Quality and standards

University Centre Weston is committed to delivering an outstanding higher education experience, enabling success and inspiring ambition. In 2017, 27 per cent of UCW Honours students achieved First Class degrees, which is above the national average, and, in 2016, 95 per cent of our students were in employment or further study within six months of graduating. These outstanding outcomes are the result of the excellent provision we deliver in partnership with Bath Spa University and UWE Bristol. Please continue reading to find out why we are so highly regarded by external higher education experts and our own students.

Gold for teaching, learning and student outcomes

According to the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), UCW is among the best places to study at university level in the UK. The TEF Gold award we were awarded in 2017 places us among the top 20 per cent of university and college higher education providers in the country. The TEF Panel judged that we deliver outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for our students, which are of the highest quality found in Britain. The Gold award recognises the above average number of our students who progress to further study and highly skilled employment, and the consistently high scores our students give us in the National Student Survey categories relating to teaching, assessment and support. The Panel also made the point in its Statement of Findings for UCW that “students from all backgrounds achieve excellent outcomes”. Please click here to read the full TEF Statement of Findings for UCW, view our key datasets and read our TEF Provider Submission.

The best Higher Education Review in the West of England

In our 2016 Higher Education Review by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) – England’s independent higher education assessor – UCW received no recommendations for improvements and a Commended outcome for the quality of our student learning opportunities. According to the QAA, we demonstrate good practice in the use of student and employer involvement in the design, development and validation of degrees; the effective processes in place to support higher education teaching practices; the professional and proactive approach of our higher education support team; and the close working relationship with our partner universities, Bath Spa University and UWE Bristol. As a result, we have been awarded the QAA Quality Mark – the signifier to applicants and students of universities and colleges achieving the UK requirements for standards and quality. Please click here to read the Higher Education Review of UCW in full. We have also produced an action plan, developed in consultation with our students and key stakeholders, to build upon our Higher Education Review by ensuring that we maintain the good practice identified by the QAA.

Registration with the Office for Students

In August 2018, UCW was informed that it was successful in its application to register with the Office for Students (OfS). As a result of this successful application, UCW is now listed in the register of English higher education providers called the Register. The OfS found UCW was compliant with the application requirements outlined in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, and imposed no ongoing conditions on UCW. Please click here for more information about UCW’s successful application with the OfS.

National Student Survey 2018

UCW encourages students to appraise their higher education experience in a variety of ways, including by contributing to the National Student Survey. We believe that students are more likely to achieve when they feel engaged with their learning community, and that they are partners in the higher education provision we deliver. It is therefore pleasing that in the National Student Survey 2018, the UCW scores in the categories of Assessment & Feedback and Student Voice were in the top quartile for the entire UK higher education sector. Additionally, compared to the average for all of the higher education providers in England, UCW achieved above average or average scores in seven out of the nine categories: Teaching on my Course; Learning Opportunities; Assessment and Feedback; Academic Support; Learning Community; Student Voice; and Overall Satisfaction. UCW was awarded a score of 83% in the category of Overall Satisfaction.