The University of St Andrews is happy to announce that it is the first higher education institution in Scotland to participate in the next cyclical external Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER) undertaken by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).
With a focus on the management of our quality assurance and enhancement activities and standards, the enhancement of the student learning experience and enabling student success, the University is committed to supporting students, staff and the external review team to ensure a smooth, impactful and effective approach.
TQER provides an independent, external account of our quality processes that have a direct impact on the student learning experience at the University of St Andrews. The review will provide the University with a range of feedback against the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework (TQEF), which is all about excellence in learning and teaching, enabling student success, supporting and institutionalising student engagement and partnership and embedding a culture quality enhancement.
Vice Principal Education (Proctor), Professor Clare Peddie, welcomes the opportunity and highlights the importance of the external review for the University:
“Welcoming this review will give us an opportunity to reflect on how well we, at St Andrews, support our students to achieve positive outcomes in education and student experience. We appreciate the deep exploration of our work by expert peer reviewers which will help to highlight the how we meet the expectations of our students, their future employers and society and where we can further enhance our provision”.
The University of St Andrews Students’ Association’s Director of Education (DoED), Hitanshi Badani, also shares the Proctor’s views, with a focus on highlighting to students why this review is not only a reflection of previous review outcomes which have listened to student feedback, but which takes this a step forward in a new direction:
“The last institutional review of our University flagged an issue that would have been meaningful to every single student on (or off campus): our feedback mechanisms. We heard you. The Students’ Association and the University used that recommendation to pilot several changes. The end of semester MEQ system was reviewed to make it more user-friendly; closing the feedback loop and informing students on how survey data has been actioned and is being written into policy; a new mid-semester survey sent out by class reps is being standardised; better digital platforms to gather feedback are being explored; and our overall approach to surveys is shifting towards low quantity, high quality. This is a great example of the real-time effects that participating in an institutional review might have – it will drive our academic experience towards positive change through data and recommendations.
“This year, a new review method is being introduced which centres the student perspective in evaluating the quality of our academic standards. As your Director of Education, I am tasked with ensuring that the university’s consideration of student experiences is accurate, realistic, and representative. To ensure this, the university, the association, and external bodies will be engaging with representatives and the wider student body in consultations. If this opportunity presents itself, please do participate and take some time to be honest and transparent in your reflections. Though you may not be around to see it, your thoughts might change how future students receive their education. And of course, never hesitate to contact your representatives.”
Once the external review has concluded in April 2025, the University will be issued with a final report which will provide qualitative feedback and will provide any commendations and recommendations that will require further action.
As part of our commitment to being transparent and accountable in providing public confidence in our management of academic standards, the student learning experience and student success, we will, as we have done in previous review methods, publish the outcome report and an action plan in response to review recommendations on our Institutional Review section of our website.
Review Team Biographies
Alison Blackburn, University of Leeds: Reviewer
Higher Education consultant, currently Special Advisor at University of Leeds.
Alison has 40 years of experience in Higher Education, and was previously Registrar and Secretary at the University of Salford, before retiring in 2020, with particular experience in governance and quality assurance. As Registrar, Helen was responsible for student administration, student experience and support, quality and enhancement , and the legal and compliance team. She has a particular interest in quality and regulatory reviews and in corporate and academic governance.
Alison is also a long standing QAA reviewer.
Liam Brady, University of Aberdeen: Student Reviewer
Liam is a first year PhD student, where he is researching assessment and feedback practices in the digital age. He graduated from University of Glasgow, where he was Vice President Education and subsequently President of Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council.
Liam was a member of the Office for Students’ Teaching Excellence Framework panel, 2022-2023. He was also part of the University of Aberdeen’s Enhancement Theme team (Resilient Learning Communities), as their PGR representative in 2022-23
Dr Claire Carney, City of Glasgow College: Reviewer
Currently Vice Principal at City of Glasgow College, Student Experience, since 2020, Claire was Head of Enhancement at the QAA from 2006-2014.
Claire was Associate Vice-Principal Education at University of the West of Scotland, where she played a key role in ensuring that UWS is the go-to university for learning innovation, and was responsible for the Education Enabling Plan.
Is keen to evolve learning pathways, limiting ‘transition’ issues and providing a true tertiary blended system.
Professor Gillian Thomson, Heriot-Watt University: Reviewer
Associate Principal (Access and Inclusion), supporting the delivery of the University’s widening participation strategy. Gillian is also Directo of Learning and Teaching in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences.
