This seminar considers approaches to assuring, evaluating, and enhancing quality in higher education through talks from, and discussion with, leading UK practitioners, visits to higher education institutions to talk with relevant staff, and discussions with fellow delegates with a range of experience in different national contexts. It is intended that by the end of the seminar, delegates will be able to:

• describe the differences between quality assessment, quality assurance and quality enhancement and the role of relevant UK agencies with respect to them
  
• explain UK approaches to improving quality through assurance, assessment and enhancement;
  
• evaluate the respective roles of assurance, assessment and enhancement, and their interaction, in contributing to the quality of teaching and learning in UK universities
  
• use this understanding, along with fellow delegates’ insights, to begin the process of planning change to improve the quality of teaching and learning in their university / university system.

This event is designed to allow participants to compare and contrast the English and Scottish approaches to quality assurance and enhancement. As a result, the event will start in York and end in Glasgow. Rail transport between York and Glasgow is included in the seminar fee.

Who should attend this event
This seminar will be of interest to government ministers, senior civil servants and other public servants, politicians concerned with improving and assuring the quality of higher education systems, and university leaders, senior managers and academics who are engaged, or wish to become engaged, in quality-related issues at a national or institutional level.