Academic Standards and Quality Service  

Who are we and what do we do?

Our main role is responsibility for the policies and procedures that help to ensure the standards of our awards are maintained and that they retain the national and international credibility that ensures they are highly valued by employers in both the UK and overseas.

The main areas for which we are responsible and provide expertise are: 

• Assessment regulations
• Student record system
• Student academic misconduct
• Student appeals
• Audit and review
• External Examiner arrangements
• Academic committees
• Extenuating circumstances
• Institutional collaboration
• Course approval
• Graduation and certification
• Annual programme monitoring and periodic academic review

We work closely with the faculty academics and administration staff as well as external partners to develop and monitor these areas to enhance the academic experience of our students and ensure our courses meet national benchmarks. To that end, ASQS is responsible for the appointment of External Examiners and ensuring that their comments on our courses are addressed, to the benefit of our students and courses. 

Our student records team maintains and enhances the University's student record system. This system stores data about students and courses and provides such services as 'online results', 'online graduation booking', admission letters, management information for annual course monitoring and the paperwork for examination boards. 

The service plays a key role in liaising with other educational bodies, such as the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), the Student Loans Company and the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). 

Finally, and possibly most rewarding of all, ASQS is responsible for producing the final degree certificates and arranging the graduation ceremonies which bring together students with their families, friends and university staff to celebrate our students' achievements. While their hard work is over (at least for the time being) ours is ongoing in making sure that the day runs smoothly and is an occasion to remember.

Dr Ann Read, Dean of Academic Standards and Quality Service