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University Education Committee

University Education Committee (UEC) reports to Senate.

Terms of reference

Purpose of the Committee

On behalf of Senate, to assure the standards of taught programmes of study, and to monitor and promote the enhancement of the quality of the academic experience of students on these programmes.

Remit

1. To lead on the enhancement of the University’s educational provision and the student experience, through the development and dissemination of good practice and innovation, internally and externally.

2. To lead on the development, approval and monitoring of institutional quality assurance and enhancement policies and practices including, for example, those related to:  

      • academic frameworks, including responsibility for approval of any exemptions from the frameworks
      • collaborative provision
      • assessment and external examining 
      • approval of all educational provision  
      • admissions 
      • inclusivity 
      • evaluation, monitoring and review of all educational provision
      • supervision 
      • employability.

3. To approve proposals, and modifications, for all taught programmes, including taught programmes delivered with external partners (including collaborative provision, International Pathway College and York Online programmes).

4. To recommend to Senate the approval of new awards of the University.

5. To recommend to Senate the approval of new Boards of Studies and any alternative arrangements for the membership of other Boards of Studies.

6. To monitor the standards of taught and research degree programmes (in conjunction with the York Graduate Research School Board) and the quality of students' academic experience including, for example, through consideration of:

      • reports from Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies and other external bodies, including for examples Office for Students, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
      • reports from annual reviews 
      • external examiners’ reports 
      • internal and external student surveys, including the National Student Survey
      • student progression and outcome data 
      • data on appeals and complaints.

7. To approve the appointment of the institutional external examiner.

8. To collaborate with students, and Students’ Union colleagues, across all matters relating to the academic experience of students, through student voice activities, co-construction, and partnership working between staff and students.

9. To consider any matters concerning the academic experience of students on taught programmes that may be referred to it by Senate, Faculty Boards, Faculty Learning and Teaching Groups, Boards of Studies, Department Education Committees, other committees or working groups.

10. To refer to the appropriate University Committees resource matters arising from its work.

11. To monitor and review the effectiveness of managing the corporate risk(s) and other key risks related to the Committee's business and advising and assuring any relevant UEB corporate risk owner.

12. To consider the workload associated with the Committee’s business, including via consideration of the impact of the Committee’s decisions on staff workload; and to oversee the workload associated with being a member of the Committee. 

13. To consider ways of promoting inclusivity, diversity and equity in relation to all the above.

Find out more about the New Programme approval process

Prior to submission of new programme proposals to UEC it is an expectation that programmes have Stage 1-2 development approval, and that programme proposers have sought advice from their designated Academic Quality Team (AQT) contact.

Members

Ex officio members

  • Tracy Lightfoot, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students (Chair)
  • Jan Ball-Smith, Head of Student Success
  • Tom Banham, Academic Registrar
  • David Barrett, Associate Dean for Education and Students for Faculty of Sciences (Department of Health Sciences)
  • Louise Cooke, Interim Associate Dean for Education and Students for Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Department of Archaeology). Until December 2025.
  • Zoe Devlin, Head of Online Partnerships
  • Sam Hellmuth, Associate Dean for Education and Students for Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Department of Language and Linguistic Science). On leave until January 2026.
  • Duncan Jackson, Head of Academic Quality and Development (UEC Secretary)
  • Petros Kefalas, Vice-Provost (Education) from University of York Europe Campus, CITY ULE
  • Steve King, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students and Chair of Standing Committee on Assessment (Deputy Chair)
  • Kirsty Lingstadt, Director of Library, Archives and Learning Services
  • Louise Thurston, Associate Director of Student Careers and Placements
  • Jill Webb, Associate Dean for Education and Students for Faculty of Social Sciences (School for Business and Society)
  • Jen Wotherspoon, Deputy Director of Student Administration and Academic Affairs

Deputy Chair: in the absence of the PVC, the Associate PVC shall be nominated to Chair.

The Faculty Dean shall be the designated alternate for the respective Associate Dean for for Education and Students, in their absence.

Nine academic members

At least two members from each of the three main subject areas, and three members co-opted

Arts and Humanities

Social Sciences

Sciences

  • Michael Bate, Mathematics (until July 2027)
  • Paul Bishop, Psychology (until July 2026)

Co-opted members

  • Lucy Ambrose, Hull York Medical School (until July 2028)
  • Iain Brennan, International Pathway College (until July 2028)
  • TBC

Student representation

  • Aya Haidar, York SU Academic Officer
  • Kaitlyn Beattie-Zarb, York SU Activities Officer

The University of York Students' Union is permitted to designate alternates to student members of the committee.

In attendance

  • Sally O'Connor, Assistant Secretary

Quoracy

The quorum shall be one third of members of the Committee, including at least one student representative.

When considering new programme proposals, the approval decision must involve as a minimum: the Chair or Deputy Chair, two further members of UEC and one student representative. All other members must also have been given a reasonable opportunity to comment on the proposal.

Meetings

2025-26

Date Time Paper deadline Paper deadline for new programmes Intention to submit date for new programmes
25 September 2025 9.30am to 12.30pm 11 September 2025 4 September 2025 21 August 2025
6 November 2025 9.30am to 12.30pm 23 October 2025 16 October 2025 2 October 2025
10 December 2025 1.30pm to 4.30pm 26 November 2025 19 November 2025 5 November 2025
15 January 2026 9.30am to 12.30pm 2 January 2026 4 December 2025 20 November 2025
12 February 2026 9.30am to 12.30pm 29 January 2026 22 January 2026 11 December 2025
26 March 2026 9.30am to 12.30pm 12 March 2026 5 March 2026 19 February 2026
23 April 2026 9.30am to 12.30pm 9 April 2026 19 March 2026 5 March 2026
21 May 2026 9.30am to 12.30pm 7 May 2026 30 April 2026 16 April 2026
11 June 2026 9.30am to 12.30pm 28 May 2026 21 May 2026 7 May 2026
9 July 2026 9.30am to 12.30pm 25 June 2026 18 June 2026 4 June 2026
Minutes and agendas

2025-26

2024-25

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

2020-21

Reporting

Reporting structure

University Education Committee is a sub-committee of Senate, and reports directly to Senate.

The following groups report to University Education Committee:

  • Standing Committee on Assessment
  • Access and Participation Steering Group
  • Faculty Learning and Teaching Groups
  • Apprenticeship Monitoring Board
  • Other fora as required

It receives updates from:

  • Academic Skills Committee
  • Inclusive Learning Steering Group
  • Educational Technology Group
  • Employability Advisory Group
  • Joint Learning and Teaching Strategy Group
  • Library and Archives Committee
  • Professional Programmes Forum
  • Programme Oversight and Development Group
  • York-HEP Joint Monitoring Board
  • International Pathway College Pathway Management Board
  • Other fora as required

See the full Senate sub-committee structure (Sept 2023) (PDF , 36kb)

Parent committee and associated subcommittees

Senate

Preparing papers for UEC

Standing Committee on Assessment