Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022

General quality assurance functions

50 Quality assurance frameworks

(1) The Commission may publish quality assurance frameworks.

(2) A quality assurance framework is a document setting out guidance and information on matters of policy and practice concerning—

(a) criteria for assessing the quality of tertiary education;

(b) processes for assessing the quality of tertiary education;

(c) the roles and responsibilities of—

(i) persons assessing the quality of tertiary education,

(ii) providers of tertiary education as regards the quality of tertiary education, and

(iii) any other persons as regards the quality of tertiary education as the Commission considers appropriate;

(d) consideration of the views of learners about the quality of the tertiary education they receive;

(e) the professional development of members of the tertiary education workforce;

(f) any other matter the Commission considers relevant to assurance of the quality of tertiary education.

(3) The Commission may revise, replace or withdraw any quality assurance framework published under this section.

(4) Before publishing a framework (or any revised framework) or withdrawing a framework under this section, the Commission must consult—

(a) each registered provider,

(b) Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales (“the Chief Inspector”), and

(c) any other persons the Commission considers appropriate.

(5) The persons mentioned in subsection (6) must, so far as relevant to the exercise of their functions, have regard to a quality assurance framework published under this section.

(6) The persons are—

(a) the Commission;

(b) the Chief Inspector;

(c) a designated body (see section 56).

(7) Nothing in this section affects the Commission’s other powers to issue guidance.

(8) “Members of the tertiary education workforce” has the same meaning as in section 5.

51 Duty to monitor, and promote improvement in, the quality of regulated tertiary education

The Commission must monitor, and promote improvement in, the quality of tertiary education—

(a) provided by, or on behalf of, registered providers (so far as the tertiary education relates to the providers’ categories of registration);

(b) funded or otherwise secured by the Commission.

52 Advice and assistance in respect of quality of tertiary education

(1) This section applies to tertiary education, or a particular course of tertiary education—

(a) provided by, or on behalf of, a registered provider,

(b) funded or otherwise secured by the Commission, or

(c) provided in Wales and not falling within paragraph (a) or (b).

(2) The Commission may provide, or make arrangements for the provision of, advice or other assistance to any person for the purpose of—

(a) improving the quality of the tertiary education or course, or

(b) preventing the quality of the tertiary education or course from becoming inadequate.

(3) For the purposes of this section, the quality of tertiary education, or of a course of tertiary education, is inadequate if it is not adequate to meet the reasonable needs of those receiving the education or undertaking the course.

53 Reviews relevant to quality of tertiary education

The Commission may carry out, or arrange for another person to carry out, a review of any matters that it considers relevant to the quality of tertiary education, or a particular course of tertiary education—

(a) provided by, or on behalf of, a registered provider,

(b) funded or otherwise secured by the Commission, or

(c) provided in Wales and not falling within paragraph (a) or (b).