Validation and periodic enhancement
Each new programme must be considered through the programme viability process. Further information can be found in the Code of Practice for Programme Life Cycle Processes and is overseen by Programme Viability Approval Committee.
The programme viability paperwork is submitted to the Programme Viability Approval Committee to consider the financial, resource and market aspects of the proposal.
In brief once a proposal has met the requirements for viability within the main areas as detailed above and approved it can then progress to the validation stage. At this stage the programme will be advertised as ‘subject to validation'.
All enquiries currently to be sent to qualitysupport@surrey.ac.uk.
The design and approval process (validation) is the quality assurance mechanism by which a proposed programme of study is scrutinised in order to assure Senate (the academic authority) that the programme meets the University’s expectations for quality and academic standards.
Periodic enhancement is the process by which periodically the University assures itself that existing provision and practices with schools/departments continue to be relevant, current, and meet their stated aims and objectives.
A new programme or pathway (including adding a new pathway to an existing programme) cannot be offered to applicants until it has been approved through the programme viability and validation process. There are five stages to the validation process:
- Registry endorsement of a new proposal
- Design workshop
- Programme Viability approval
- Writing phase
- Peer review and compliance checks.
The periodic enhancement process is made up of four stages:
- Initial planning
- Design workshops
- Writing phase
- Peer review and compliance check.
Panel members for the validation/periodic enhancement event will consist of:
- A chair
- Internal panel member
- Student panel member
- External panel member(s)
- Event coordinator.
The final stage of the validation and periodic enhancement process is to peer review the proposal to assess its academic viability (validation) and school/department’s provision (periodic enhancement) and ensure that it is compliant with internal and external benchmarks.
The periodic enhancement process operates at school/department level.
Further information and guidance, including process maps, can be found within the Code of practice for programme life cycle processes and the Curriculum Design Review SharePoint site.
- Module Descriptor guidance and template document (docx)
- Programme Specification template and guidance document (docx)
- Self-evaluation narrative template and guidance document (docx)
- External assessor nomination form (docx)
Additional guidance and templates used by Academic Quality Services:
- Compliance checks report (docx).