Annual Programme Review (APR)

Annual Programme Review is Lancaster University’s core monitoring and review mechanism for its taught programmes and research awards. It reflects the University’s stated commitment to ‘an ethos of continuous improvement in all of its activities, including the delivery of academic programmes.’ (Academic Regulations, CR1.1) and it allows the University to regularly review performance against the Office for Students’ quality conditions.

The QAA also places high value on monitoring and evaluation of higher education, describing it as, 'an essential process within providers, forming a fundamental part of the academic cycle.' Looking at all aspects of the higher education experience, it provides assurance on the integrity and threshold standards of courses and qualifications aligned to national frameworks, and an opportunity to consider how learning opportunities for students can be enhanced.

Annual Programme Review (APR) facilitates monitoring of our ability to meet the core practices of the QAA’s quality code for Higher Education, including delivery of high quality courses, sufficient and appropriate facilities and learning resources, engagement of students, and (via external examiners’ reports) ensuring that threshold standards for our qualifications are consistent with relevant national qualifications frameworks and that students who are awarded qualifications have the opportunity to achieve standards beyond the threshold level that are reasonably comparable with those achieved in other UK providers.

The workbooks for 2023-24 can be found below:

Programme Re-approval Process

Programme re-approval is curriculum and assessment mapping, which evidences the extent to which the cumulative effect of revisions to a programme over time may have undermined the integrity of the programme as specified in the programme learning outcomes.

Supported by the faculty Quality Assurance and Enhancement Manager, programme teams update curriculum and assessment maps to make an initial determination if a programme remains structurally sound and aligned to the defined programme learning outcomes. An analysis of programme related data from the previous 5 years is undertaken to consider the performance of the programme over time. A Faculty Re-approval Checklist records the findings of the mapping and data analysis exercise, indicators of the programme’s currency, sustainability and the student experience.

Once the checklist has been completed it is submitted to Faculty Teaching Committee to determine if the programme can, and should, be re-approved for a further 5 years. Faculty Teaching Committee may also refer the programme back to the programme team for amendments to be completed before re-approval is granted, or (where evidence supports) recommend the programme for laydown.

In the first instance, programmes have been scheduled for re-approval based on the date of the last departmental Periodic Quality Review. If you should have any questions relating to programme re-approval or the schedule, please contact either your Faculty QAEM or AQSC directly.

Strategic Teaching and Learning Review

It is important to note that Strategic Teaching and Learning Review (STLR) is not a quality assurance procedure, but rather a strategic review and planning opportunity. STLR is intended to be a forward-focused, enhancement-led process to consider the activities of, and challenges faced by, departments over the review period. The discussions provide opportunities to identify the extent to which staffing expertise and interests in the department align with teaching requirements for the future, and in particular what support and development needs the department may have in relation to staffing and programme development/delivery ambitions. This information may then be used to inform subsequent planning rounds.

Academic departments normally undergo a review of their teaching and learning every five years. Drawing on monitoring and review processes completed during the review period, departments undergoing STLR prepare a review document which forms the basis of discussion with the review panel.

An STLR Schedule has been prepared for the whole STLR cycle in liaison with Deans and Heads of Departments to take account of similar faculty or PSRB activities planned or anticipated. Where such activity is identified, the Academic Quality, Standards and Conduct (AQSC) unit works with faculty and department colleagues to determine the extent to which those activities align with the principles of STLR. The STLR Schedule indicates where agreement has been reached to use a faculty or PSRB activity as a proxy event.

In preparing the schedule the aim will be, wherever possible, to ensure a balanced distribution of events across the faculties per year to avoid bunching in one particular area, and to reduce any duplication of effort and burden on any academic department.

An STLR Briefing Document is available which provides further details on the process.

A Guide for External Panel Members is also available.

If you should have any questions relating to APR, please contact either your Faculty QAEM or AQSC directly.

Degree Outcomes Statement

Lancaster University publishes an annual Degree Outcomes Statement in response to a commitment made by the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment (UKSCQA) on behalf of the UK higher education sector. The UKSCQA statement of intent can be found on the Universities UK website.

Curriculum and Assessment Mapping

The curriculum and assessment mapping templates are key programme documents and should be completed alongside the CAIT proposal when developing new programmes of study. They should also be used when reviewing the impact of module and programme changes (and amended where these changes impact on the template information). Curriculum and Assessment Mapping guidance is available‌.

Templates are provided for:

Course Approvals and Information Tool (CAIT)

The University has an online Course Approvals and Information Tool (CAIT) which is used for the approval of new programmes and modules and for the revision of existing programme and modules Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs)

Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs)

The University has a number of programmes which are accredited by PSRBs. A central register of programmeswhich have accredited status is maintained by AQSC and updated on an annual basis.

Programmes accredited by PSRBs are subject to the University’s standard quality assurance and enhancement procedures. In addition to these procedures, departments are required to report on their engagement with PSRBs in the Annual Teaching Review (ATR) report and to submit PSRB reports on their programmes to the faculty with their ATR report. Faculties and the Academic Standards and Quality Committee have a monitoring role in relation to PSRB activity and reports. Academic and professional services departments also have a responsibility to ensure that information on the accreditation status of individual programmes is both accurate and available to applicants and students. A guidance document on the University’s policy and procedures for PSRBs is available.