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SEC/2014/3/0192LANCASTER UNIVERSITYCollaborative Provision Oversight Committee:minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2014Present:Professor S Bradley (Chair)Ms J Atkinson (for CPOC/2014/21)Professor G BlowerDr G BrownMr P CheesemanDr C EdwardsProfessor G JohnesDr R LauderMr J O’NeillDr J Owen-LynchProfessor M ShackletonMr J Vegad (for CPOC/2014/6.4)Mrs L M WareingMs H Willes (Secretary)Apologies:Professor L HendryDr M LuxonProf C RogersProf E RoseSection AIntroductory itemsCPOC/2014/15MinutesDocument: SEC/2014/3/0060The minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2014 wereconfirmed as an accurate record.

CPOC/2014/1616.1Matters arising (not covered elsewhere on the agenda)Review of Type 2 International Teaching Partnerships(minute CPOC/2014/05 refers)CPOC noted that Princess Sumaya University of Technology (PSUTJordan) was due to be reviewed in the first tranche of Type 2Partnership Reviews. The relationship with PSUT had notdeveloped since its inception as a GMBA partner. The GMBA inAmman was not recruiting significant numbers hence a requestfrom the Management School to build into any extension of theMemorandum of Agreement with PSUT the ability to flex thelocations where the GMBA modules were delivered.CPOC agreed that Professor Bradley, Professor Shackleton andMrs Wareing should meet to agree a way forward in view of theexpiry date of the current Memorandum of Agreement in April2014.16.2QAA Consultation on Transnational Education(minute CPOC/2014/06 refers)Document: SEC/2014/3/0168CPOC received the University’s submission to the QAA on the TNEconsultation, prepared by Professor Bradley and Mrs Wareing.The Committee noted that it was the QAA’s intention to implementrecommendations from the consultation before the start of the2014/15 academic year.16.3Manipal University, Jaipur, India(minute CPOC/2014/7.3 refers)In January 2014, CPOC had approved a proposal from theInternational Office to extend the current agreement with ManipalUniversity to their site in Jaipur. The proposal covered a suite ofundergraduate and postgraduate articulation programmes.Approval had been granted subject to: approval of the Master’s degree proposals by the Faculty ofScience and Technology Postgraduate Teaching Committee;andapproval of the fee arrangements by the Dean and faculty PRC.CPOC noted that the Faculty Postgraduate Teaching Committeeapproved the proposals and the Faculty Dean’s Group approvedthe fee arrangements on 4 February 2014.

16.4Olashore School, Nigeria(minute CPOC/2014/09 refers)Jamie Vegad, International Officer (Middle East, Africa & LatinAmerica) summarised a tracking study of students who hadprogressed from the Foundation Programme at Olashore School todegree programmes at Lancaster. The initial findings of the studyrevealed:(i)(ii)(iii)registration numbers on the Foundation Programme haddeclined;graduates coming through this route averaged a 2:2 award;the incidences of withdrawal, non-completion andexclusion were high compared with Lancaster averages.Mr Vegad also drew the Committee’s attention to other issueswhich were being worked through with the partner, includingunder-age applicants and a lack of detail in the entry requirementsfor Science and Engineering degrees. CPOC recognised thecommitment shown by staff from the International Office andLinguistics & English Language department to improve thepartnership in the past couple of years.CPOC agreed that a desk-based review of the Olashore Schoolprogramme should be undertaken; a small review teamcomprising Professor Bradley, Mr Vegad and Ms Willes would thenmake a recommendation to CPOC on the future of the partnership.16.5Embassy of the Republic of Iraq (Cultural Attaché’s Office)(minute CPOC/2014/12 refers)CPOC noted that a Letter of Intent covering areas for potentialcollaboration had been sent to Cultural Attaché’s Office in London.Approaches had been received from Baghdad University andBabylon University to collaborate on the establishment ofundergraduate 2 2 programmes, split-site PhD programmes andstaff exchanges in subject areas including Physics, Chemistry andEngineering. A potential link with Soran University in theKurdistan, Northern Iraq, was also under discussion.16.6Study Group International Year 1 (IY1) and Pre-Master’sProgramme(minute CPOC/2014/13 refers)Document: SEC/2014/3/0177The Committee received a report from Dr Luxon, InternationalOffice, on the two new programmes proposed by Study Group.

Dr Lauder and Dr Edwards reported that their respective facultieswere cautious about engaging with these developments. Adetailed curriculum matching exercise for the IY1 would have to becarried out before any further consideration could take place.Members also questioned the market demand; if English and StudySkills were the key weakness in applicants for these programmes,it might be argued that these skills could be delivered by StudyGroup as intensive pre-sessional programmes or via in-sessionalevening classes.CPOC agreed that once staff were in possession of all theinformation about these programmes, and a full curriculummatching exercise completed, the final decision on whether toprogress the proposal would lay with individual faculties. CPOCnoted that the Management School had already indicated it wouldnot be taking part in this development.CPOC/2014/17Update/progress report on Type 1 International TeachingPartnershipsThe Committee received oral reports on the following.17.1SunwayProfessor Bradley informed the committee about the followingmatters: 17.2development of a wider portfolio of programmes;follow-up to the recent successful visit to Lancaster by Sunwaystaff on the CAP programme;planning for the outbound and inbound Summer Schoolprogrammes.GoenkaThe Vice-Chancellor and the Chief Administrative Officer hadvisited Goenka in late February for the graduation ceremony.Whilst in Delhi, they had discussed marketing and brand issues.Staff at Goenka were still working on the conditions set byLancaster following the 2013 review.17.3COMSATSCOMSATS were working through the actions arising from Part II ofthe Review.

These included reviewing excessive workloads (for both sides)resulting from the moderation process. Lancaster staff had alsomade suggestions for changes to the methods of assessment fortaught programmes.17.4GhanaProfessor Bradley reported that TNE were putting considerableeffort into student recruitment for undergraduate andpostgraduate programmes, including the GMBA which was due tostart in July 2014.Dr Brown, who chaired the working group on Ghanaundergraduate programmes, noted that there were still majorconcerns about the LLB degree in Law. The programme could notrun without (a) key staff appointments including a Dean of LawSchool; and, closely linked to this, (b) professional accreditation bythe Ghana Legal Council. Other departments involved in the Ghanadevelopment were equally concerned about the lack of suitablecandidates for academic posts. Professor Bradley assured theCommittee that these matters would be raised with the Provost inGhana at the next Skype conference due in early April.17.5GuangwaiDiscussions on the financial model with GDUFS and the investorhad taken place in mid-March and a Letter of Intent between theparties had been signed.Section BStrategy, policies, framework, processesCPOC/2014/18China Strategy18.1Professor Bradley reported that progress towards a China Strategyhad been temporarily halted pending final agreement on theGuangwai project.18.2Professor Johnes emphasised the importance of the Guangwaidevelopment in the light of the downturn in the Chinese economy.Fluctuations in the exchange rate meant that Lancaster-basedprogrammes were more costly for Chinese students. Membersagreed, however, that it would not be fair on other internationalstudents to peg tuition fees for Chinese students to the Chinesedomestic currency without offering similar currency-pegged dealsto other national groups.

CPOC/2014/19International Study Centre Annual Monitoring Report 2012-13Document: SEC/2014/3/016919.1CPOC/2014/20The Committee received, for information, an extract from theAnnual Monitoring Report from the Study Group ISC relating to theInternational Foundation Year on campus. The full Report hadbeen approved by the ISC Steering Group, chaired by the DeputyVice-Chancellor.Bellerbys Annual Review 2012-13Document: SEC/2014/3/071120.1CPOC/2014/21The Committee received, for information, a report on the firstAnnual Review of the Bellerbys College Foundation Programme,accredited by Lancaster University since 2012.ERASMUS Document: SEC/2014/3/017821.1The Deputy Director of the International Office, Jane Atkinson,introduced the new ERASMUS scheme and process for renewals.ERASMUS brought together previous EU funding programmessuch as the Lifelong Learning Programme, Jean Monnet, Tempusand Erasmus Mundus. Ms Atkinson reported that the Universitywas in the process of renewing 90 existing ERASMUS partnershipagreements using the new ERASMUS format.21.2The University had submitted an application for funding under theLearning Mobility of Individuals section. More emphasis was beingplaced on work placements and in this regard, the University hadbid for 45 post-graduation placements. One disadvantage of thenew scheme was that Euro-BBA students could only be funded forone year of study abroad, rather than the present two. All studentson ERASMUS programmes would have to undertake a linguisticassessment at the end of their placement to demonstrate that theyhad improved their skills in the language of study in the placementcountry. The Learning Mobility of Individuals funding also coveredstaff mobility although the committee noted that there would nolonger be any money to cover subsistence on travel days.

Section CApproval of partners and partnershipsCPOC/2014/22New partners and partnerships22.1Le Cordon Bleu, LondonCPOC considered the introduction of a BA Management andEntrepreneurship, in partnership with Le Cordon Bleu (LCB). Thisnew degree scheme was designed to appeal to students whoseinterests lay in hospitality management, but who would notnormally have the opportunity to study at a top UK University.The programme combined applied aspects of gastronomy andhospitality with the theoretical perspectives of advancedmanagement and entrepreneurship theory. It also providedextensive practical experience organised through LCB. The threeyear degree programme would begin with a year of study at theLCB School in central London, followed by two years at Lancaster.Students would be expected to take two 12 week placements in thesummer vacations between their 1st and 2nd year and their 2ndand 3rd year.22.2Le Cordon Bleu London was part of the Le Cordon BleuInternational group with institutes in 20 countries worldwide. In2012 LCB London had moved to new premises in BloomsburySquare comprising state-of-the-art professional kitchens andclassroom facilities, allowing them to offer a range of vocationalhigher education courses under licence from NCFE.Thecommittee was reminded that teaching space for the proposednew degree course might also be available at the Work Foundationpremises.22.3CPOC noted that the QAA had visited LCB in October 2013 toconduct a Review for Educational Oversight. The QAA review teamconsidered that there could be confidence in how the LCBmanaged its stated responsibilities for the standards of theprogrammes it offered on behalf of NCFE (Level 4 and 5 Diplomaprogrammes).22.4The Committee was informed that recruitment would be targetedboth at students already studying in cognate 14-18 vocational andacademic courses in the North-West, and at students more widelyacross the UK and internationally who were interested in acombination of high quality academic and vocational studies inentrepreneurship and management in the culinary and hospitalityindustries.