Validation and Partnerships form the University's collaborative provision: educational activity that leads to City, University of London award (or credit) and is delivered, supported and/or assessed through an arrangement with a partner organisation either in the UK or overseas.
City engages in a variety of different types of collaborative provision including validation and partnerships.
This includes:
- Joint Programmes
- Articulated Provision
- Access/Feeder Programmes
- Off-site programme delivery.
All collaborative provision will be underpinned by a Memorandum of Agreement.
Ultimate strategic responsibility for all collaborative provision lies with the City's Executive Committee including responsibility for signing-off any proposed new activity.
Student and Academic Services provides administrative management for validation and institutional-level partnerships. In addition, it provides support to Schools on new and on-going partnership activity.
Types of collaborative provision at City, University of London.
Validation
Validation is a process whereby City recognises the quality and standards of programmes delivered and designed by an approved institution as equivalent to its own. Successful students receive a certificate, diploma or degree from City.
Validation at City
- Establishes links with a range of primarily London-based, high-profile institutions
- Broadens the base of academic awards made in its name
- Enables other forms of collaboration
- Facilitates mutual educational development
- Widens its reputation
The Academic Director (Collaborative Provision) provides academic leadership for the City's validation portfolio.
Course Board Chairs oversee the academic development of each validation.
The Collaborative Provision Committee advises the Academic Director (Collaborative Provision) in this work.
Student and Academic Services provides administrative management for the validation portfolio.
Validation Documents
- The Validation and Institutional Partnerships Handbook provides the framework for managing validation activity.
- In addition, a Guide for Students on Validated Programmes is produced annually for students studying on a validated programme.
- The Policy on Validation sets out City's principles for forming validation partnerships and the criteria that are used to evaluate validation requests.
- Our list of validated provision can be found in our Collaborative Provision Register.
Developing Partnerships
Partnerships as a term encompasses all collaborative activity except validation. Partnership provision usually involves the award of City, University of London credit or awards.
The approval of partnerships and the development of programmes specific to a partnership is a two-tiered system. There are also additional areas to be considered during the Stage A and B programme approval process.
Approval process for partnerships
Stage A
Stage A is the initial approval stage for partnership programmes and is designed to enable an initial evaluation of a credit or award-bearing Collaborative Provision proposal.
It is undertaken at both an Academic School-level via PARC prior to detailed discussions taking place with the proposed partner.
Stage A focuses on the compatibility of the proposed partner with City, an initial outline of the proposal and any associated risks.
Once School PARC conditions are met, Collaborative Provision proposals are forwarded to the Assistant Registrar (Partnerships and Academic Development) in Student and Academic Services for review by the University Strategic Partnerships Approval and Review Committee (USPARC).
Stage B Approval
After all of the Stage A conditions have been responded to, the proposal is considered by School PARC for School Stage B approval.
Academic Partnership Coordinators will complete the Stage B forms in liaison with the School PARC Secretary and School Head of Academic Services.
A member of the partner institution may be required to attend the School Stage B PARC meeting, if appropriate to the nature of the partnership.
Partner institution representation at the PARC meeting will be agreed in liaison with Student and Academic Services.
Academic Partnership Coordinator
Each programme involving partnership provision will have a link tutor who will oversee the academic development of the programme and act as the main point of contact between City and the Partner Institution.
The role is a flexible one as the amount of time required will vary depending on the partner and the complexity of the provision.
In the event of a Partner Institution having a large number of programmes or being spread across more than one School, there would be the potential for more than one Academic Partnership Coordinator.
Role profile for Academic Partnership Coordinators.
Guidance Documents
Alongside the Student Policies & Regulations page, the guidance and forms below are designed to help validated institutions and partners navigate City’s quality assurance processes.
Annual Programme Evaluation
Assessment Boards
Programme Amendments
Research Students
- Application for approval of a new candidate/staff candidate (RDF1)
- Transfer from MPhil/ MMA to PhD/ DMA - For validated programmes only (RDF2)
- Amendment to study arrangements (RDF3)
- Example transfer form from MPhil to PhD
- Intention to submit thesis (RDF4)
- Nomination of examiners (RDF5)
- Research studies examiners' joint report (RDF6)
- Research studies examiners' joint (re-submission) report (RDF6R)
- Research degrees individual examiner's preliminary report - Master of Philosophy (or equivalent)
- Checklist for Chairs
Further information on City’s research policies and student guidance can be found on Doctoral Researcher policies.
Revalidation
Detailed information about City’s revalidation procedures can be found in the Validation and Institutional Partnerships Handbook. Please refer, in particular, to Section 9 (Revalidation) and Appendix 5 (Process and Responsibilities for Validation and Revalidation Events).
Contact us
Please note that following our merger, the policies on our website are the previous City policies. All policies are subject to review and re-development as part of the integration within City St George’s, University of London.