• The effectiveness of the University's internal quality assurance structures and mechanisms
• The accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information the University publishes about the quality of its programmes and standards of its awards
• Around 10% of the audit (in terms of full time equivalent student numbers) will look at several examples of the University's internal quality processes at work at the programme level (discipline audit trails) or thematic enquiries across the University as a whole

 

Why do students need to be involved?

Students are central to the work of the QAA and the matters the Audit team will scrutinise will be directly relevant to students:

• The quality of information provided by the University
• The ways in which learning is facilitated and supported
• The academic standards that students are expected to achieve and those they achieve in practice
• The inclusion and participation of students in the activities of the University

 

How are the views of students put forward to the QAA?

The representative body of the students (in the case of Sunderland, this will be the Students' Union) has the opportunity to participate in the preliminary meeting between the QAA and the University and make a written submission to the Audit team in advance of the main Audit visit.

Executive Officers of the Students' Union will also be invited to specified meetings during the Audit visit so that there is the opportunity to ensure that the Audit team is aware of matters of primary interest or concern to them.

 

How is the Students' Union compiling the Student Submission Report?

The Students' Union and University designed a joint Student Experience Survey questionnaire, which was available online and closed on 2 May.  The Union have also run student focus groups in March 2008 and intend to hold more of these in the near future.  We have been busy pulling together a very active promotion campaign and hopefully, you will have seen the posters, fliers, website and plasma screen adverts telling you all about the questionnaire and survey.

The Students' Union already has information to hand, because we are involved with representing students' interests to the University on a daily basis and have records of our activities.  This information will be useful in helping to compile the Student Submission, but we still needed your valuable feedback, so a big thank you to all who completed the questionnaire and took part in the focus groups.

 Your feedback will form the basis for the Student Submission - your views will be given directly to the QAA by the Students' Union in the report.

 

What do I get out of answering the questionnaire?

Your opinion of the quality of academic provision will be passed on to the QAA and this may make a difference to the quality of your education and other students who follow on after you.

The University will use your feedback to improve your student experience at Sunderland.

Also, if you completed the questionnaire and entered the prize draw, you may be one of our lucky winners.

 

Is the questionnaire confidential?

Yes.  The Students' Union will only pass on statistical information that will not identify an individual to the QAA.

If you entered the prize draw, we will only use your personal information to contact you if you've won a prize.

 

When does the Institutional Audit take place?

The Institutional Audit will take place in early 2009 and the Student Submission will be sent to the QAA by the Students' Union in November 2008.

The Questionnaire has now closed (2 May 08)