Analytic Quality Glossary A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Home
Citation reference: Harvey, L., 2004-24, Analytic Quality Glossary, Quality Research International, http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/glossary/
This is a dynamic glossary and the author would welcome any e-mail suggestions for additions or amendments.
|
|
_________________________________________________________________
Code of practice
A code of practice is a documented set of recommended or preferred processes, actions or organisational structures to be applied in a given setting.
Codes of practice may external and linked to external quality monitoring processes or they may be internal to institutions. Codes may be country-specific or transnational. Codes of practice (unlike regulatory codes) are not supported by legal mandate. However, they may be linked to other processes that confer status, funding or prestige and, therefore, have considerable imperative force.
For example, in the UK, the QAA expects each institution to be able to demonstrate that it is effectively addressing each aspect of the Code of Practice through its own quality assurance mechanisms, which QAA audits.
The UNESCO definition links closely to quality audit and compliance with coded requirements.
A Code of Practice is a document, with no mandatory requirements, that describes the minimum audit requirements and those that are considered to reveal a practice worthy of consideration. A Code identifies a comprehensive series of system-wide expectations covering matters relating to the management of academic quality and standards in higher education. It provides an authoritative reference point for institutions as they consciously, actively, and systematically assure the academic quality and standards of their programmes, awards, and qualifications. A Code assumes that, taking into account nationally agreed upon principles and practices, each institution has its own systems for independent verification both of its quality and standards and of the effectiveness of its quality assurance systems. In developing a Code, extensive advice is sought from a range of knowledgeable practitioners. (Vlãsceanu, et al., 2004)
An institutional Code of Practice may set out expectations for internal compliance. For example, UMIST’s Code of Practice on Teaching and Learning for Taught Programmes gave details of the university’s procedures for the management of quality and academic standards, that departments should adhere to, and a compendium of
The UK, QAA (2012) had an extensive Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality and Standards in Higher Education, which replaced the former name Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality and Standards in Higher Education: Career Education, Information, and Guidance (2004)). The QAA Code was split into sections (10 sections in September 2012, new ones are added periodically) relating to the management of academic quality and standards in higher education, such as external examining and programme approval, monitoring and review. QAA(undated) states:
The Code of practice is intended to help higher education institutions to meet their responsibilities for the assurance of academic standards and quality, by proving a framework within which they can consider the effectiveness of their individual approaches to a range of activities.
In 2010, QAA described it code as:
Code of practice (the Code) is a suite of inter-related documents published by the Agency which, taken together, form an overall Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education for the guidance of higher education institutions subscribing to the Agency.
Code of Practice: The Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education published by QAA: a set of interrelated documents giving guidance for higher education providers, which formed the core element of the Academic Infrastructure (now superseded by the Quality Code)
Check QAA website for the latest version of the Code
UNESCO and CEPES along with the Council of Europe have a Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Transnational Education (Council of Europe, 2002).
The European Consortium for Accreditation in Higher Education (ECA) had a Code of Good Practice for its members.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE, 2001) had a Code of Good Practice in Accrediting in Higher Education but that seems to have disappeared.
The European Association for International Education (EAIE), had a code of practice for students studying abroad: International Student – Trainee, for use by any institution of post-secondary education intending to send students abroad for a work placement in conjunction with studies at the home institution. The Code was developed by SWING (Stage, Work Placement and Internship Group), which is a Professional Section of EAIE
Universities Australia (2005), formerly Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, published Provision of Education to International Students: Code of Practice and Guidelines for Australian Universities.
Council of Europe, 2002,Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Transnational Education. Riga: UNESCO-CEPES and Council of Europe, available at http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/highereducation/recognition/code%20of%20good%20practice_EN.asp, accessed 20 September 2012, still available 14 May 2022.
European Association for International Education (EAIE), 2004, International Student – Trainee, Higher Education Institutions, Code of Practice http://www.eaie.nl/SWING/form3.html; undated accessed October 2004, not available at this address 14 February 2011.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE), 2001, Code of Good Practice in Accrediting in Higher Education. Philadelphia: Middle States Commission of Higher Education.
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), 2010, Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education. Collaborative provision and flexible and distributed learning (including e-learning) Amplified version October 2010, available at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/Code-of-practice-section-2.aspx, accessed 20 September 2012, still available 31 December 2016, not at this address 21 June 2019..
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), undated, Glossary, available at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/about-us/glossary?Category=C, accessed 7 January 2017, not available 20 June 2019.
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), 2001, UMIST Code of Practice on Teaching and Learning for Taught Programmes http://www2.umist.ac.uk/staff/talsc/ TaLSC/quality/cop_introduction.pdf, undated, accessed November, 2004, not at this address 14 February 2011..
Vlãsceanu, L., Grünberg, L., and Pârlea, D., 2004, Quality Assurance and Accreditation: A Glossary of Basic Terms and Definitions (Bucharest, UNESCO-CEPES) Papers on Higher Education, ISBN 92-9069-178-6.