Access to HE Committee
Purpose
The Access to HE Committee acts with delegated authority from the Board of Trustees and is responsible for ensuring that all licence and quality assurance requirements relating to Access to HE provision are met.
Remit
- To ensure compliance with the QAA Recognition Scheme for Access to Higher Education through a systematic process of monitoring and review
- To undertake delegated authority from the Board of Trustees for confirming the Access to HE Award through the setting, monitoring and review of the moderation and final award processes thereby ensuring the security of the award.
- To act in an advisory capacity to the Board of Trustees by
Advising the Board on strategic aims and objectives relating to AVA activity
Developing strategies that enhance and promote Access to HE programmes
Ensuring adequate systems for the monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the achievement of targets
Considering the annual AVA Report and recommending its approval and submission to QAA - To monitor the process for the development, validation, monitoring and review of Access to HE Programmes
- To oversee the AVA’s self-assessment process ensuring there are established procedures for monitoring and assessing the continuing quality and effectiveness of its management and operation
- To proactively promote the values of Access to HE provision by
Developing and maintaining a regulatory framework for Access provision within the AVA’s region
Ensuring there are procedures to ensure consistency and equivalence of assessment practices and academic standards between QAA-recognised programmes
Promoting effective collaboration between Access providers and receiving HEIs
Promoting opportunities for staff development and networking for Access tutors
Providing opportunities for Access providers to identify and share good practice - To monitor and review statistical information for Access to HE provision by
Ensuring that the AVA systematically collects reliable data from providers
Ensuring the use of data and information to inform practice and development - To receive and consider an Annual Report on Access to HE quality assurance activity in order to
Monitor quality assurance and enhancement of Access to HE provision and the standards achieved by students
Ensure quality systems and procedures evaluate quality outcomes critically as a vehicle for improvement of Access to HE provision - To monitor the equal opportunities policy in relation to its AVA activities, processes and procedures
- To participate as appropriate in appeals related to Access to HE activity at the request of the Board of Trustees
| Membership | Name | Position | Organisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair (who will be a member of the Board of Trustees) | Kathy Dunn | Trustee | OCNNER |
| Deputy Chair elected from the members below | Dave Duell | Director of HE | City of Sunderland College |
| 1 representative from each HE member organisation | Harry Davison June Davison Mary Dodd Mary Robinson |
Senior Lecturer Lecturer Programme Leader Lecturer |
University of Teesside University of Northumbria University of Durham University of Lancaster |
| 3 representatives from tutors delivering Access to HE programmes | Kathy Storey Judith Williams Vacancy |
Lecturer FE Tutor |
Stockton Riverside College Hartlepool College of FE |
| 3 representatives from senior managers in FE/Sixth Form Colleges delivering Access to HE programmes | Dave Duell Andy Wright Lee Armstrong |
Senior Manager Deputy Principal Section Manager |
City of Sunderland College Dumfries and Galloway College Newcastle |
| Chair of the Quality Committee | Alf Bennett | Trustee | OCNNER |
| Other | Tom Taylor Pamela Baxter |
Moderator Access Specialist |
OCNNER Independent |
The committee has the power to co-opt additional members, with relevant Access to HE expertise and/or knowledge of widening participation issues within the community, as appropriate at the request of the Chair. Co-opted members will be eligible to contribute to the quorum.
Each member of the committee will be required to record any interests in a register kept by the company secretary on an annual basis.
The Chief Executive and members of the Senior Management Team will be in attendance at committee meetings, where appropriate and at the request of the Chair.
The committee will be serviced by the Access to HE Manager and Director of Business Development and supported by an Administrator.
Meetings and Quoracy
The Access to HE Committee will normally meet four times per year and report to the Board of Trustees. For the purposes of decision making, the committee requires a quorum of three plus the Chair or Deputy Chair.
