2024國際銜接課程評估報告（英文版）-英國高等教育質(zhì)量保證局

QAA

EvaluationofInternationalPathwayProgrammes

CommissionedbyUniversitiesUKJuly2024

Contents

Executivesummary 1

Keyfindings 2

Introduction 5

Background 5

Method 7

Findings 11

Noteregardingnomenclatureandprogrammetitles 11

EntryrequirementsforInternationalFoundationProgrammesandInternationalYear

OneProgrammes 12

EntryrequirementsforInternationalFoundationProgrammes(IFPs) 12

EntryrequirementsforInternationalYearOneProgrammes(IYO) 15

InternationalFoundationProgrammes 18

Evidence 18

Analysis 20

InternationalYearOneProgrammes 26

Evidence 26

Analysis 27

Annex1:Evaluationquestions 34

1

Executivesummary

1ThisreportprovidestheevaluationthatQAAundertookbetween28February2024and3July2024intoInternationalPathwayProgrammesthataredesignedtosupporttheentryofinternationalstudentsintoUKhighereducationcourses.WehaveconsideredbothInternationalFoundationProgrammes(IFPs)andInternationalYearOneProgrammes

(IYOs).

2ThequestionswesoughttoanswerweresetoutinascopingdocumentagreedbetweenQAAandUniversitiesUK(UUK)thatwepublishedon28February2024.

3QAA’sapproachtoconsideringthesematterswastoengagewithhighereducationprovidersacrosstheUKthatwereofferingprovisioninscopeoftheevaluation,andask

themtoparticipate.Followinganinitialinformationgatheringprocess,36providerscameforwardtoengagewiththeevaluation.Twoprovidersstooddownduringtheprocess,andthereforeourfindingsinthisreportrelatetoanassessmentoftheevidenceprovidedby34providers.

4Providerssubmitteddetailsofaround700coursesthatwerereportedasrunningintheacademicyear2023-24,withjustover15,000studentsbeingreportedasbeingregistered

onthesecourses.Intotal,QAAselected185programmesthatwedeterminedcovered20differentsubjectareas.

5QAAaskedproviderstosubmitevidenceregardingtheprogrammesselectedfor

evaluation.Thiswastoallowustoconsiderwhetherstandardswerebeingseteffectivelyinpractice,andforustobeabletounderstandtheapproachindividualprovidersweretakingtotheoperationofthesecourses.Thispartoftheevidencesubmissionrequiredthe

submissionofstandardcourseinformation,forexample,publishedadmissions

requirements,programmespecifications,moduledescriptors,academicregulationsandassessmentmaterials,thatwouldbeconsistentacrossallstudentsstudyingona

programme.

6QAAalsorequiredevidencetodeterminehowarrangementswereoperatingin

practice.Thisincludeswhetherstudentsappearedtobeadmittedinlinewiththeadmissionrequirements,andwhetherthestandardsbeingachievedinpracticebythesestudentsmettheexpectedlevel(inlinewiththeapplicablenationalstandards).Inthisregard,our

evidencebasecomprisedofafurther4,794piecesofevidence,madeupofof2,731

individualstudentadmissionsrecordsand2,063piecesofassessedstudentwork(ofwhich1,427wereforInternationalFoundationProgrammes,and636forInternationalYearOneProgrammes).

7QAAappointed36reviewerstoconsidertheevidence.Forthisevaluation,QAA

reviewersareacademicandprofessionalservicesstaffdrawnfromacrossthesector.Inappointingreviewersandinallocatingreviewerstothework,QAAensuredtherewerenoconflictsofinterestbetweenthereviewersandtheproviderstheywereevaluating.

ReviewerscompletedaQAA-specifiedReviewerFindingsRecordbasedontheevidencetheyhadconsidered.QAAofficersthencompiledtheinformationintheserecordstomakethefindingssetoutinthisreport.

2

Keyfindings

8Followingourconsiderationoftheevidence,QAAhasmadethefollowingkeyfindings.

Programmenomenclatureandtitles

9QAAnotedtherewassignificantvariancewithinthenamingconventionsbeingusedbyproviderstodescribetheseprogrammes.Someproviderswereusingnaming

conventionsthatdistinguishprogrammesasbeingfocusedforinternationalstudents,inothercasesproviderswereusingalternativenamingbutpromotingthesecoursesonlytosuchstudents.

10QAArecommendsthatthehighereducationsectorshouldconsiderhowtherecanbegreaterconsistencyintheapproachtonamingprogrammescoveredbythisevaluationto

ensureinternationalstudentsandotherstakeholdersunderstandthenatureofthese

programmes.QAAconsidersthatthesectionontitlingconventionsforqualificationsin

TheFrameworkforHigherEducationQualifications(FHEQ)maybehelpfulinthisregard(includingfortheInternationalFoundationProgrammesnotcoveredbytheFHEQ).Further,thisissomethingthatQAAwillconsiderwhenitnextupdatestheCharacteristicsStatementforInternationalPathwayCoursesanddevelopsthenextversionoftheAdviceand

GuidanceonPartnershipsaspartoftheUKQualityCodeforHigherEducation.

EntryrequirementsforInternationalFoundationProgrammesandInternationalYearOneProgrammes

11QAAconsideredwhethertheentryrequirementsforInternationalFoundation

ProgrammesandInternationalYearOneProgrammeswereconsistenttoanyequivalentdomesticprogramme,andwereappliedinlinewiththepublishedrequirements.

12QAAnotedthatdeterminingequivalencycanbechallenginginsomecasesbecauseinternationalstudentsarelikelytocometotheseprogrammeswitharangeofqualificationsandgradesfromtheirowncountryandthereforethisrequiresspecialisedknowledgeandresourcesforadmissionsprofessionalsinthesector.

13QAAfoundthattherewasbroadequivalencebetweentheentryrequirementsfortheInternationalFoundationProgrammesandtheirequivalentdomesticprogrammes(whicharemainlyfoundationyearprovision).TherewasalsoequivalencebetweenInternationalYearOneProgrammesandwheretherewasadeclaredequivalentdomesticprogramme(whichforInternationalYearOneprogrammeswerethefirstyearofundergraduateprogrammes).However,forbothprogrammetypes,QAAconsidereditwasnotablethattherewere

significantlymoreoptionsforinternationalstudentsthanfordomesticstudents,meaningthatinternationalstudentsappeartohavemoreoptionsavailabletothem.

14Inconsideringtheevidenceprovidedregardingthequalificationsdemonstratedbystudentsonentrytotheseprogrammes,QAAfoundnoconcernsthatproviderswerenotfollowingtheirpublishedentryrequirements.

InternationalFoundationProgrammes

15QAAconsideredprogramme,moduleandassessmentdocumentationtoassesswhetherthestandardssetinthesedocumentswereinlinewiththerelevantnational

qualificationframeworks.Inthevastmajorityofcases,QAAfoundthattheInternationalFoundationProgrammeswerebeingsetinlinewiththeexpectationsofacourseatthat

level.Weidentifiedafewminordiscrepancies,althoughnothingthatwouldgiveuscausefor

3

concernthatstudentswereunlikelytobeabletoachieveanappropriatestandardattheendofthecourse.

16Wealsoconsideredevidenceofstudents’completedwork,andwewereassuredthatinthevastmajorityofcasestheevidenceshowedthatstudentswereachievingatan

appropriatelevelandmarkingandassessmentwereeffective.

17QAAalsoconsideredwhetherstudentswereofferedsimilaropportunitiestocompleteandachievetheintendedoutcomeofthecourses,comparedtodomesticstudentsthathadstudiedALevelorScottishHigherqualifications.Inthisareawedidfindadifference,withInternationalFoundationProgrammestudentsgenerallyhavingmoreopportunitiesand

undermorevariedconditionstoachievesuccessfulprogressionthrough,forexample,

resittingassessmentsthantheopportunitiesavailabletoALevel/ScottishHigherstudents.

18QAArecommendsthathighereducationproviders,collectively,couldseekgreater

standardisationofapproachtowardsassessmentpracticeandregulationsonInternationalFoundationProgrammes.Wehaveobservedarangeofapproachesbeingemployedfor

programmesthatoutwardlywouldappearotherwisesimilar.Itisforhighereducation

providerstodeterminetheirownpoliciesandregulationsregarding,forexample,allowableattemptsatassessment.However,indoingsotheymaywishtoconsiderwhethermattersofperceivedfairnesswithotherpotentialapplicantstotheintendedcourseforprogressionarerelevant.Inanydecisionstakenbyindividualproviderstheyshouldensurethatthestrategicapproachtosecuringacademicstandards,qualityassuranceandenhancementispublished,communicatedclearlyandaccessibletostaff,studentsandexternalstakeholders.SuchanapproachwouldbeinlinewiththeKeyPracticesetoutinSector-AgreedPrinciple1ofthe

UKQualityCode.

19Finally,QAAobservedthattherecanbenotabledifferencesintheratesofprogressiontotheintendedprogrammefromstudentsonInternationalPathwayProgrammescomparedtoequivalentdomesticprogrammes.Differenceswereobservedatthesubjectlevelwithin

someproviders-somesubjectssawsimilarprogressionratesfordomesticstudents,andsomesawsignificantlydifferentrates.Insomecases,domesticstudentprogressionrateswerehigher,theoppositewasalsotrue.ItwasnotpossibletodiscernanygeneralpatternsofsimilarityordifferencesbetweenInternationalFoundationProgrammesandequivalentdomesticprogrammesstudentsintermsofratesofprogression.

20QAArecommendsthatindividualhighereducationprovidersshouldregularlyassessprogressionratesforinternationalanddomesticstudents,andshouldensuretheyare

consideringinternalcomparisonsbetweenbothsubjectandinternationalandequivalent

domesticprogrammes.ThisactivitywouldbeinlinewiththeKeyPracticessetoutSector-

AgreedPrinciple4oftheUKQualityCode.Inallcases,providersshouldensurethey

understandtheunderlyingreasonsfortheoutcomesandengagestudentsaspartnersto

understandandinterrogatethesereasons.ThisactivitywouldbeinlinewithSector-AgreedPrinciple2oftheUKQualityCode.Highereducationprovidersshouldtargetquality

enhancementactivitieswheretheprovidercanreasonablybeexpectedtohaveadirect

influenceoverprogression(forexample,bythoroughlyinvestigatingmattersrelatedto

studentattendanceandthereasonforpoorattendance).Highereducationprovidersshouldalsoensuretheyhaveconsideredcarefullytheirresponseswhenfactorsareoutsideoftheircontrol(forexample,incaseswheretheeconomicsituationofastudent’shomecountry

changes)toensuretheirresponseisstrategic.

4

InternationalYearOneProgrammes

21ThemethodologyappliedbyQAAtoevaluateInternationalYearOneProgrammeswassubstantiallysimilartotheapproachtakentoInternationalFoundationProgrammes.

22Havingconsideredtheevidence,QAAconcludesinalmostallcasestheevidence

demonstratesthattheacademicstandardssetonInternationalYearOneProgrammesare

equivalenttodomesticLevel4/7programmes,andthattheassessmentapproachesusedonprogrammesareappropriatetotesttheachievementofstandards.Weidentifiedafewminordiscrepancies,althoughnothingthatwouldgiveuscauseforconcernthatstudentswere

unlikelytobeabletoachieveanappropriatestandardattheendofthecourse.

23Wealsoconsideredevidenceofstudents’completedwork,andwewereassuredthatinthevastmajorityofcasestheevidenceshowedthatstudentswereachievingatan

appropriatelevelandmarkingandassessmentwereeffective.

24QAAnotedthatinthemajorityofcases,providerswereapplyingthesameacademicregulationstobothInternationalYearOneProgrammesandotherprogrammesatLevel4.

However,itwasnotedthatinsomecaseswheretheInternationalYearOneProgrammewasofferedthroughapartner,thereweredifferencesintheregulations.Thisparticularlywas

evidencedinvaryingapproachestotheopportunitiesprovidedtostudentstoresitfailedcomponentsofassessment.

25QAArecommendsthatprovidersshouldconsiderwhetheritisappropriateto

harmonisetheacademicregulationsacrossLevel4courseswithintheirportfolios,includingwheretheyarebeingdeliveredbyapathwayprovider.Ifaproviderhasreasonsforwhytheyconsiderthisisnotdesirable,theyshouldclearlystatethisinorderthatstakeholderscan

understandthestrategicapproachbeingtakenandthejustificationforanydifferences.Wenotethisisparticularlyimportantwherepathwayproviders’provisionmaybelargely

indistinguishablefromtheprovisionofferedbytheuniversityprovider.SuchanapproachwouldbeinlinewithSector-AgreedPrinciples1and8oftheUKQualityCode.

26QAA’sfindingsinrelationtoprogressionwithintheprovideraresimilartothefindingsinrelationtoInternationalFoundationProgrammes.Again,providerscitedarangeof

reasonsbothwithinandoutsideoftheircontrolforthis.Weobservedsignificantdifferenceswithinprovidersincludingbetweenequivalentdomesticandtheseinternationalprogrammes,andthesemattersarelikelyworthoffurtherinvestigation.

27QAArecommends,aswithInternationalFoundationProgrammes,thatproviders

shouldregularlyassessprogressionratesforinternationalanddomesticstudents,and

shouldensuretheyareconsideringinternalcomparisonsbetweenbothsubjectand

internationalandequivalentdomesticprogrammes.QAAfurtherrecommendsthat

considerationofthestudentexperienceisundertakenwhendifferencesareobserved.In

doingso,providersshouldconsiderthatwithInternationalFoundationProgrammestheyarepreparingstudentsforundergraduatestudy,whereasonInternationalYearOne

Programmestheyaredeliveringundergraduatestudy.Studentsrequiringpreparationwill

naturallycomewitharangeofdifferentknowledgeandskillsandwillhavebeenassessedbytheprovidertohaveneededthatassistanceinordertobeabletoaccesshigher

education.However,withstudentsenteringontoundergraduatestudy,providersshouldbereasonablyconfidentregardingastudent’sabilitytosucceed,andthereforeitisessential

providersunderstandthedetailedreasonswhystudentsmaybeachievingdifferentlyacrossdifferentprogrammes,assumingtherearebroadersimilaritiesinentryprofile.Suchan

approachwouldbeinlinewithSector-AgreedPrinciples1and4oftheUKQualityCode.

5

Introduction

28ThisreportprovidestheevaluationthatQAAundertookbetween28February2024and3July2024intoInternationalPathwayProgrammesthataredesignedtosupporttheentryofinternationalstudentsintoUKhighereducationcourses.WehaveconsideredbothInternationalFoundationProgrammes(IFPs)andInternationalYearOneProgrammes

(IYOs).

29IFPsaregenerallydesignedtoactasbridgesbetweenthesecondaryeducation

attainmentofinternationalstudentsandtherequirementsforentryintothefirstyearofstudyonUKuniversityprogrammes.Assuch,theynormallyofferEnglishlanguagedevelopmentskills(beyondtheminimumrequirementssetbytheUKgovernmentforstudyvisas),

academicskillsdevelopmentaswellasentry-leveldevelopmentofsubjectmatterrelatedtothestudents’furtherstudyaspirations.

30SuccessfulIFPstudentsmayprogressdirectlyintouniversityundergraduate

programmesormightalsoprogressontoanInternationalYearOne(IYO)programmewheretheycontinuetostudysubject-relatedcontentandreceivecontinuedsupport.

31InternationalYearOnecourses(IYOs)arethesameacademiclevelofstudy(Level4)asthefirstyearofotherundergraduatecourses.Theynormallyprovideacombinationof

subject-specificcoursecontenttogetherwithacademicsupporttoenableundergraduate

studentstotransitionintoeducationintheUK.Suchsupportnormallyincludesacademic

Englishskills(beyondtheminimumrequirementssetbytheUKgovernmentforstudyvisas)andresearch/studyskills.

32Althoughanumberofuniversitiesstilloperatetheirownin-houseprogrammesfor

internationalstudents,inrecentyearstherehasbeenatrendtowardsuniversities

establishingpartnershipswiththirdpartyproviderstodeliverIFPsandIYOs.Thesethird

partyprovidersoperatenationallywithintheUKthroughindividualagreementswithpartneruniversities,usuallyworkingacrossmultiplepartners,andmayalsooperateinternationally,utilisinganextensivenetworkofagentstorecruitinternationalstudents.

33In2022,QAApublishedan

InternationalPathwayCoursesCharacteristicsStatement.

TheCharacteristicsStatementforInternationalPathwayCoursesconsidersthecontextandpurposeofthesecourses,aswellastheinstitutionsthattypicallydeliverthem.Itexploreskeyfeaturesofthecontentandstructure,andthefocusonEnglishlanguage,aswellas

academicskills,subjectmodulesanddeliverymodels.Itisnotaregulatorydocumentand,therefore,providersarenotobligatedtoensuretheirprovisionisinlinewiththecontentsofthedocument.

Background

34InJanuary2024,followingafocusinsomemediaoutletsonrecruitmentpracticesrelatingtointernationalstudentstoundergraduatecoursesatasmallnumberofhighereducationproviders,theUniversitiesUK(UUK)Boardwasconcernedthatstudents(bothinternationalanddomestic),theirfamilies,governmentsandotherstakeholderscanhaveconfidencethatpracticesarefair,transparentandrobust.

6

35HavingdiscussedthematterwithQAA,UUKcommissionedarapidreview

1

to:

?comparetheadmissionsrequirementsbetweenfoundationprogrammesfordomesticstudentsandinternationalstudents

?assessthestandardsofthecoursesbeingofferedtointernationalstudentsasbothfoundationprogrammes,andInternationalYearOneProgrammes

?assesswhetherthesestandardsarebeingachievedandmaintainedinpractice.

36QAAistheUK’sexpertqualitybodyfortertiaryeducation.Weareinternationally

recognisedandhaveover26yearsofexperiencedeliveringregulatoryqualityassurance

andcollaborativequalityassuranceintheUKandinternationally.Independenceand

impartialityarefundamentaltotheworkofanyqualitybody,andQAA’smodeliswidely

regardedasanexemplarofgoodpracticebyqualitybodiesinternationally.QAAisan

independentcharity-weadvisegovernmentsandfundingbodiesonqualitymatters,andwerespondandtailorourworktothelegislative,regulatoryandpolicyframeworkinevery

nationwhereweoperate-butwithinthoseframeworkswedevisequalityassurancemethodsthatdeliverindependentevaluationandjudgements.QAA’sreviewsand

evaluationsareneverinfluencedbygovernments,fundersorregulators,ortheinstitutionswereview.QAAispoliticallyneutral.

37Inlinewithbestpracticeinpeerreview,QAA’sreviewsandevaluationsaremanagedbyQAAofficersandundertakenbyreviewersdrawnfromthewidersector,trainedbyQAAinthespecificmethod.WeensurethattheQAAofficersandreviewershavenoconnectionwiththeprovider(orproviders)underreview.QAAalwaysreportspubliclytheresultsofourevaluations,whetherpositiveornegative,inlinewithinternationalbestpractice.

38ThecostsoftheevaluationhavebeenmetbyQAA,UniversitiesUK,theRussell

Group,andGuildHE.QAAisgratefulforthefundingprovidedbythesestakeholders–thishasenabledustohavealargepoolofparticipatinginstitutions,andtheresourcetoconducttheanalysisofseveralthousandpiecesofindividualevidence.Whilefundinghasbeen

providedbythesebodies,incommonwithourgeneralapproachtheyhavenotbeenofferedanyeditorialcontrolinrelationtothisreport.Thisreport,itsfindingsandtheunderlying

analysisworkthathasbeenundertakenhasbeenexclusivelytheworkofQAAand

managedaccordingtoourinternalqualityassuranceprocessesandrequirements.Fortheavoidanceofdoubt,nostakeholderbodyorindividualhassoughttoinfluencethecontentsofthisreport.

39FollowingtheinitialrequestforQAAtoundertakeactivityinrelationtothismatter,weagreedwithUUKascopingdocumentthatsetoutthequestionswewouldseektoanswer.

ThesearereplicatedasAnnex1tothisreport.The

scopingdocumentandcommissioning

letter

werepublishedon28February2024.

1InMay2024,QAApublishedanupdated

ExternalQualityAssurancePolicy.

ThispolicysetsoutthatQAAwillonlyreferto‘reviews’wheretheyarecompliantwiththeEuropeanStandardsandGuidelines(ESG)forQualityAssurance.Theactivitycoveredinthisreportwascommissionedbeforethepolicytookeffectandhasinvariousplacesbeenreferredtopreviouslyasareview.Fortheavoidanceofdoubt,thisactivitywasnotconductedinlinewiththeESG,andthereforethisfinalreportreferstoitasanevaluation.

7

40TheQAAofficerswhohaveoverseenactivityinthisevaluationwere:

?RobStroud-DirectorofAssessmentServicesandAccesstoHigherEducation

?AdamSurtees-AssessmentServicesManager

?JenniferTaylor-AssessmentServicesManager

?DrJudithForeman-QualityManager

?DrLynnFulford-QualityManager

?DrAndrewThomas-QualityManager

?AltheaCusick-QualityManager

41QAAappointed36reviewerstoundertaketheevaluationactivity.Wearegratefulfortheircontributionsandcarefulconsiderationofthesignificantvolumeofevidencereceivedthathasenabledtheproductionofthisreport.Additionally,administrativeactivitywas

supportedbycolleaguesinQAA’sAssessmentServicesandAccesstoHigherEducation

team,andsignificantsupportfortheteam,andproviders,wasprovidedbyQAA’sIT

Servicesteam.

Method

42UUKcontacteditsmembersinordertoidentifyanyprovidersthatdidnotoffer

provisionthatwouldbeinscope.Additionally,otherrepresentativebodiesandmission

groupswerealsocontactedtohighlighttheactivitytothem.OnceUUKhadidentifiedtheprovidersthatdidnotoffersuchprovisionand,assuch,couldnotbeevaluated,they

providedalistoftheremaining124providerstoQAA.UUKplayednofurtherroleintherecruitmentorselectionofproviderstotakepartintheevaluation.

43UtilisingthelistprovidedbyUUK,QAAcontactedprovidersinlateMarchtoseektheirparticipation.ProviderswereaskedtocompleteastandardisedProviderInformationFormusingatemplatedesignedbyQAAthatallowedustocaptureahighlevelofinformation

regardingtherelevantcoursesbeingofferedbyproviders.Providerswereaskedtospecifythenamesofthefullrangeofprogrammestheyofferedforinternationalstudentsthattheyconsideredwouldbeinscope,alongwiththenumberofstudentsadmittedinthisandthepreviousacademicyear,thedetailofanyorganisationtheyworkedwithtodeliverthe

programme(forexample,apathwayproviderasreferredtoinparagraph32),theentry

requirementsfortheprogramme,anddetailsregardingwherethoseentryrequirementsarepublished.

44Additionally,weaskedproviderstoidentifywheretheproviderconsideredtherewasanequivalentofferingopentodomesticstudents-forexample,iftheprovideralsooffers

foundationprogrammesfordomesticstudents,or,inrelationtoIYOprogrammes,which

courseswereequivalentasanundergraduateentrypoint.Similarinformationwassoughtwithregardtotheseprogrammesaswiththeinternationalprogrammesinrelationtostudentnumbersandentryrequirements.

45Thisstagewasessential,asbeingabletodisaggregateinformationoncoursesfrompubliclyavailablesourcesischallenging.Weconsideredthistobethemostappropriate

methodtoenableustoquicklygetanunderstandingofthetypeandscopeofprovisionwithinthesector.

46Providerswereinformedthatbyreturningaproviderinformationformontimetheywouldbeconfirmingtheirparticipation.Inplanningourapproachtoevaluation,QAA

determinedthatwewerelikelytobeabletoaccommodateupto40providersparticipating,

8

whichwasalevelthatweconsideredwouldgiveusaviewofawiderangeofprovision

acrossthesectorandfromproviderswithdifferentcharacteristics.QAAdidnotattempttoactivelyrecruitordissuadeanyparticularprovidersfromparticipating.Itwasnotourplantoattempttoextrapolateanydataorinformationtomakeclaimsregardingsectorperformanceandthereforewehavenotsoughttoanalyseorcategoriseinformationaccordingtoprovidercharacteristics(suchastypicalentrytarifflevel,missiongroup,regionandsoon).

47FollowingtheconclusionofthecollectionoftheProviderInformationForms,there

were36providersthathadreturnedsufficientinformationtoallowQAAtoproceedwiththeevaluation.Twofurtherprovidershadinitiallysoughtparticipationbutwereunableto

proceedatthisstageduetotheneedtoprogresstheevaluationactivitybeforetheyhad

beenabletoreturnthenecessaryinformation.Oneproviderwithdrewfromtheprocessafteritbecameapparentduringtheevidencecollectionstagethatcoursesofferedattheir

providerwerenotinscopefortheevaluation,andafurtherproviderwithdrewduringtheevidencecollectionstageastheywereunabletocommittoprovidingthenecessary

informationintimeforassessmenttotakeplace.Thefindingsofthisreportthereforerepresenttheconsiderationofevidencefrom34providers.

48Asthenumberofprovidersseekingtoparticipatewasslightlybelowthecapacitywehadallowedfor,QAAdidnotundertakeanysamplingactivityattheleveloftheprovider-allproviderswithanon-time,completeandvalidProviderInformationFormwereincludedintheprocess.TheprovidersbeingevaluatedincludedatleastoneproviderfromeachnationoftheUK,andincludedprovisionthatrelatestoprovidersthatarerepresented,directlyorindirectly,bythefourlargemissiongroupsintheUK.

2

49Uponreviewoftheproviderinformationforms,weidentifiedthatthenumberof

individualcoursesbeingreportedbyproviderswassignificantlyinexcessofthecapacitythatcouldbeassessedinthetimeavailabletoreview.Providerssubmitteddetailsofaround700coursesthatwerereportedasrunninginth