Definition of Academic Partnership and Collaborative Provision

The approval of an academic partnership arrangement involves two distinct but related processes that can run in parallel:

• Recognition by the University of the partner institution (academic partnership);
• Approval of the partnership programme/course/module arrangement (collaborative provision)

Academic Partnership

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) definition of partnership is:

 

“An arrangement between two or more organisations to deliver aspects of teaching, learning, assessment and student support. It refers to collaborative arrangements involving students and/or awards, which include those involving guaranteed progression and sharing of services. Partnership arrangements may apply to the delivery of whole courses of study or to elements of courses, individual modules, or self-contained components of study. Alternative sites and contexts for learning or assessment, or specialist support, resources or facilities for learning, may be provided, for example, by organisations offering work-based or placement learning opportunities, or employers supporting employees on higher education courses where the workplace is used as a learning environment. They may operate either within the UK or transnationally and include, for example, different modes of delivery such as online, validation arrangements, franchised courses, branch campuses, multiple awards, apprenticeships and provision by ‘embedded colleges’ of integrated foundation courses.”

 

The importance of mutually beneficial academic partnerships is recognised, particularly in facilitating access to higher education and curriculum development, delivery and enhancement. All partnerships will be considered for approval in light of their alignment with the University’s strategies.

 

QAA UK Quality Code, Advice and Guidance: Partnerships November 2018

Collaborative Provision

Learning opportunities leading or contributing to the award of academic credit or a qualification that are delivered, assessed or supported through an arrangement with one or more organisations other than the degree-awarding body.