Committee

Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee

Information about the remit and membership of the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee which is a committee of Senate

Updated on 12 October 2026

Purpose

The principal purpose of the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee (QAEC) is to provide leadership and make decisions on all areas that relate to academic quality assurance and enhancement activities across the University.

Remit 

  1. To be responsible for the development, review and revision of the University’s Quality Framework, in line with Scotland’s Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework (TQEF), and to ensure that University policies and practices are aligned with national expectations, including the UK Quality Code for Higher Education (2024) Sector-Agreed Principles, and local priorities. It will provide oversight of the approaches to quality and academic standards within the Faculties.
  2. To have primary responsibility for the development and implementation of University-wide academic policies and regulations, and for providing an appropriate governance framework to support, promote and enhance quality in learning and teaching.
  3. To make decisions (on behalf of Senate) on the academic approval and review of collaborative partnerships, consideration of proposals for the validation of educational and research provision from bodies without degree awarding powers, the approval of degree regulations and the approval of any exceptions to University academic policies. The QAEC will also provide oversight of certificated non-credit bearing provision.
  4. To note, on behalf of Senate, decisions made under delegated authority at Faculty level on the approval of new programmes, the reapproval of existing degree programmes, and changes to degree programmes (including the withdrawal, suspension or reinstatement of programmes); and to reserve the right to ratify such decisions in exceptional circumstances.
  5. To have oversight of external examining for the University.
  6. To have responsibility for the monitoring of student progression, retention and achievement and to develop action plans, policies and procedures to promote improvement in these areas.
  7. To have oversight of the University’s engagement with Scotland’s TQEF, including Institution-Led Quality Review, the annual Self-Evaluation and Action Plan (SEAP) submitted to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER), Annual Quality Engagement (AQE), and Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP).
  8. To take deliberate steps to engage students, individually and collectively, as partners in assuring and enhancing the quality of the student learning experience, having regard to sparqs’ Student Learning Experience model and Scotland’s Ambition for Student Partnership.
  9. In order to support fulfilment of this remit QAEC delegates the responsibility for decision making as it relates to the University’s research degree programmes to the Postgraduate Research Sub-Committee in the following areas: 
  • The approval of research degree programme proposals and their subsequent amendment and withdrawal; 
  • accreditations; 
  • regulations; 
  • policies; 
  • and the Research Degrees Code of Practice. 

In addition, the QAEC delegates responsibility for quality assurance and enhancement activities, such as annual monitoring to the Postgraduate Research Sub-Committee. The administrative functions of research ILQRs shall be undertaken by the Quality and Academic Standards (QAS) office with outcomes being reported to the Postgraduate Research Sub-Committee. Postgraduate Research Sub-Committee will provide reports to the QAEC on decisions made and actions taken under this delegated authority and may refer points of clarification or contention to QAEC for decision if required.

Conduct of business

  • Members are expected to have read papers in advance of each meeting;
  • Members are expected to submit required Committee papers no later than 15 days before a meeting; 
  • The agenda and papers are expected to be issued within 7 days of the meeting; 
  • When members are unable to attend a meeting, they should provide apologies in advance; 
  • To fulfil a quorum, the Committee must have at least 50% attendance; 
  • Decisions of the Committee are authorised on agreement of the majority of the committee in attendance at a meeting; 
  • The Convenor can authorise actions and decisions on behalf of the Committee in urgent circumstances or in the case of a tied vote; 
  • The Committee shall meet at least four times per year, with an additional optional meeting in December, and may convene further meetings if required in exceptional or urgent circumstances, including emergency meetings requested by members and approved by the Convener; 
  • Committee members are responsible for ensuring the timely submission of papers to the Clerk and ensuring post-meeting actions are completed within a reasonable time.

Reporting structure

Receives reports from:

  • Postgraduate Research Sub-Committee
  • Faculty QAE Committees

Reports to:

  • Senate

Membership

  • Vice-Principal Education & Student Experience, Convener 
  • Director of Quality Assurance and Enhancement
  • Assistant Vice-Principal Education
  • Faculty Associate Vice-Principals
  • Faculty Heads of Quality
  • Registry Representative
  • Doctoral Academy Representative
  • Head of Enquirer and Applicant Communications
  • Global Partnerships Representative
  • Education Manager Representative
  • DUSA Vice President Academia
  • DUSA Vice President Representation
  • Clerk: Senior Quality and Academic Standards Officer
  • In Attendance: Members of the QAS team

Members should attend all meetings but may nominate an alternative representative if they are unable to attend a meeting. 

 

Enquiries
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