Quality Assurance

Programme management

This page provides guidance to programme leaders when conducting any changes to their programmes.

Programme Introduction

A programme of study is the structured set of core/optional modules and learning experiences designed to achieve specific educational outcomes that lead to an approved University award.

A programme should be continually reflected upon using student feedback, external examiner reporting, annual monitoring metrics, PSRB requirements and sector developments in order to meet benchmarking, industry standards and to ensure it maintains relevance for student experience and outcomes.

As a result of this reflection there may be a requirement to:

  • Propose a new programme for University approval and recruitment
  • Change a programme structure or recruitment options
  • Suspend a programme
  • Discontinue a programme
  • Reinstate a programme

Information on how to make the above requests can be found in the sections below for Propose, Develop, Modify programmes.

A Programme Handbook should be provided to students each year. The templates can be accessed below.

Annually, the university asks programme leaders for a short report about each programme and its performance.

Please ensure you consult the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) guidance and timescales to understand the requirements for student and staff consultation. You can find the documents here.

*APR Cycle Approaching*

Welcome

Please select from the dropdown list below

Annual Programme Review (APR)

All university programmes leaders must undertake a review of the performance of the programme at the end of each academic session, known as the annual programme review (APR). The APR gives a programme team the opportunity to reflect and discuss how the past year has gone; to acknowledge and celebrate success; and to plan changes where the team can improve on current practice.

In July 2023, the Continuous Improvement Tool (CIT) was introduced as a means for programme leaders to access data related to their programme, make reflections and set actions for enhancement. CIT will include on campus undergraduate, post-graduate and integrated masters programmes as well as distance-learning programmes. Currently the CIT is not available for off campus partner programmes. Partners should complete their APR using the Word template for off campus APRs. Please see below for further guidance regarding each of these types of APR.

On Campus Undergraduate, Post-Graduate, Integrated Masters and Distance Learning Programmes

For on campus UG, PG, integrated masters and distance learning programmes the APR should be completed using the Continuous Improvement Tool (CIT).  The CIT will provide programme leaders with various sets of data which are updated throughout the year, as per the following dates:

  • December – market attractiveness, tariff and non-continuation data
  • June – Graduate outcomes data & module evaluation metrics
  • August / September – NSS metrics /  PTES metrics
  • Mid-September – progression, good honours, module pass rates and awarding gap data

The CIT is intended to add value to the process of reviewing programmes by bringing all the data related to a programme into one place and allowing data to be viewed as it is updated across the academic year. Programme leaders can use the CIT to access these data sets and are encouraged to use this data to continually reflect upon the performance of the programme on an ongoing basis and set actions for enhancements.

Please note that the CIT window to complete the APR will open on the 1st September, after which time you should be able to edit comments under the ‘Annual programme review’ heading. You will be able to edit the ‘Reflections and actions’ section of the CIT throughout the year.

For more guidance about how to complete an APR using the CIT, please access the below links:

To access the CIT, please follow the below link: https://citool.gre.ac.uk/

Off Campus Partnership Programmes

For programmes which are delivered off campus under a partnership arrangement, it is the responsibility of the programme leader at the partners institution to complete the APR reflecting on the performance of the programme over the course of the last year. It is not currently possible for staff at partner institutions to access either the CIT or GreWeb, and a Word version APR template has been developed for the completion of off campus APRs. If you are a link tutor, then it is possible to assist your partner by accessing data for the relevant programme from GreWeb and copying this into a Word document so that the programme leader at the partner institution can use this data to assist them in their reflections. The off campus partnership APR template can be accessed by following the link to our Programme Documents Page

Timescales

There are three key milestones in the APR process, irrespective of whether the APR has been completed via the CIT, or submitted as a Word document. These milestones are as follows:

  • Deadline for Programme Leaders to complete the APR: 31st October 2024;
  • Deadline for Heads of School to review submitted APRs: 15th November 2024;

If you are completing the APR via the CIT then the window to complete the APR will open on the 11th September, after which time you should be able to edit comments under the ‘Annual programme review’ heading. You will be able to edit the ‘Reflections and actions’ section of the CIT throughout the year.

Document to complete for Annual Programme Review Report, for partnership programmes

Propose a New Programme

Prior to obtaining university authorisation to schedule approval of a new programme of study there are key stages that must be undertaken when putting forward a proposal.

Key stages that must be undertaken when putting forward a proposal:

  • Discuss the programme development with your school and agree in principle to take it forward as part of your faculty portfolio planning.
  • Commission a Market Research Report from the Communications and Recruitment Directorate (please contact Claire Matthews, Associate Director of UK Recruitment on c.chalmers@greenwich.ac.uk to arrange)
  • Secure faculty and university endorsement/signatures of the proposal.

Process and deadlines

1. IDEATION AND MARKET ANALYSIS

The faculty should consider the initial idea for a new programme proposal and discuss with other faculties where appropriate. Market Research into the initial idea will be conducted with support from the Communications and Recruitment Directorate and the faculty will consider this.

2. PROPOSAL FORM AND FACULTY APPROVAL

The owner of the proposal should complete the Programme Proposal Form found below. The faculty should consider the full proposal and add signatures as stipulated in the form.

3. DIRECTORATE SIGN-OFF

The faculty should then pass the Programme Proposal Form in word format to the university’s Professional Services Directorates as indicated in the form, along with the completed Business Plan in excel format (see the Programme Proposal Form for more information).

4. PARTNERSHIPS AND PROGRAMMES MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (PPMC) SUBMISSION

The faculty should then pass the completed Programme Proposal Form with all relevant signatures (in word format) to the secretary of the Programmes & Partnerships Management Committee (PPMC). The form should be accompanied by the Business Plan in excel format.

5. PARTNERSHIPS AND PROGRAMMES MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (PPMC) CONSIDERATION AND AUTHORISATION

The Programmes & Partnerships Management Committee (PPMC) will consider the proposal put forward by the faculty. The faculty may be asked by the committee to revise the proposal or provide more detail. Should the Programmes & Partnerships Management Committee (PPMC) support the proposal, it will be authorised for an approval event. Please refer to the "Develop a new programme" section below for what happens next.

Timescales and deadlines

The recommended lead in time for a new programme is 18 months to allow for a full recruitment period, however the Programmes & Partnerships Management Committee (PPMC) will approve new programmes up to 9 months prior to launch. Please check their webpage for submissions deadlines.

Proposals for launch less than 18 months ahead should provide conservative indicative new student numbers.

Forms

The following forms need to be submitted to the Programmes & Partnerships Management Committee (PPMC):

Please note that the Management Tool for Assessing Profitability must be completed for new programme proposals and approved by your Faculty Operating Officer (FOO) and then forwarded onto your Finance Business Partner. Finance Business Partners will require at least three days’ notice before the PPMC papers deadline due to the volume of submissions and time to review/engage with their respective FOO/Programme Lead and then by the Deputy Director of Finance.

Fast Track Approvals

Proposals that are put forward to the Programmes & Partnerships Management Committee (PPMC) that are outside the approved deadlines will be considered on a case-by-case basis. These cases would be exceptional and must provide a strong business case for doing so. Reasons may include:

  • PSRB Requirements
  • New programme based largely on pre-exiting modules
  • Programme being created to support possible Teach Out requirements

For advice on whether your situation meets the exception rules and qualifies for fast track approval, please email the University Quality Team at quality@gre.ac.uk

PLEASE NOTE: If the deadlines above are missed, then programmes will be authorised with a start date of the next academic session.

Develop a Programme

Once you have submitted the New Programme Proposal as detailed in the above section, and it has received authorisation to proceed, you will need to progress with programme development and work towards a validation activity.

Please note for apprenticeships - If you are developing an apprenticeship you will need to contact the Apprenticeship Team before you continue with curriculum development: apprenticeships@gre.ac.uk

Following authorisation being granted, PPMC will also recommend the appropriate method for validation of the programme. This is currently either a validation event with stakeholder involvement, or a paper-based exercise for programmes of existing subject coverage and/or module usage.

The Quality Team will contact the Development Team to arrange a planning meeting between relevant stakeholders and programme development staff to confirm validation requirements and timelines.

A Quality Officer, from the University Quality Team, will also be allocated to facilitate the programme validation event and a member of the Academic Learning Enhancement Team (from ILS) will also provide support to the Programme team with a programme development workshop and curriculum guidance.

Timescales and deadlines

Validation should occur no later than 9 months after PPMC approval - up to 12 months in exceptional mitigating circumstances (but all events will aim for earlier timeframes), otherwise consideration of the proposal will be postponed to the following academic year.

Forms, templates and links

For preparation for a validation event, the following forms need to be submitted for approval of a new programme:

When designing the structure of a programme it is recommended that the Development Team refers to the:

Apprenticeship

If you are producing documentation for an apprenticeship validation you will also need to provide the following documents:

Programme Approval Process

The following links provide clarification and specify the requirements of the various stages in the process.

Report and Response templates

Change a Programme

Programmes may require modification in response to curriculum review and development, and in response to feedback from students or external examiners, or other external factors such as professional body requirements.

Academic staff are encouraged to modify and refresh programmes so they continue to meet programme aims, objectives and maintain relevance for student outcomes and the sector within which they reside.

Changes to programmes are approved through the Faculty Student Success Committee process with specific deadlines as set by the university. If you are considering making significant changes, please contact the University Quality team for advice:

In order to comply with the requirements of the Competition and Markets Authority Guidelines to HE providers, your students should always be offered a formal opportunity to provide feedback on change proposals before you seek faculty level approval. Please use the relevant forms below to consult your students and consider their views.

Student consultation

As indicated by the CMA guidelines above, you may be required to consult with your students. This should be done in a timely manner to meet document deadlines.

Types of Change

Programme modifications are considered under two categories, those which impact recruitment and those that impact structure.

For those that impact recruitment, and especially where you want to change the title or add an endorsement. It is recommended that you discuss this with the Marketing and External Relations (MER) team, and Academic Learning and Enhancement (ALE) in order to ascertain suitability and viability for the proposal.

If you are requesting suspension of your programme of study, this will be for a maximum duration of one year, after which it will be reinstated for recruitment unless a formal discontinuation is submitted.

The majority of these changes can be made using one programme change form, please see the below definitions for each:

Programme Recruitment Change

  • Change Programme title
  • Add/Remove Mode of study
  • Add/Remove Start Month
  • Add/Remove Endorsement
  • Add/Remove Site of Delivery
  • Discontinue/Suspend programme
  • Discontinuation of an Articulation or Progression Agreement

Programme Structure Change

  • Add/Remove/discontinue Modules (core or optional)
  • Modify option sets
  • Change Terms of Delivery
  • Change Module Title
  • Change Module Credit value
  • Change Module Level

You will be able to make both recruitment and structural changes at the same time, or either type as needed.

Timescales and deadlines

Proposals for changing recruitment options for a programme of study may be submitted anytime up to and including the first week in December (on-campus programmes) to be endorsed by faculty in readiness the following academic year. Some changes may be requested after this time up until May but you will need to be aware of recruitment implications and speak to MER about this for guidance and possible approaches.

Late changes

If you are requesting a change after December for the following September you must contact the Quality Team for guidance and to be give the appropriate approach. The request will need to be made by the Faculty Senior Leadership team with a full rationale.

Programme changes cannot be made in-session and put into place in the same session.

Forms, templates and links

The following form needs to be submitted for approval:

Templates and links

Discontinue or Suspend a Programme

The Faculty FSSC will consider and approve any proposed discontinuation or suspension proposed.

Programmes put through for suspension will remain so for a period of one year. If you choose to permanently discontinue recruitment to the programme you must submit a discontinuation request before recruitment opens for the next academic year as they will automatically become active after one year’s suspension.

Arrangements must be put in place for existing students to complete the programme of study or to transfer to another programme to complete their award. For partnership programmes the proposal must be discussed with senior managers of the partner. Please refer to the teach out documents below for guidance on phasing a programme out.

Proposals to discontinue a programme of study may be submitted anytime up to and including the first week of December to be endorsed by faculty in readiness for the discontinuation to become effective 18 months later in accordance with university protocol.

Timescales and deadlines

Proposals to suspend recruitment to a programme of study may be submitted anytime up to and including the first week of December to be endorsed by faculty in readiness for the following academic year.

Suspension of recruitment does not extend the period of approval for a programme and all periodic reviews will take place as per normal timeframes should the programme be reinstated.

Late changes

If you are requesting a change after December for the following September you must have this authorised by your faculty's Associate Dean for Student Success and it will require a chair's action from the Programmes & Partnerships Management Committee (PPMC).

Programme changes cannot be made in-session and put into place in the same session.

Forms, templates and links

The following form needs to be submitted for approval:

Useful documents

Reinstate a Programme

To reinstate a programme that has previously been suspended, a reinstatement proposal should be submitted to your faculty committee first.

The Programmes & Partnerships Management Committee (PPMC) will then need to consider and approve any proposed reinstatements endorsed by the faculty.

The following form needs to be submitted for approval:

Timescales and deadlines

Proposals to reinstate a programme of study may be submitted anytime up to and including the first week of December to be endorsed by faculty in readiness for the following academic year.

Late changes

If you are requesting a change after December for the following September, you must have this authorised by your faculty's Associate Dean for Student Success and it will require a chair's action from the Programmes & Partnerships Management Committee (PPMC).

Periodic Programme Review

The University Quality Team are currently reviewing the periodic programme review process and it is intended that further details will be made available during the 2022/23 academic year. In the meantime, the periodic review process is on hold until further notice.

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