QAA launches Elective Quality Review

Most higher education providers in England can now choose to have a cyclical quality review by QAA, following the launch of Elective Quality Review (EQR).

This new service draws on QAA’s 25 years of experience as a world-leading quality body with unmatched expertise designing and operating reviews in the UK and internationally.

EQR focuses on the parts of the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) that QAA considers are not explicitly addressed through the Office for Students’ conditions for registration, enabling successful providers to demonstrate full alignment with the ESG. It also looks at practices above the baseline regulatory expectations, exploring enhancement initiatives - chosen by providers themselves - which can lead to verified statements of good practice in the report.

EQR provides a published report to give independent assurances about the standard of academic awards and quality of learning experience. It can be used to give assurance internally, for partners and other interested organisations (including internationally), and to students and the public.

Rob Stroud, QAA’s Director of Assessment Services and Access to HE, said: ‘This new voluntary review gives providers greater control over how and when they engage in external quality assurance. It utilises QAA’s many years of experience of operating quality assurance reviews, leading to a valuable and independent public statement of confidence in a provider’s quality and standards.’ 

For more information about Elective Quality Review, including the many benefits of a successful review, visit our dedicated EQR web page.

This service joins three other QAA services for providers in England launched earlier this year. You can find out more about our Targeted Quality and Standard Service, Degree Awarding Powers Service, and New Provider Service on our Products and Services web pages.