The quality of the student experience at Edinburgh has been recognised by the body tasked with monitoring the quality of Higher Education in Scotland. Every four years the Quality Assurance Agency Scotland (QAAS) conducts the “Enhancement-Led Institutional Review” which looks at the work being done by universities to improve the student learning experience. Edinburgh achieved the highest possible judgement of “effectiveness” for its work in this field and also for its work in securing academic standards. The review team visited the University on two occasions in October and November 2015, scrutinising a large amount of documentation and meeting with a range of staff and students. The draft Outcome report (a summary report of the main findings) identified many areas of 'positive practice' where the University is doing particularly well. One area highlighted was The Edinburgh Award – an employability and personal development scheme established by the University in collaboration with the Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA). The award recognises extra-curricular activities such as volunteering as well as involvement in initiatives such as the Peer Assisted Learning Scheme (PALS) in which students “buddy” or mentor other students. Professor Tina Harrison, Assistant Principal Academic Standards and Quality Assurance said: “Edinburgh’s success in the latest ELIR is a demonstration of the University’s commitment to providing a world-class learning and teaching experience for all our students. Our innovation in this area has been recognised by QAAS and that recognition is a tribute to all members of the University community who have been involved.” A smaller number of areas for further development were identified, and these are areas which the University had already prioritised for action. This article was published on 2024-11-12
