External reference points
We give the highest priority to the continuous enhancement of the quality of our programmes and the educational experience provided for our students, setting these against external national and international frameworks and principles.
Below are some of the key external reference points that we use to ensure we continue to build on the strong foundations that uphold our academic standards and emphasise the process of self-evaluative and reflection that supports the continuing delivery of an excellent all-round student learning experience.
QAA UK Quality Code for Higher Education
We operate a quality and standards system that has been designed to meet the requirements of the 12 Principles set out in the UK Quality Code for Higher Education and Part 1 of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance
in the European Higher Education Area which includes a range of processes and procedures to:
- support the continuous enhancement of our provision
- ensure there is accountability for decisions taken
- provide assurances in terms of the maintenance of standards of our awards and the validity of our programmes.
- evaluate what is working well, what is not, and what needs to be changed or improved.
National Qualification Frameworks
Our Academic Regulations provide a clear and coherent framework for the University to assure the academic quality of our educational provision and the academic standards of our awards. They are subject to regular scrutiny to ensure that they remain appropriate and align with external reference points and national frameworks, including the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW), the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications of Degree-Awarding Bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ) and the UK Quality Code for Higher Education (2024).
Our Institutional Expectations takes deliberate steps to standardising our baseline requirements for all Cardiff University programmes including:
- Protecting the integrity of the award
- Developing a core spine
- Optionality and guided choice
- Programmes that share modules
- Programme sustainability and resilience
- Programme learning outcomes
- Programme content and design
- Assessment
All documentation has been aligned with the Institutional Expectations to provide schools and the Programme Approval and Revalidation Sub-Committee (PARSC) with a straightforward way of reviewing and evaluating programme(s) against the baseline requirements.
Welsh Language Standards
As part of our commitment to positively contributing to developing the Welsh language, we take compliance with the Welsh Language Standards very seriously. As part of our programme development and approval process, we ensure that all new and existing programmes document their compliance with the Welsh Language standards.
All documentation has been aligned with the Institutional Expectations to provide schools and the Programme Approval and Revalidation Sub-Committee (PARSC) with a straightforward way of reviewing and evaluating programme(s) against the baseline requirements.
External Examiners, Critical friends, and External Advisers
Monitoring and review are a key component of our mechanisms for managing quality and standards and confirms how we continue to meet our regulatory requirements set out in the UK Quality Code for Higher Education and the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) for internal quality assurance.
Our external examiner system is key to ensuring that the academic standards of our awards and their component parts are set and maintained at the appropriate level, and that the standards of student performance are properly judged against this. Each year, ASQC receives a thematic analysis of institutional themes extracted from External Examiner annual reports, highlighting areas for improvement, as well as examples of good practice within Schools. This is a key source of data informing the development and priority for wider institutional initiatives.
Externality continues to be embedded within our revalidation and programme approval processes. We utilise external advisers and critical friends as a means for setting, describing and assuring the academic standards of our awards and programmes and the quality of the learning opportunities we provide.
Consumer Protection Law
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) requires that students and applicants are provided with timely information about their programmes to be able to make informed choices: whether to apply; which modules they will study; how they will be assessed.
ASQC has approved a standardised date for confirming programme information for all schools in advance of the start of the academic year. The standardised date ensures there is alignment between academic decisions and professional service actions to record accurate programme information on an annual basis in line with the University’s responsibilities under consumer protection law as it forms part of the University’s contract with its students.
All requests for changes after the deadline to programme diets and modules are governed by a clear set of criteria that ensure there is consistency and transparency and to minimise the number of late changes to programmes which can adversely impact on the student experience.
Degree outcomes statement
Our Degree Outcomes Statement provides an overview of the University’s degree classification profile. Student outcomes are critically reviewed annually through the University’s academic quality system, ensuring that academic standards are appropriately set and maintained with reference to the external expectations of the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment (UKSCQA) Statement of Intent.
AdvanceHE accreditation
Our AdvanceHE-accredited Education Fellowship Programmes help staff develop their learning and teaching and gain recognition for their professional practice.
They are mapped to the UK Professional Standards Framework (UK PSF) and equip any staff members with a role in teaching/ supporting learning in the university with the skills that they need to become effective educators.
The Higher Education Code of Governance
We are proud of our involvement with the Committee of University Chairs to support the advancement of education, governance excellence and the effective stewardship of Higher Education Institution stakeholder funds.
As a key element of Medr's Quality Assessment Framework for Wales, the CUC allows us to share information, experience and advice on university governance issues in a supportive environment to develop our working knowledge and skills through development programmes and publications.
Office of the Independent Adjudicator
As a key element of Medr's Quality Assessment Framework for Wales, we operate under the OIA's Good Practice Framework to ensure we develop and follow fair processes, and to evaluate our own processes through the Annual Quality Report. It is also a useful resource for students as guidance on what good complaints and appeals processes should look like.