Protocol for Reviews of Programs Offered With External (i.e., non-U of T) Partners

University of Toronto Quality Assurance Process (UTQAP) Requirements

Section 6.4.5

• Inter-institutional programs offered in partnership with other higher education institutions (colleges and universities) through affiliation, federation and other formal agreements are reviewed as entities distinct from the larger institutions within which they may be included. Where a program is held jointly with an Ontario institution [e.g., college, institute] that does not have an Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP) that has been ratified by the Quality Council, the UTQAP will serve as the guiding document and the University of Toronto will be the lead institution. Where a program is held jointly with an Ontario institution that does have an IQAP that has been ratified by the Quality Council, a lead institution will be selected.

• General guiding principles for such reviews include:
  • Selection of reviewers will involve participation by each partner institution¹;
  • There will be a single self-study;
  • The site visit will involve all partner institutions and sites (the Quality Council suggests that “Reviewers consult faculty, staff and students at each partner institution, preferably in person”);
  • The self-study will clearly explain how input was received from faculty, staff and students at each partner institution;
  • Feedback on the reviewers’ report will be solicited from participating units at each institution;
  • Preparation of a Final Assessment Report and Implementation Plan will contain input from each partner;
  • A single Final Assessment Report and Implementation Plan will be prepared and presented to the appropriate governance processes at each partner institution;
  • Partner institutions will agree on an appropriate monitoring process for the Implementation Plan.

In addition, for joint program reviews involving other institutions with ratified IQAPs (i.e., other Ontario universities), the Quality Council suggests that:

• “The Final Assessment Report and Implementation Plan should be posted on each partner institution’s website.”
• “The Final Assessment Plan and Implementation Plan should ideally be submitted jointly to the Quality Council and co-signed by all partners.”

All Quality Council suggestions are from the Guide to the Quality Assurance Framework.

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or Other Contractual Considerations

• Specific agreements governing the joint program may have review requirements in addition to the above requirements
• Build into any renewed MOA:
  • Explicit reference to UTQAP and to the joint program review protocols;
  • A provision to make the renewal of the MOA contingent on (and timed to take place following) a UTQAP review process.

¹ U of T does not normally use internal reviewers, however in the event that the program is offered jointly with another institution with an IQAP, the Quality Council explains that “Where applicable, selection of the ‘internal’ reviewer requires joint input. It could include one internal from both partners (this is impractical if there are multiple partners); and [i]t could give preference to an internal reviewer who is from another Joint program, preferably with the same partner institution.”

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