External reference points
The Office for Students (OfS) is the regulator for the higher education sector in England. It maintains a register of registered higher education providers and its primary aim is to ensure that English higher education is delivering positive outcomes for students – past, present and future.
The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) is the UK's expert quality body for tertiary education. They work across the UK and internationally to ensure that students and learners experience the highest possible quality of education. They are trusted by higher education providers and regulatory bodies to maintain and enhance quality and standards, and they ensure that students are involved in all aspects of our work.
The latest version of the UK Quality Code for Higher Education was published by the QAA in May 2023.
The Quality Code represents a shared understanding of quality practice across the UK higher education sector. In England, the Quality Code is not regulatory, but providers are able to use it to inform their approach to quality, as a way of providing comparability across the UK and to aid international visibility.
At Keele, the Quality and Academic Standards Sub-Committee oversees the University's engagement with the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, on behalf of the Senate.
The Quality Code includes Key reference points: Subject Benchmark Statements, Qualification Frameworks and the Higher Education Credit Framework for England.
Part A1: the following table is for mapping FHEQ levels against the previous Keele level descriptors
|
Keele Level |
Sometimes at Keele also referred to as |
FHEQ Level |
To be referred to as |
|
Foundation Year |
Level 0 |
FHEQ Level 3 |
Level 3 |
|
Level I |
Level 1 or First Year |
FHEQ Level 4 |
Level 4 |
|
Level II |
Level 2 or Second Year |
FHEQ Level 5 |
Level 5 |
|
Level III |
Level 3 or Final Year |
FHEQ Level 6 |
Level 6 |
|
M Level |
Masters Level |
FHEQ Level 7 |
Level 7 |
The University expects all programmes to reflect their relevant subject benchmark statements (where appropriate), this is verified at programme approval and revalidation.