Quality Assurance and Enhancement
The University's academic provision is underpinned by a framework of quality assurance and enhancement. Assuring the academic quality of the University's provision is about making sure that appropriate and effective teaching, support, assessment and learning opportunities are provided for students. The University's academic standards, and the quality of its teaching and learning, are assessed through systematic monitoring and evaluation, including:
- annual monitoring of courses by Schools
- annual reporting by Schools to Colleges of issues arising from monitoring processes, and from Colleges to Senate Quality Assurance Committee
- student feedback, including staff-student liaison committees and responses to course and programme surveys
- the External Examiner system
- course and programme approval mechanisms
- periodic internal subject review
This quality assurance activity is done within the content of quality enhancement. Quality enhancement is a broader process that is concerned with ongoing reflection and activity to enhance or strengthen the existing quality of the University's provision. The University is committed to systematic review of its provision in order to identify aspects that can be improved, and the assurance activities highlighted above have an enhancement focus embedded within them. Other activity within the University with a specific enhancement focus includes events and material to disseminate internal good practice and themes generated by external organisations, such as the Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Themes.
The University's framework for quality assurance and enhancement forms part of the wider Scottish context. National and external mechanisms in academic quality include:
- Enhancement-Led Institutional Review
- provision of information on the quality of higher education to the public
- the Quality Assurance Agency's Academic Infrastructure
- accreditation or review visits by professional, regulatory and statutory bodies in relevant disciplines
- participation in national student surveys
Further information about the University's quality assurance framework is available from the Quality Unit website.
Programme specifications
Programme specifications for current School of Mathematics degree programmes can be found within the Undergraduate study and MSc study websites.
Collaborative provision
The following degree programmes are offered by the School of Mathematics in collaboration with other institutions:
- MSc in Financial Mathematics (awarded jointly with Heriot-Watt University)
Accessible Learning
We aim to help students maximise their academic potential and get the most benefit from their programme of study and university experience. In line with our strategic goals of excellence in learning and teaching, we seek to enhance the student experience by creating a learning and teaching environment, and culture, that is dynamic, accessible and inclusive.
- For further information about accessible learning, please contact the Mathematics Teaching Organisation.
Teaching and research excellence
The University of Edinburgh is committed to maintaining and enhancing its high quality of learning and teaching. This commitment is directly supported by activities and processes carried out in Schools to assure and enhance academic quality and maintain standards.
School quality processes take place in the context of the University's overall quality assurance framework, which can be found on the Quality Unit website.