Supported internships are a structured, work-based study programme for 16 to 24-year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The Department for Education (DfE) aims to strengthen the supported internship programme, by making an £18m investment in activity to allow the supported…

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) holds diverse roles in the regulatory, advisory, policy and voluntary spheres across the UK. They recognise that the primary responsibility for maintaining quality and standards sits with providers themselves. Providers with degree-awarding powers have particular responsibility for the…

Short, preparatory 'foundation year' courses have exploded in popularity in recent years, but they have drawn criticism from policymakers. Like Access diplomas, they serve to support people from all backgrounds to enter higher education. This HEPI Report asks whether foundation years are effective tools for widening access -- or whether, when it…

Purpose: The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education in the UK focuses on maintaining, enhancing and standardising the quality of higher education. Of significant impact are the development of subject benchmark statements (SBS) by the QAA, which describe the type and content of study along with the academic standards expected of…

Universities are committed to offering high-quality higher education that delivers value to students and taxpayers. This means ensuring students can access higher education, whatever their background, circumstances or location. It also means delivering courses that develop the skills and knowledge our economy needs to drive local and national…

Learning analytics (LA) provides insight into student performance and progress, allowing for targeted interventions and support to improve the student learning experience. Uses of LA are diverse, including measuring student engagement, retention, progression, student well-being and curriculum development. This article provides perspectives on the…

Student academic representation is a staple feature in UK and international higher education. It provides a vital quality function whereby students, who are elected representatives of their programme, canvas the opinions of peers to inform quality assurance processes. In the UK, there is increasing regulatory pressure for universities and student…

The purpose of this project was to determine the extent to which physiotherapists affiliated to occupational health services undertake the full clinical audit cycle. A sample of convenience was used to select physiotherapists that were in attendance over two conference days. Those who verbally consented to take part were asked to complete a survey…

The UK's Quality Assurance Association for Higher Education (QAA) recommend that all undergraduate courses at UK universities include in their curricula elements of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education; and Education for Sustainable Development. This paper examines the detail of the QAA's recommendations and…

Higher education's rapid expansion is paired with growing social expectations of its benefits and concern on its teaching quality. In response to these, institutional/national surveys based on an array of theories are widely used in universities for quality assurance, enhancement, and benchmarking. This paper reviews three major types of…

Recent events show a government in constant changes of mind about how to control implementation of frequently changing policies, and the inefficiencies and inequalities that result from capitalistic approaches to public service functions. These same factors feature within higher education (HE), demonstrating that the values, culture, decision…

In higher education, international research collaboration functions as a visible mechanism of cooperation and competition, serving as a proxy for quality and academic excellence. Open universities use revolutionary education models but are not often associated with quality or academic excellence. To investigate the impact of international research…

Franchised provision of higher education has been under the spotlight in recent times. Without shying away from the challenges faced by those delivering successful franchise arrangements, this paper shows how important franchising can be in extending access to higher education. The authors explain what protections need to be in place to ensure…

Transnational joint education provision -- education jointly developed and delivered by two or more institutions in different countries -- has emerged as a desired experience for many students, a key priority of several institutions, and a site of innovation. The strategic importance of this topic on a European level is one of the reasons it was…

Purpose: This study aims to explore the influence of the individual student profile of Hofstede's Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Collectiveness and Long-Term Orientation on student service quality expectations in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: Data is collected via a survey consisting of items from a standard Hofstede and a…