| Day
and Time |
Activity |
Guidance
for VisitingBoard Members |
Guidance
for Schools |
| |
|
|
|
| January of the
academic year prior to the visit |
Arrange date of
visit |
|
The RIBA Validation
Co-ordinator together with the ARB Reporting Officer contacts all Schools to arrange
dates for visits and sends each a copy of up to date briefing information.The
Vice Chancellor (or equivalent) is asked formally to invite a Visiting Board on
the mutually convenient date |
| Summer term of
the year prior to the visit |
Arrange membership
of the Visiting Board |
The ARB Reporting
Officer contacts members of the ARB Visitors Panel to establish availability and
the RIBA Validation Co-ordinator does the same for the RIBA Visitors Panel.The
RIBA and the ARB consult as to appointees to ensure a balanced team. A secretary
to the Visiting Board is nominated by agreement between the RIBA and the ARB who
makes all of the necessary administrative arrangements for the Visiting Board
and drafts the Visiting Board Report |
Schools are asked
to advise if any proposed member would have a conflict of interests (eg external
examiners or recent member of staff) or whether there are other well founded reasons
for opposing their involvement |
| About eight weeks
prior to the visit (precise date to be advised by the Visiting Board Secretary) |
The School provides
a Critical Self Appraisal |
The Advisory Group
review the Critical Self Appraisal and pass comments to members of the Visiting
Board |
Appendix 2 details
the nformation a School must include in the Critical Self Appraisal. Students
are encouraged to provide a statement as an appendix to this or as a separate
submission to the Visiting Board |
| Four weeks prior
to the visit |
Delivery of ten*copies
of advance documentation* occasionally a different number |
School documentation
is circulated to Visiting Board members together with details of arrangements
for the visit by the Visiting Board Secretary |
Appendix 2 details
the documentation required. The Visiting Board Secretary will advise on the number
of copies required if this differs from the norm |
| At least one week
prior to the visit |
Arrange programme |
Visiting Board
members receive the detailed programme for the visit in advance |
The Visiting Board
Secretary liaises with the School to establish if any variation to the standard
programme is necessary. The School advises the location of meetings, individuals
to be involved in each and the programme of teaching and other activities which
will be ongoing during the visit |
| Immediately prior
to the visit |
Review of documentation |
Ensure familiarity
with all documentation:
- Procedures and
Criteria
- School's documentation
- Report of last
Visiting Board
- Report of any
review visits
- Format of the
Visiting Board report
- Any other briefing
|
All those meeting
the Visiting Board - including students -should be familiar with the documentation
which it has received and be briefed by the School on the purpose of the visit |
|
Preparation for
the visit
Note: planning
needs to commence in the years prior to the visit in order to retain necessary
student work
|
Providing student
work for inspection |
|
The School needs
to assemble a full cross section of all aspects of student assessed work (including
group work) at all levels/years from the year preceding the visit, including but
not limited to lowest passes in each award (Parts 1, 2, 3). This normally requires
work from at least twelve students taking each course, often more. The relevant
mark sheets for the full student cohort should be provided identifying the individuals
whose work has been selected.
All documentation
from a particular group should be in the same room in order for the Visiting Board
to gain a full picture of student achievement. Work should be presented in a way
that allows the identification of the work of an individual student in different
aspects of the course (eg design projects, course work, exams). Where models,
IT or other media are relevant, either the original submission or documentary
evidence of this should be available. It is important that the full record of
each selected student's work is available; it is acceptable to include some copies
in order to fill gaps due to difficulties in retaining original documents
The most recent
Practical Training Records, diaries, case studies and Professional Practice answer
scripts (together with the mark sheets) must also be provided
|
| Preparation for
the visit |
Illustration of
course structures and content |
|
The course(s)
structure and content should be illustrated either through this display of student
work, or a seperate exhibition which shows the development from year to year.
Relevant programmes and guidance given to students should be provided alongside
the completed work |
| Wednesday |
The Visiting
Board's first private meeting |
Normally held
at the hotel |
The required supporting
documentation listed at the endof Appendix 2 must be providedto the Visiting Board
Secretary in advance of this meeting |
| 18.00 |
Review of School's
documentation |
Systematically
review and identify matters for clarification and investigation during the visit |
|
| 18.40 |
Reports of last
visit and any review visit |
Consider the response
in the Critical Self Appraisal and identify important issues to be investigated
during the visit |
|
| 19.00 |
Preparation for
the meeting with the Head of Institution and Head of School |
Identify a few
topics for discussion, bearing in mind that this is primarily the Institution's
and School's opportunity to explain their priorities and programme of study to
the Board |
|
| 19.20 |
Identify matters
for discussion with external examiners |
This may include
academic developments, standards, the School's response to external examiner comments,
clarification of what the examiners examine (eg is it the full record). |
External examiners
should be aware of which reports have been provided to the Visiting Board |
| 19.30 - 20.00 |
Allocation of
tasks for the first day ofthe visit (11.30 onwards). To be completed on Friday
afternoon if necessary |
Agree the division
of members into two groups to review the record of student work in detail, the
first group to concentrate initially on Part 1, and the second on Part 2, with
tasks subsequently reversed
|
|
| |
|
Delegate individual
members to:
- observe teaching,
studio
- work, crits etc
- visit laboratories
and workshops
- review IT facilities
- review library
provision
- discuss research
activities
- discuss Part
3 and practical training
- give particular
attention to dissertations, course work, exam papers and answers etc, in particular
topics as appropriate
|
The School should
alert relevant staff that Visiting Board members may wish to meet them as part
of its programme of activities |
| 20.30 |
Dinner |
Normally held
at the hotel; informal discussions of the visit continue |
|
| Thursday |
First full
working day of the visit |
|
|
| 8.45 |
Visiting Board
arrives at the School |
Establish base |
A private secure
base must be provided for use throughout the visit. The supply of refreshments
at appropriate points throughout the visit is appreciated |
| 9.00 |
Private meeting
with the Head of the Institution |
|
This is the Institution's
opportunity to introduce itself tothe Board, explain the place of architecture
within the context of its wider activities and to highlight issues for the Board's
attention |
| 9.30 |
Private meeting
with the Head of School |
|
The Visiting Board
will have identified some issues for discussion but the meeting also provides
the Head with the opportunity to bring issues tothe Board's attention |
| 10.00 |
Introduction to
thedisplay of student work followed by an orientation tour of the premises |
The display should
help members gain a clear understanding of the overall content and structure of
the course(s) and progression within them |
A member of staff
(perhaps accompanied by one or two students) briefly explains the work of each
year/level/unit |
| 11.30 |
Observation of
work in progress, visits to facilities etc |
The Visiting Board
divides into smaller groups to visit studios, sample lectures, seminars and crits,
visit the library, labs, workshops, IT facilities, discuss research etc. To be
continued during the afternoon. The student member of the Visiting Board talks
informally to students and encourages attendance at the meeting on Friday |
The Visiting Board
Secretary will advise the proposed times of such activities and the School should
ensure relevant staff are available |
| 13.00 |
Lunch and informal
discussions |
Completion by
14.00 is essential |
This should be
informal and low key |
| 14.00 |
Brief private
meeting |
Short review to
establish whether the morning's events have triggered any matters to be pursued,
or changes in task allocation and priority |
The Visiting Board
may hold private meetings throughout the visit as the need arises |
| 14.15 |
Private inspection
of student work |
Members of the
Visiting Board inspect student work in two groups: the first initially concentrating
on Part 1, the other on Part 2 |
|
| 15.45 |
Brief private
meeting |
Short review of
progress |
|
| 16.00 |
Continue private
inspection of student work and the programme of visits, discussions and observations
of teaching etc |
Ensure balanced
review of all parts of the programme of study, cross-checking findings and substantive
evidence to support conclusions |
|
| 17.15 |
Meeting with external
examiners |
Raise the points
agreed in the initial private meeting and others which have arisen in the course
of the day's activities. It can sometimes be useful to review a particular aspect
of the record of student work with the external examiners. Ensure all aspects
of the course are covered (the meeting with Part 3 external examiners is sometimes
held separately) |
Ensure all current
external examiners are present |
| 18.15 |
Private Meeting
of the Visiting Board |
Some issues may
be left for discussion at the beginning of the Board's programme on Friday |
|
| |
Review progress |
Review and report
back on the day's activities. Note any incomplete areas of work. Avoid conclusions:
views will inevitably be moderated by meetings which follow. Confirm that all
required information is available; if there are serious omissions decide whether
to suspend the visit |
|
| |
Identify matters
for discussion with students |
Students may have
provided an agenda for this meeting. Consider a wide range of issues and the use
of SWOT analysis to avoid over-influencing the meeting |
|
| |
Identify matters
for discussion with staff |
Agree the structure
of the meeting and issues to be discussed. These should include any areas of major
concern at this stage in the visit. Consider whether the Visiting Board wishes
the Head of School to be present throughout. Decide whether there is a need for
any discussions with smaller staff groups, eg to review a particular area of the
record of student work |
Agree with the
Visiting Board whether the Head of School will attend the meeting |
| Friday |
Second full
working day of the visit |
|
|
| 9.15 |
Visiting Board
arrives at the School and has a private meeting |
Preparation for
the day's events and the opportunity to re-examine aspects of the record of student
work together |
|
| 9.45 |
Meeting with students |
Ensure views are
obtained from students at all levels within the course |
This meeting is
open to all students. It is important that students from all years attend, including
those in their 'yearout' if possible. The School is responsible for briefing students
on the purpose of the meeting |
| 10.45 |
Private meeting |
If necessary revise
questions for staff in the light of student views |
|
| 11.00 |
Meeting with staff |
Encourage a wide
and open discussion, with opportunity for staff to raise issues as well as responding
to the Visiting Board's questions |
|
| 12.30 |
Lunch and informal
discussions |
Members should
not discuss the progress of the visit |
The Board welcomes
the opportunity to lunch with staff and students but they should be advised that
members cannot discuss the progress of the visit |
| 13.30 |
Private meeting
ofthe Visiting Board |
Review progress
and identify any outstanding work. Allocate tasks. The Secretary of the Visiting
Board should be asked to alert the Head of School if any additional information
is required or staff are required to meet members of the Visiting Board |
|
| 13.45 |
Completion of
outstanding tasks |
This may include
further inspection of student work. In the event that all tasks are complete then
the final meeting will commence earlier |
It is important
that all work remains available for inspection until this point |
| 14.45 |
Final private
meeting of the Visiting Board |
Prior to agreeing
the content of the report item by item, it will behelpful to hear general comments
from each member of the Board |
|
| |
|
Agree the content
of the report in accordance with the format (Appendix 3) |
|
| 17.15(approx) |
Private meeting
between the Visiting Board Chair the RIBA Validation Co-ordinator,the ARB Reporting
Officer and the Visiting Board Secretary (if a different individual) and the Head
of School |
The Chair relates
th recommendations of the Board and the main observations. The meeting should
be brief and focused |
This is intended
as a private informal briefing; other members of the faculty are not normally
present. The findings of the Visiting Board are subject to refinement in drafting.
Visiting Boards produce recommendations to the RIBA and the ARB. Any comments
made by them are not intended to indicate the views of either the RIBA or the
ARB. Any decisions fall to be made in due course in accordance with the procedures
set out elsewhere. |
| Following the
Visit |
|
|
|
| Within two weeks |
Draft report issued
to Visiting Board |
The Visiting Board
Secretary produces the draft report. Visiting Board members receive a copy of
the draft for comment and amendment as necessary. A response is normally required
within one week |
|
| Within four weeks |
Draft report issued
to Head of School |
The document must
be treated in confidence by the members of the Visiting Board |
The Head may make
corrections of fact. At this stage the report is still a draft and Schools are
recommended to keep the findings confidential. Failure to comment within one week
indicates acceptance of thereport |
| Within six weeks |
Final comments
are incorporated and any Advisory Group review is carried out |
The Visiting Board
Secretary incorporates final comments, consulting the Visiting Board Chair if
necessary and ensures that copies of the report are lodged with the RIBA and the
ARB |
The revised report
is issued to the School. Schools are encouraged to discuss the findings of the
report with staff and students and to provide acopy of the report to external
examiners
Within 7 days of
receipt of the draft report the Head of School may write to the Visiting Board
Secretary setting out any submission that by reason of procedural or other errors
the report ought to be reviewed and raising any matter which the Visiting Board
ought to have taken into account but did not.
If a review is
requested, the Chair of the Advisory Group will convene a Review Group of three
members of the Advisory Group who were not members of the original Visiting Board
and are unconnected with the School to meet with representatives of the School
and the Visiting Board to discuss issues arising and for the Visiting Board to
hear representations as to changes to the draft report. The Review Group will
report back to the Advisory Group to enable the Advisory Group to take any remaining
issues into account in its own advice to the RIBA and ARB.
All costs involved
in reconvening the Visiting Board for the purpose of this review will be borne
by the School.
|
| Within three months
(usually less) |
The report is
received and discussed by the Advisory Group |
|
|
| Within five months |
The ARB procedures
set out at Appendix 6 and the RIBA procedures at Appendix 7 are completed |
|
|
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