and Departments, or in Colleges. This information is not collected or reviewed centrally. The University's reasons for this policy are given below.

iv. Information and evidence available to teams undertaking HEIs' own internal reviews of quality and standards in relation to:

the effectiveness of teaching and learning, in relation to programme aims and curriculum content as they evolve over time
the range of teaching methods used
the availability and use of specialist equipment and other resources and materials to support teaching and learning
staff access to professional development to improve teaching performance, including peer observation and mentoring programmes
the use of external benchmarking and other comparators both at home and overseas
the involvement of external peers in the review method, their observations, and the action taken in response
 Guidance to Internal Review Committees (Appendix L) makes it clear that the Faculty or Department being reviewed should furnish evidence to make it possible to assess the above factors. Such evidence would be available at the local level, and collected and reviewed either as part of the ongoing strategy of the Faculty or Department, or specifically as part of the review process. The Internal Review Committee's report would be expected to comment on these factors, so the information would then become available to central bodies of the University.

2 Information on quality and standards of learning and teaching at each HEI which should be published

We have assumed that this means publicly available. Although not required by the Cooke Report, some of the information listed above will also be publicly available via the University's website. We have set up a new domain called www.cam.ac.uk/learning to host such material, or to link with other sites in the University where relevant information is posted. Where we have chosen not to make information from the dataset above publicly available (usually because ownership of it is at the local level) we will explain this and indicate in principle how such information is gathered and the uses to which it is put. The precise structure of this domain is being explored at present.

a. Quantitative data:

iHESA data on student entry qualifications (including A-levels, access courses, vocational qualifications, and Scottish Highers).
iiPerformance indicators and benchmarks published by the higher education funding bodies on progression and successful completion for full-time first degree students (separately for progression after the first year, and for all years of the programme).
iiiHESA data on class of first degree, by subject area.
ivPerformance indicators and benchmarks published by the Higher Education funding bodies on first destinations/employment outcomes for full-time first degree students.

Since this information is already available we do not envisage difficulties in making it publicly accessible. We assume that this will be accomplished through HERO and we await further information on this. However, in keeping with out intention to provide information which is demonstrably useful to stakeholders, it will be necessary for the University to supplement the HESA data or performance indicators with information explaining their relevance to Cambridge's processes and outcomes. For example, HESA data on class of first degree by subject area does not take into account that it is not the B.A. degree in Cambridge that is classed, but the individual Parts of Triposes. We are also unclear how information will be disaggregated by subject in the published information. If JACS groups are to be used, these do not always correspond in a meaningful way to Faculties, Departments and Triposes in Cambridge.

b. Qualitative data:

i Summaries of external examiners' reports on each programme.

The University is still awaiting advice from national bodies on the form of publication that will be required. The General Board have advised the External Examiners whom they have appointed for 2003 that there is a possibility that summaries of their reports may be made publicly available. Given on-going national discussions, it was not thought appropriate to go into further detail.

The University's present position is in favour of a short public statement by each External Examiner as to whether (a) the examination process was appropriate and was followed correctly, and (b) the standard was appropriate for the level of the programme and at least on a par with directly comparable provision elsewhere. If appropriate, this position will be reviewed once the outcome of national discussions is known. The University is, however, determined that such steps it takes will neither constrain the frankness with which it expects its External Examiners to report, nor make unreasonable demands on them.

ii A voluntary commentary by the HEI at whole institution level on the findings of external examiners' reports.

Subject to the outcome of national discussion on (i) above, the University is likely to wish to provide a commentary on the findings of External Examiners' reports. It sees such a commentary as desirable not purely on the grounds of transparency, but because it will be important to convey the dialogue between Externals and those bodies responsible for provision - which is the essential ingredient in this particular quality assurance process - and to make clear any significant changes in provision arising from the Externals' reports. As indicated earlier, the Education Committee undertakes an annual review of general findings arising from the complete tranche of Externals' reports for a particular year: that review will be made publicly available.

iii Feedback from recent graduates, disaggregated by institution, collected through a national survey.

The University awaits further information from HEFCE concerning the implementation of the national survey.

iv Feedback from current students collected through HEIs' own surveys, undertaken on a more consistent basis than now.

The University does not collect student feedback through a centrally organised survey. It strongly believes that there are good reasons for not doing so. These can be summarised as follows:

(i) Opportunities for structural feedback at a local level (through questionnaires issued for a set of lectures, for a particular paper, at the end of a year or at the entire programme), or for a particular central service (for example, the University Library and the Computing Service) are extensive. The existence of such opportunities and the means of acting on feedback are ascertained in the preparation of the annual quality statement; mechanisms which deliver higher response rates will be widely publicised.
(ii) Feedback is most effectively collected and acted upon when it is sought as close as possible to the point at which provision is offered.
(iii) The full-time residential nature of the majority of provision and the extent of small group teaching provide extensive and continuous opportunities for local informal feedback.
(iv) The division of responsibilities between the University and the Colleges not only makes a central University questionnaire inappropriate but, more importantly, offers each student more effective means to relay to each party his/her views on the other's provision (with far better prospects for immediate action than a central system could ever hope to achieve) and a variety of avenues for making his/her views known, if the student feels uncomfortable about commenting directly to the particular provider.
(v) Were local arrangements to be inadequate, this would quickly become known (and resolved) through one or more of the extensive opportunities for formal representation of student views, in staff-student committees, through Faculty Boards, via student representation on the central bodies and college bodies, and through pro-active Student Unions.

v A summary statement of the institution's learning and teaching strategy as presented to the HEFCE under the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund programme.

The original Learning and Teaching Strategy is published on the website at http://www.admin. cam.ac.uk/reporter/ 1999-2000/weekly/5805/9.html. The strategy for 2002-03 to 2004-05 will be posted by 1 October 2003.

vi Summary statements of the results of, and the actions taken in response to, periodic programme and departmental reviews, to be undertaken at intervals of not more than six years.

Summaries of those parts of the reports of internal reviews of Faculties and Departments which bear on their teaching, learning and assessment arrangements and the quality assurance of those arrangements, together with an indication of actions taken in connection with relevant recommendations, will be publicly available. It is anticipated that summaries of internal reviews that have taken place in the academical year 2002-03 will be posted to the University website by the beginning of the next academical year.

vii Summaries of the HEI's links with relevant employers, how the institution identifies employer needs and opinions, and how those are used to develop the relevance and richness of learning programmes. These should be included as part of learning and teaching strategies (item v. above) and in individual programme specifications.

The General Board consider that preparation for any specific branch of employment is not the main objective of most educational programmes provided by the University. They take the view that the requirement to include specific employers' needs and opinions in programme specifications would distort the aims and objectives of many Cambridge programmes. Preparation for employment in general is provided in the opportunities for acquisition of relevant transferable skills outlined in programme specifications.

Where programmes with a significant vocational or professional element are accredited by professional or statutory bodies, details are given in the programme specification.

The Careers Service maintains links with relevant employers and takes into account employer needs and opinions in the services which it provides for students. Details of its services can be found at http://www.careers.cam.ac.uk/

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3.4 Timetable

We anticipate that material will be added to www.cam.ac.uk/learning according to the following timescale:

1(a) (i) - (iv)by early 2003 (revised Teaching and Learning Strategy by 1 October 2003).
1(b) (ii) and (v)Datasets appearing in the Reporter will be linked to the domain by early 2003
1(c) (i)
(programme specifications)
These will be linked when advice from HERO has been obtained. The University would wish to (programme retain ownership of any data which is posted via or linked to the HERO website specifications
1(c) (i)
(Statement of roles)
By early 2003 (contained in 1(a) (iii))
2(a) (i) - (iv)When advice is obtained from the relevant body, presumably HERO or the HEFCE.
2(b) (i) - (iii)When advice is obtained from the relevant body, presumably the HEFCE.
2(b) (v)Already available
2(b) (vi)1 October 2003.


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Cambridge University Reporter, Monday 3 March 2003
Copyright © 2002 The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge.