So a large part of the year has been dominated by the Quality Assurance Agency’s Institutional Review of Swansea University. Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University are going through the same cycle as we are (i.e. they’ve got their review at the same time as we do!)

At the start of the process, we commissioned this video: http://youtu.be/g5OvezMDCew

Thankfully, whilst I was Education Officer last year I had the foresight to propose to the Trustee Board that the organisation create the role of ‘Student Experience Research co-ordinator’ to help pull this work together as it would have been a ridiculous ask of any Full Time Officer to do on their own.

Following that, we recruited Sara Correia into the post. I also committed the Students’ Union in producing an Annual Quality Report that will be seen by the University’s Council – the highest governing body of the organisation allowing the Students’ Union to take the case for major Academic improvements to the highest level in the University.

As a part of the Institutional Review, the Students’ Union are asked to produce a Student Submission. It’s usually about 6,000 words. As part of our submission, was also produced a video which you can access here: http://youtu.be/SthAhYUo708

The second part is a 6000 word report on the University. This can be accessed here: http://www.bigswanseareview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/studentsubmissionpart1.pdf

Our work on the Student Submission has been received quite well – the Quality Assurance Agency (the body who review the University) used our student submission as a case study in the launch of their new student newsletter:

You can access the newsletter here: http://us3.campaign-archive2.com/?u=005201c8e9f59dec787dc820f&id=42ddb45592&e=8814c3a0bd

We’ve had an incredibly open relationship with the University whilst working on the Student Submission. Similarly the University have shared all of their work on the creation of the Self Evaluation Document (a document which the University produce for the review team). This has allowed the Students’ Union to secure major improvements to the University including an increase in the number of College-level committees students will now be able to sit on.

The next stage of the review is a visit by the review team that will take place at the beginning of May. The QAA will want to see staff and students during this visit. The QAA will give us a list of student types they want and as the lead student representative in the review, it’s my job to find those students and prepare them for a short interview.