University of York receives quality endorsement

Posted on Wednesday 30 June 2004

The QAA report says that "broad confidence can be placed in the soundness of the University's … management of the quality of its academic programmes and the academic standards of its awards".

The report praised in particular the University's strong academic and pastoral support for students.

The QAA conducts external quality reviews of academic programmes and their management.

The quality assurance framework [is the system of guidelines and procedures that ensure that the University's various branches function to a certain standard at all levels. This ensures that the University continues to provide the level of service that students and others would expect from one of the UK's leading teaching and research institutions.

"The University is delighted at this outcome which endorses York's reputation for teaching excellence," says the University's Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bruce Gilbert, adding: "We are justifiably proud of the continued and successful efforts of staff in academic and administrative departments in maintaining the distinctiveness of the student experience at York."

The QAA report (available at www.qaa.ac.uk/revreps/instrev/york2004/summary.htm) highlighted many features of good practice at the University, including:

• a robust academic and pastoral student support system;
• an effective, collaborative approach in establishing the Hull York Medical School in conjunction with the University of Hull;
• provision to staff of well-drafted guidance on the policies and procedures governing course and assessment administration;
• the use of departmental contacts to create an effective management network for information sharing, and policy implementation and practice.