University boards of governors should take a more active role in overseeing teaching and learning if institutions are to protect their academic autonomy and resist ever more intrusive interventions from regulators, according to a report.
A policy note from the Higher Education Policy Institute, released on 14 July, says the increased emphasis on quality in higher education in England requires governing bodies to get more hands-on in maintaining robust academic standards.
It recommends that institutions keep their governors regularly updated on issues of academic quality, including providing them with annual degree outcome statements that outline any major changes in grade distribution and producing a quality report based on “key performance indicators” such as how courses have fared in the National Student Survey.
