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External Expertise

Bloomsbury Institute draws on the expertise of a number of individuals who whilst not directly involved with a course are able to provide independent and impartial advice on a range of activities and procedures in relation to provision of our courses.

We use external expertise to provide input not only into the design and delivery of our courses, but also throughout the entire process of course monitoring, evaluation and review. Using independent external expertise helps us to ensure that quality and standards are met. Individuals from a range of backgrounds, including academics working in other higher education providers, those representing professional, statutory and regulatory bodies, employers, stakeholders, guest speakers with specific industry or subject expertise as well as by former and current students together provide the external expertise we draw upon.

QAA Quality Code Expectations 

For Standards:

  • The academic standards of courses meet the requirements of the relevant National Qualifications Framework.
    • External experts, including external advisers and external examiners, contribute to course design and approval, course review, setting and maintaining academic standards and alignment with the National Qualifications Framework, Characteristics Statements and their alignment with Subject Benchmark Statements, and any other requirements, such as those from PSRBs or funding bodies.
  • The value of qualifications awarded to students at the point of qualification and over time is in line with sector-recognised standards.
    • External examiners comment on the consistent application of the provider’s standards and confirm their alignment with UK-recognised standards in determining awards.

For Quality:

  • Courses are well-designed, provide a high-quality academic experience for all students and enable a student’s achievement to be reliably assessed.
    • External experts, including relevant PSRBs, employers and other external stakeholders, contribute to course design and review. External examiners play an important role in identifying good practice and making recommendations for enhancement of assessment policies and procedures.

What’s next?

Within the Expectations above, the QAA Quality Code also sets out Core Practices that we need to meet (and also one Common Practice that is not mandatory for us but we still meet it). Go to How we do things below to see our approaches in meeting these Practices.

Quality and Enhancement Manual