Continuous Monitoring and Review
Quality in higher education can be seen as a framework of processes that centre on planning, design, implementation, monitoring, review, evaluation and improvement. As part of the monitoring and review processes, the main review activities that take place are Continuous Monitoring and Enhancement, Annual Quality Assurance and Periodic Review of taught programmes.
Continuous Monitoring and Enhancement of Taught Provision (UG and PGT)
Continuous monitoring is a process of reflection on the previous academic year and action planning for the coming academic year. It ensures that the standard of programmes is being maintained and drives the improvement of the student experience. It is relevant to all levels of the University but is driven in the first instance by the reflection of the staff delivering a programme or group of cognate programmes.
Programme teams are asked to reflect on the effectiveness of programmes as delivered during the year, identifying particular achievements; any issues beyond their control that have affected their work; aspects that need to be addressed in the short term and recorded in an action plan; and current or possible future developments within the academic or professional community and the market environment.
Staff should also ensure that collaborative programmes such as ‘flying faculty’ arrangements are included and considered. Validated programmes will be included in the validated partner’s own continuous monitoring and reported through the relevant School committee
For more information, please refer to the Guidance for the Continuous Monitoring of undergraduate and postgraduate taught students
Including:
- Continuous monitoring overview
- Periodic Review
- Annual academic assurance cycle
- Continuous monitoring outputs
- School role and responsibilities
- Faculty role and responsibilities
- university role and responsibilities
- Continuous monitoring timeline
The guidance also includes the following Appendices:
- Appendix A - Continuous Monitoring issues to be considered
- Appendix B - Continuous Monitoring evidence sources
- Appendix C - Student Experience Action Plan (SEAP) template
- Appendix D - Faculty Quality Assurance Checklist
- Appendix E - University report for Senate
Student Experience Action Plan (SEAP)
A Student Experience Action Plan (SEAP) template has been developed, based on a number of University priority themes, to record proposed actions relating to highlighted areas for improvement, along with areas of good practice, through the process of continuous monitoring.
A working group has been established to review the current SEAP process during 2024/25 with a view to implementing a new process in 2025/26. Consequently, programme teams/Schools are not required to produce SEAPs in 2024/25, but have instead been asked to concentrate on completing a 15-point NSS action plan.
Central Services teams are also not required to produce a new SEAP in 2024/25, but should provide an update on the progress of actions from last year’s SEAP.
Annual Academic Assurance Cycle
The University's Annual Academic Assurance Cycle is the collection of quality assurance activities undertaken during the academic year that are reviewed at the annual Teaching Learning and Students Deep Dive and Teaching and Learning Strategy Day. A report of the findings, institutional action plan and future priorities are submitted to the Autumn Senate meeting.
More information can be found at: Guidance for the Continuous Monitoring of undergraduate and postgraduate students
Documents for the Annual Review of 2024/25 will be submitted in September 2025.
Information from our latest Teaching and Learning Strategy Development Day held on 14 October 2024, can be found below:
Periodic Review
Periodic Review is a review of a portfolio of programmes, normally at School level, that assesses the health of the current provision and facilitates planning for future provision. Reviews are held periodically every five or six years (every five years in the case of collaborative provision that is undergoing periodic review immediately before the associated institutional review)
Guidelines for Periodic Review
- Guidelines for the Internal Review Process (Word version)
- Guidelines for the Internal Review Process (PDF version)
The current process for Periodic Review will be reviewed during 2024/25 for implementation in 2025/26.
Schools being reviewed in 2024/25 are:
- Civil Engineering
- Law
- Optometry
For general queries, please e-mail quality@manchester.ac.uk