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Circular letter number 18/2004
For further information contact Will Naylor, tel 0117 931 7471, e-mail w.naylor@hefce.ac.uk
Dear Vice-Chancellor or Principal
Postgraduate research degree programmes: minimum standards and funding
1. This letter describes next steps in establishing minimum standards for postgraduate research degree programmes, and how HEFCE and the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland (DEL) will link these to funding.
2. The four UK higher education funding bodies consulted with the sector in May 2003 (HEFCE 2003/23) on establishing minimum standards for postgraduate research degree programmes (RDPs). Concerns were expressed in that consultation about introducing a separate set of standards when a Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) code of practice already existed. In February 2004 the funding bodies announced that they were considering with the QAA the possibility of embedding the standards within the revised section 1 of the QAA code of practice. They stated that each funding body would consider individually how to make the link between the revised code and funding.
3. HEFCE had already indicated, in a previous consultation on our research funding method (HEFCE 2003/38), our intention to introduce a single funding stream for RDP within the block grant for research, and to link this to the achievement of minimum standards of provision, with effect from 2005-06. We aim to announce decisions on the detailed arrangements for allocating this element of our grant (or the DEL grant in respect of institutions in Northern Ireland) in the next grant letter to institutions.
4. The revised section 1 of the QAA code of practice is published on its web-site www.qaa.ac.uk. It has been drawn up by a working group with representation from the HE funding bodies, and its 27 individual precepts cover all the key elements in the minimum standards previously proposed by the funding bodies. This co-ordinated approach should bring substantial benefits in supporting continuing improvement in RDP provision while minimising the associated administrative burden.
5. HEFCE (or DEL in respect of institutions in Northern Ireland) expect all institutions in receipt of HEFCE/DEL funding for postgraduate RDPs to provide these programmes in line with the revised QAA code by 2005-06. The link to funding will be a robust light touch arrangement under which:
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QAA as part of its regular programme of institutional audit will enquire into how any institution receiving HEFCE/DEL funding for RDPs is putting into practice the precepts set out in the code.
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QAA will report to institutions its findings on the effectiveness of their quality processes in ensuring that their RDPs address the precepts of section 1 of the code. Where an institution is found to be significantly out of alignment with such expectations, this will be reported to HEFCE. HEFCE will then discuss this with the institution; ask them to say what steps they are taking to remedy the situation; and will usually ask QAA to follow up after an appropriate interval. If the follow up finds that the institution is still not meeting its quality assurance responsibilities in any significant aspect, and that we cannot be confident that any action being taken will lead to sufficient improvement within a reasonable period, HEFCE/DEL funding for RDP programmes at the institution is likely to be withdrawn in whole or in part. This is consistent with the approach taken for taught programmes.
6. In parallel, HEFCE will monitor through HESA returns the time that students take to obtain their qualifications note 1. We will identify HEIs whose returns indicate a low proportion of students qualifying within a given time frame compared to the average in the sector, taking into account any relevant local circumstances. Where there is cause for concern, and having established that this is not due to technical problems in data collection, we will enquire into the quality of provision at the institution and will ask QAA to follow this up initially.
7. It should be emphasised that we do not envisage a situation in which HEFCE (or DEL in respect of institutions in Northern Ireland) will take action on the basis of statistical evidence alone. In using such evidence as set out above, we will of course take account of variations due to discipline, mode of study, funding source and other local conditions. In the interests of transparency, we will publish in the autumn an information paper showing the time taken by RDP students to obtain their qualifications by a number of variables.
8. These arrangements will come fully into play with the inception of the new QAA review approach from 2006-07. We have however undertaken to make the link to grant from 2005-06. We have therefore agreed with QAA that it will undertake a one-off survey of HEIs' alignment with the revised section 1 of the code during that academic year. This will be mainly paper based, with follow-up visits where institutions' returns indicate particular cause for concern. We will take up any cases where serious problems are identified. More details about the special review process will be available from QAA in spring 2005.
Yours sincerely
Sir Howard Newby
Chief Executive
Note 1
After careful consideration, we have concluded that the best available statistical indicator is the time taken for a student to gain a particular qualification. Further information on this is available on request.
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