27th September 2006
Group Minutes
SCONUL WORKING GROUP ON QUALITY ASSURANCE
Minutes of Meeting held on 27 September 2006 at the SCONUL Secretariat
Present: Jeremy Atkinson - University of Glamorgan (Chair)
Michael Breaks - Heriot-Watt University (Secretary)
Scott Robertson - University College Chichester
Ann Mathie - University of Gloucestershire
Helen Fletcher - Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College (UCISA)
Charlotte Jarvis - University of Birmingham
Keith Buckman – Royal Holloway College (SCHOMS)
Copies: Wayne Morris - University of Glamorgan
1. Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting dated 15 October 2005 were approved
as a correct record.
2. Matters Arising from the Minutes
5 (ii) Keith Buckman had been invited to join the Group to represent SCHOMS
(Standing Conference for Heads of Media Services).
5 (iii) Michael Breaks had contacted Felicity McGregor (Woolongong University)
who had outlined the Australian quality regime. It was agreed to include
more active liaison in the Action Plan.
Action: Michael Breaks
10 It was agreed to try to influence HEFCE about the questions relating
to support services in the National Student Satisfaction Survey. Views
will be sought from SCONUL, UCISA and SCHOMS members. Jeremy Atkinson
will draft the wording of an email to send to the three lists.
Action: Jeremy Atkinson
3. SCHOMS
The Chair welcomed Keith Buckman to this first meeting. SCHOMS has institutional
membership and represents staff in Media Services who support teaching
and learning. SCHOMS are interested in quality issues, benchmarking and
how media services adds value to institutions. Another Group - Lecture
Theatre Services Managers Group (ltsmg.org.uk) –has members responsible
for managing and delivering audio-visual facilities and equipment within
lecture theatres and teaching space throughout higher education.
4. Future Group Membershipo & Chair
SCONUL is putting a new process in place for committee memberships and
the appointment of Chairs and a call will be circulated from the SCONUL
Office. The present Chair’s period of office ends in December 2006.
5. Action Plan
The Draft 2006/Progress Report was agreed and will be submitted to the
Executive Board for its meeting on 4 October 2006. A revised Action Plan
with costings is required for the Executive Board meeting on 29 November
2006. A new objective: Collaboration with SCONUL Performance Indicators
Group will be introduced, particularly in relation to internal quality
processes.
Action: Jeremy Atkinson
6. Feedback from SCONUL Strategic Planning Session
SCONUL’s strategic programme themes for the next few years are:
- extending SCONUL’s advocacy and lobbying role
- helping members meet researcher and student needs
- development of an international strategy
- development of strategic partnership and alliances
- development of SCONUL as a commissioning agent as a means of extending capacity to support members.
7. QAA Developments
The Chair reported that he had met with Nicola Channon a few months ago.
Nicola had clarified that the QAA had currently got the contract on behalf
of the Department of Health in England to review provision not looked
at by the GMC, although this arrangement would change in the future. IQER
(Integrated Quality and Enhancement Review), specifically devised for
HE in FE delivery in colleges in Engalnd, will be piloted in 2006/7, with
implementation over a five year period from 2007/8. It was reported that
QAA have introduced ‘Quality of Learning Opportunities’ as
one of the five judgements to be made with the new Institutional Audit
process starting in Spring 2007. The discipline audit trials have ceased.
It was agreed that it would be useful to get feedback from members in
Spring 2007 about early experiences of Institutional Audit in England.
Action: New Chair of Group
8. Feedback on Welsh Quality Matters
Jeremy Atkinson reported that Institutional Review continues in Wales.
It would be helpful to get more experiences from Welsh colleagues for
the Group's section on the SCONUL website.
Action: Jeremy Atkinson
9. Feedback on Scottish Quality Matters
Michael Breaks reported that the quality enhancement approach continues
in Scotland, based on Enhancement Led Institutional Reviews, with the
aim of raising the quality of HE provision in all institutions.
10. Feedback from South Africa Quality Assurance Conference
The Chair had been invited by CHELSA (Committee for Higher Education Libraries
of South Africa) to give a keynote address and chair a workshop at the
South Africa Quality Assurance Conference, where many university libraries
are using LibQual. The Chair would retain contact with CHELSA with the
aim of sharing documents.
Action: Jeremy Atkinson
11. SCONUL Web Site
The new SCONUL web site will be released in October and the Secretary,
in collaboration with Wayne Morris, will ensure that the Group’s
section is fully populated.
Action: Michael Breaks
12. Date of next meeting
This would be in Spring 2007 – date to be confirmed.
Action: Michael Breaks