purposes of a faculty review
a faculty review is designed to contribute to the ongoing processes of assurance and enhancement of quality in the faculty, its teaching, learning, research, publications and evaluation over and above the other mechanisms and their reporting cycles that the faculty has for reviewing and improving its work.
its fundamental purpose is faculty improvement and development, to ensure that the quality of the faculty is at the highest level, and to be seen to be constructive and formative (rather than solely judgemental and summative), and that the processes for this exist in the faculty, are operating effectively, and are impacting on the quality of the faculty. it is based on the principle that every faculty can be improved continuously and that evaluation and self-evaluation, both internal and external, are ongoing practices that serve that improvement.
the aims of a faculty review are:
- to establish whether there are appropriate and effective procedures and mechanisms, and that these are working, to ensure that the intended features of the faculty are being achieved, that the research, publication, teaching, supervision and learning opportunities and outcomes are of the highest quality, that intended outcomes are being achieved, that the intended standards of the faculty, staff and student outcomes are correct and are being achieved, that the faculty's awards are fair and appropriate to the faculty, and that the faculty specifications are being addressed and delivered;
- to establish whether the faculty continues to be up-to-date, relevant and valid in the light of developments in the environment, the discipline, the curriculum, research, publication, supervision and in teaching and learning;
- to review the quality of the information provided to staff and students and to potential and actual applicants;
- to review how the faculty is implementing its policies on all matters related to the faculty, and with what process and outcome success;
- to identify good practice within the faculty that can be disseminated both within and outside the faculty.
a faculty review is evaluative, and not only descriptive, and is evidence-based and data-driven, with evidence drawn from a wide range of referenced sources.
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