Through a significant process review, the University identified the opportunity to enhance its processes for programme monitoring and development. This includes evolving traditional key practices such as Annual Module Review, Annual Programme Review (APR), and Quality Review (QR)[1] to better align with current sector standards and future aspirations, ensuring Swansea University remains at the forefront of educational excellence.
The new Continuous Enhancement approach directly addresses opportunities for efficient, evidence-led and real-time enhancement by improving data accessibility, streamlining analysis and reducing the administrative burden on academic staff. It focuses on rapid and effective action to improve the student experience by fostering collaboration between academics, professional services staff, and students. This approach emphasises continuous evaluation, celebrates and shares good practice and provides targeted support where needed. It also aligns closely with QAA expectations, ensuring that quality and standards remain central to the University’s practices. (Principles 4, 5 and 6 of the UK Quality Code for Higher Education). It meets relevant professional, statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) requirements for approved or accredited programmes by including other stakeholders, such as placement providers or public and patient involvement volunteers, in the continuous enhancement of programmes.
Monitoring and Reporting
The Continuous Enhancement approach is a forward-thinking process designed to ensure the highest standards of education and outstanding student experience at Swansea University. By replacing traditional, static reviews with a dynamic and responsive system, it empowers subject areas to address challenges and seize opportunities as they arise throughout the academic year.
A single, transparent action plan
This process supports enhancement by promoting the continuous evaluation of programmes using real-time data such as student feedback, assessment outcomes, and external examiner reports. Programme Directors, working with their Module Co-ordinators and Student Representatives, will develop and maintain structured Programme Enhancement Plans (PEP) (detailed in Guidance for Faculties), providing a transparent framework for setting priorities, documenting progress, and driving sustained improvements. The single action plan will be used by the programme team to align key strategic and operational actions, identify patterns and trends in data, and provide regular updates on progress to the student body.
Programme Enhancement Plans (PEP) have been developed for each subject area (organised according to their agreed[2] respective Programme Management Board (PMB) groupings) and are designed to outline specific, measurable actions aimed at continuously improving the quality of programmes and enhancing the student experience. The PMB Groupings help to consolidate a suite of programmes and pathways into a single plan where students receive a similar experience and managed via the same Board of Studies/Programme Director in most cases.
The PEPs serve as live documents, intended to be updated regularly throughout the academic year to reflect emerging data, feedback, and priorities. Each PEP identifies key areas for enhancement, aligns these with the university’s strategic goals, and sets out targeted actions using the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to ensure accountability and impact.
Monitoring of PEPs
The PEPs will be monitored by programme teams via Boards of Studies. There is School level oversight responsibility for the School Education Lead and at Faculty level by the Associate Dean Education. Plans can be escalated via School Education Fora and Faculty Education Committees for effective practice and escalation of actions or challenges. SELs and ADEs may also escalate non-engagement with the PEPs for further exploration. Education Enhancement Board (EEB) will have institutional oversight of all PEPs and continuous enhancement.
Real-time responsiveness
Furthermore, the agility of this process enables timely responses to shifts in student needs, regulatory and/or professional body updates and industry developments, ensuring that programmes remain relevant, engaging, and future-focused. By integrating robust quality assurance with a commitment to continuous improvement, this approach ensures that Swansea University provides an education that is both transformative and sustainable for its students and stakeholders.
Metrics and Measures
The Programme Continuing Enhancement Dashboard is a key tool for improving the quality of education and the student experience at Swansea University. It presents relevant metrics for programmes in a single location, streamlining access for Programme Directors, Module Co-ordinators, School Education Leads and Associate Deans for Education for each Faculty. It supports reflection on programme performance, guides discussions at Boards of Studies, and is used to inform how Programme Directors identify areas for enhancement and then record in their Programme Enhancement Plans for monitoring. This approach reduces administrative burden and ensures actions are clearly linked to evidence to deliver the most impact.
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The data presented in the Dashboard will be analysed by both programme teams and also Education Quality Services to ensure institutional oversight as well as identify any recommendations for Programme Directors and Module Coordinators for review and discussion.
Further sources of data and information will include External Examiner review and requirements from Professional, Regulatory and Statutory Bodies.
Effective and Innovation Practice
The Effective Practice section is designed to capture and share examples of practices that have positively impacted students’ learning, engagement, or satisfaction, resulting in positive metrics and/or significant improvements in outcomes.
Effective practice examples should be concise and include context, implementation details, and evidence of success, enabling other departments to adapt and adopt these practices where appropriate. Encourage colleagues to reflect on both formal initiatives and informal approaches that have made a positive difference to their students.
At the end of each academic year, Education Quality Services will conduct a thematic analysis of the actions and effective practices recorded in all Programme Enhancement Plans. This analysis will identify recurring themes, successful interventions, and standout examples of innovation that have demonstrably improved student outcomes, engagement, or satisfaction.
Interventions
Where subject areas or programmes fall below expected performance standards, they may be subject to further structured support and engagement to ensure that the student experience and outcomes can be rapidly improved. In this way, challenges are identified and addressed rapidly, without duplicating processes or waiting for the relevant point in the quality cycle, but which time may be too late.
Education Quality Services will use a clear assessment template to review the data consistently across all programmes. The outcome will determine a suggestion for intervention.
If a PMB Group has been identified for suggested intervention, further contextual analysis may be undertaken to create a full picture of the discipline. This may include the following:
- Discussions with Associate Dean Education, relevant School Education Lead(s) and Programme Director(s) to understand the context of the PMB Group and associated programmes and the level of intervention which would be most beneficial.
- Analysis of additional data as identified above e.g. ARQUE module performance data, supplementary assessments, student engagement, complaints and appeals.
Following analysis of key data by Education Quality Services, subject areas will be identified for one of the following:
- No formal intervention – ongoing enhancement via PEPs
- School level intervention – led by School Education Led and progress reported to School Education Forum at each meeting
- Faculty level intervention – led by Associate Dean Education and progress reported to Faculty Education Committee at each meeting
- University level intervention – led by PVC Education and progress reported to University Education Committee
Periodic Re-Approval of Programmes
At the end of every 5 years, assuming performance meets expectations through the 5 years, programme and module documentation is up to date through continuous enhancement and meets internal and external requirements, including a satisfactory External Examiner review and any required review by PSRBs, re-approval will be automatic, without the need for further review (Education Enhancement Intervention or formerly a Quality Review).
Where required by external Professional Regulatory of Statutory Bodies, a formal Quality Review process (including joint processes with external bodies) can be deployed.
Information pertaining to where interventions might be required and what the process is for this can be found in the Guidance for Education Enhancement Intervention.
Useful Links
If you have any queries or require further information, please contact: Quality-PolicyandGovernance@swansea.ac.uk
[1] The existing Annual Programme Review and Quality Review process (albeit with enhancement) will continue to be used for partnerships (domestic and international) in the medium term, whilst the continuous enhancement approach will be adapted and rolled out in the partnership environment. Where required, the Quality Review process may be deployed in support of regulated or accredited programmes in line with PSRB requirements.
[2] PMB Data groups have been identified with Faculties in order to provide meaningful data below CAH3 level, which can obscure key issues, but above individual programme level, which can be patchy as a result of small numbers.
