23rd October 2001
Group Minutes
SCONUL WORKING GROUP ON QUALITY ASSURANCE
Minutes of Meeting held on 23 October 2001 at the SCONUL Secretariat
Present:
Jeremy Atkinson - University of Glamorgan (Chair)
Michael L. Breaks - Heriot-Watt University (Secretary)
Julie Howell - University of North London
Ann Mathie – University of Gloucester
Scott Robertson - University College Chichester
Keith Webster - School of Oriental & African Studies
Elizabeth Heaps - University of York
Alison Allden - University of Warwick
Bill Simpson – Trinity College Dublin
1. Previous Minutes of Meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting dated 15th May 2001 were approved.
2. Actions
1. Michael Breaks had written to Howard Nicholson, Ian Winkworth and Nik Pollard
to thank them for their contribution to the Working Group.
2. Jeremy Atkinson had finalised the text of the Aide Memoire and it was available on
both the SCONUL and UCISA web sites.3. Scott Robertson had finalised the Aide Memoire for the evaluation of learning
resources support for Initial Teaching Training and this was available on the
SCONUL web site.
4. Michael Breaks had not yet discussed the publication of the QA Aide Memoire as a
SCONUL publication given the current uncertainties on quality strategy.
5. A mailing list had been established for the group -
(lis-sconul-quality@jiscmail.ac.uk).
6. The amount of information on the web site had been increased.
7. Jeremy Atkinson had emailed the SCONUL mailing list in August with an update
on Quality Matters.
8. Bill Simpson, TCD, had been invited to attend this meeting.
3. Chairman’s Update
John Randall, Director of the QAA, had resigned and a consultation exercise among English
HEI’s on the future of the quality regime was underway with a completion date of 26
October 2001. A second benchmarking exercise for additional 26 subjects was also out to
consultation, with a completion date of 19 November 2001. Two more Codes of Practice –
Placement Learning and Recruitment and Admissions – had been issued.
4. Remit of the Quality Group
It was apparent that there might be some overlap between this Group and SCONUL’s
Performance Improvement Committee (ACPI) and there was a need for mutual crossreferencing
in the Terms of Reference of both bodies. Jeremy Atkinson was liaising with
ACPI and there may be a need to change the Terms of Reference of both groups.
At the summer Banbury SCONUL Strategic Planning meeting it had been agreed that each
SCONUL Committee would produce a set of abridged minutes for the Executive Board and
would issue two communications per annum to the SCONUL Membership.
Action: Jeremy Atkinson & Michael Breaks
5. HEFCE Quality Assurance in Higher Education
A joint SCONUL/UCISA response had been submitted to HEFCE.
6. Aide Memoire
It was agreed that both the old and the new Aide Memoire should be on the SCONUL web
site.
Action: Michael Breaks
7. English Quality Matters
The subject reviews were still continuing but there was lack of clarity about the shape of the
new quality regime. The current round will finish at the end of 2001, with Further
Education starting in February 2002. It has become clear that there will be no inspections
between January and July 2002 for English HEIs.
8. Scottish Quality Matters
Scottish Universities are pressing for the suspension of inspections for the 2002-03
academic year. The Scottish regime remains that of 100% subject-level reviews, and
Scottish Universities are keen to preserve the current UK-wide quality regime.
9. Welsh Quality Matters
Wales is to continue to apply the model of 100% subject level reviews and the Welsh
Assembly supports a UK-wide quality regime.
10. Irish Quality Matters
There is no QAA-like body in Ireland at present but the Irish equivalent of Universities UK
has a Quality Group of Registrars, but this has so far had little impact on libraries. There is
a regime of internal subject reviews, which do look at the role of the institution’s library, but
there is no national pattern. There is a strong culture of institutional autonomy within broad
national guidelines.
11. Annual Report 2001
Jeremy Atkinson and Michael Breaks would produce a draft report for circulation to
members of the Group.
Action: Jeremy Atkinson & Michael Breaks
12. Action Plan 2002
This would be updated with suggested changes to the Terms of Reference.
Action: Jeremy Atkinson & Michael Breaks
13. Web Site
The following suggestions were made for improving the web site.
- add COLRIC, which deals with quality issues for Further Education.
- add direct links to relevant parts of the QAA web site.
- investigate adding direct links to the relevant parts of web sites of the major
professional associations.
Action: Michael Breaks
14. Institute for Learning and Teaching
Elizabeth Heaps reported on discussions with the ILT. Librarians have until July 2002 to
apply for membership by the initial entry route, but no guidance is given by ILT for those in
learning resources, as they do not want a “check-list” approach from applicants. There are
presently Learning Resources Accreditors and ILT will be encouraged to advertise for
replacement via lis-sconul.
15. E-University
This initiative has established a Committee on Academic Quality (CAQ).
16. Date of Next Meeting
This will be in May 2002 and the Membership will be trawled for suitable dates.
Action: Michael Breaks
Actions Agreed at this Meeting
i. Jeremy Atkinson to continue to liaise with QAA.
ii. Michael Breaks to update web site.
iii. Jeremy Atkinson and Michael Breaks to complete Annual Report and Action Plan.
iv. Jeremy Atkinson and Michael Breaks to revise Terms of Reference.
v. Jeremy Atkinson to provide six monthly reports to SCONUL members.
vi. Michael Breaks to produce short report to SCONUL Executive Board.