Mid-Kent College is a general further education college based in Kent and Medway, operating across two main campuses with a wholly owned subsidiary company, Mid-Kent College Training Services (MKCTS). Academic governance has been reviewed in relation to new assurance responsibilities and a new model adopted based upon the Warwickshire College Group model (part of an Association of Colleges HE project).
There is no longer an Academic board at Mid-Kent College. In its place there is a sub-committee to the governing body – the Quality of Teaching and Learning Committee (QTL). There is a data dashboard and set of KPIs for the whole college which are regularly monitored by the governing body. The governing body have access to a data portal and can interrogate and drill down into data as they wish giving complete transparency and enabling verification. Of particular note and usefulness in respect of academic governance is that papers to the governing body include, on the frontispiece, a signpost to how the information in the paper can be triangulated by governors against other available data and information etc. There are two committees relating specifically to HE academic assurance which are attended by representatives from partner HEIs and which report directly into the governing body sub-committee (QTL) and have the lead HE governor as a member of both.
The HE Quality and Academic Standards Committee (HEQAS) is chaired by the Principal. The role of HEQAS is to monitor the performance, impact and currency of the HE curriculum and the development of new provision. A Self-Assessment Report (SAR) is prepared for HE in addition to all subject-based SARs and is based around the UK Quality Code framework. This is presented to the Governing Body annually together with a quality improvement plan (QIP).
The HE Teaching and Learning committee (HETLC) is also chaired by the Principal. The role of the HETLC is to monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, staff development, research and the impact of the student experience. The Committee also has oversight of learning resources, employability support, enhancement, research and scholarly activity.