The Quality Assurance and Enhancement team, as part of the Academic Registry, provides advice to the University and its staff on issues of quality and standards and ensures the effective operation of the University’s academic governance.
The University has established academic regulations, frameworks, policies, and governance arrangements. These are intended to ensure that courses are well-designed, delivered appropriately and assessed fairly and meet national and regulatory expectations for quality, standards and enhancement whether delivered directly by the University or by one of our education partners.
On this page, you'll find information about, and links to, the University’s academic regulations and to the Quality Manual which provides the key quality assurance principles, guidance and procedures.
Contact Quality
If you have any questions, please contact the Quality Assurance and Enhancement team via quality@canterbury.ac.uk.
For staff access to detailed templates and guidance please access via QAE on Sharepoint: QAE on SharePoint
Academic Regulation and Credit Framework
Academic governance
The University’s Academic Board, subject to the overarching responsibilities of the Governing Body and the Vice-Chancellor, holds responsibility for all aspects of the University’s academic work. It sets out the University’s expectations and overall framework for the development and approval of academic regulations, policies, procedures and quality assurance arrangements. To support this, it has established a committee structure that provides oversight, scrutiny and assurance across different areas of academic work. Student representation is an important part of the University’s academic governance. Student representatives act as a voice for students, providing feedback to the University and Christ Church Students’ Union on key issues that affect students.
If you have any questions, please contact the Quality Assurance and Enhancement team via QAEGovernance@canterbury.ac.uk.
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Student representation
Student Representatives act as a voice for students, providing feedback to the University and Christ Church Students’ Union on key issues that affect students and work proactively to develop and enhance the wider University experience.
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Management of the academic portfolio
The Quality Assurance and Enhancement team oversees and operates the University processes for portfolio management encompassing the planning, development, approval, updating and review of courses, as well as their suspension/withdrawal and closure.
These processes have been designed to ensure that courses of study are of an appropriate academic standard, enhance the quality of learning outcomes and meet national and sector standards and expectations through the lifecycle of the course. This includes ensuring that courses adhere to the requirements of any accreditating bodies through our PSRB Framework and that courses with a work-based learning element are appropriately designed and delivered in all learning contexts.
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- Managing your academic portfolio - Quality Manual chapter
- Quality assurance approach to Foundation Year - Quality Manual chapter
- Quality asaurance approach to managing Professional, Statutory and regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) - Quality Manual chapter
- Changes to courses - Quality Manual chapter
- Work-based learning provision - Quality Manual chapter
- Approving a short course Quality Manual chapter
- Suspension/withdrawal/closure of a course - Quality Manual chapter
Continuous course improvement
The University uses an approach of continuous monitoring and improvement to assure itself, stakeholders, students and external bodies of the continued quality and value of its academic provision.
The continuous monitoring process relates to all undergraduate and postgraduate courses leading to a Canterbury Christ Church University award. This includes research degrees and all courses taught through collaborative partnership and those which form part of a Higher or Degree Apprenticeship.
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External examiners
The University’s external examiner system is a key external means, on a continuous basis, for assuring the maintenance of quality, academic standards and comparability across the HE Sector. It allows the institution to ensure its qualifications are aligned to sector standards, and that student academic performance is judged appropriately and fairly.
If you have any questions, please contact the Quality Assurance and Enhancement team via external-examiners@canterbury.ac.uk.
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Apprenticeships
The University offers a range of higher and degree apprenticeship training courses meeting national Apprenticeship Standards across the breadth of its academic provision. The University has in place governance, regulation, procedures and guidance to ensure that Apprenticeship Courses are well-designed, compliant with external regulation, carefully monitored and undergo a continuous cycle of improvement. The Quality Assurance and Enhancement is responsible for the monitoring of regulatory compliance, University committee support and advice, administration of the appointment, annual reporting, University briefing, and payment of Independent Assessors.
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Collaborative partnerships
To support the University's mission and vision there are academic partnership arrangements with educational institutions both in the UK and internationally. Academic partnerships include the provision of franchised and validated courses, articulation agreements, joint and dual degrees. The University and academic partner enter into a formal partnership agreement for these sub contractual arrangements.
As part of the formal partnership agreement the University sets, monitors and maintains academic standards, assures the quality of the student experience, and provides academic quality assurance of courses leading to university awards delivered with, or by, academic partner institutions.
The policy requirements and procedural guidance are designed to ensure that all collaborative academic partnerships meet and are fully aligned with the University’s mission, vision, regulatory and policy requirements, external and statutory regulation, reflecting University commitment to maintaining the integrity of Canterbury Christ Church University awards.
For further information about partnership activity, please contact quality@canterbury.ac.uk.
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Contact the Quality team
Quality Assurance and Enhancement has three specialist teams:
- Governance, Regulation and Compliance
- Curriculum and Standards
- Collaborative Partnerships
Please feel free to contact us via quality@canterbury.ac.uk.