All HEIs will have undergone the revised process of Institutional Audit that will operate in England and Northern Ireland for the cycle that extends from 2005-06 to 2010-11.
As detailed in the Handbook for Institutional audit: England and Northern Ireland, QAA, 2009:
"The aims of this revised Institutional audit process are to meet the public interest in knowing that universities and colleges in England and Northern Ireland have:
- effective means of ensuring that the awards and qualifications in HE are of an academic standard at least consistent with those referred to in The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ) and are, where relevant, exercising their powers as degree awarding bodies in a proper manner
- effective means of providing learning opportunities of a quality that enables students, whether on taught or research programmes, to achieve those HE awards and qualifications
- effective means of enhancing the quality of their educational provision, particularly by building on information gained through monitoring, internal and external reviews, and feedback from stakeholders."
Institutional Audit is an evidence-based process carried out through peer review by an Audit Team and with an emphasis on students and their learning. In particular, the Audit is informed by the Institutional Briefing Paper and Student Written Submission (SWS).