Bader College prides itself on academic excellence across programs and courses. To monitor and enhance academic quality, a range of internal and external mechanisms of quality assurance are in place:
Internal quality assurance
We have a number of internal procedures in place to support and enhance academic quality:
- Cyclical course monitoring by the Bader College Educational Standards Committee
- Positive collaboration between Queen’s Faculty Offices and the Deputy Academic Director to ensure up-to-date procedures and policies are used at Bader College relating to academic matters such as academic integrity, academic accommodations and considerations, and academic appeals.
- Appointment of highly skilled instructors using a fair and equitable recruitment and interview process.
- Regular course observations by the Academic Director and other subject experts.
- Termly experience surveys to monitor the student experience of teaching on every course.
- An annual Student Satisfaction Survey to take feedback on all aspects of College Life.
- Regular contact with main campus departments to collaborate on changes, or improvements, to course offerings.
- Regular continuing professional development opportunities for instructors, facilitated by the Bader College Faculty Professional Development Coordinator and/or Queen’s Centre for Teaching and Learning
Download a copy of the Bader College Educational Standards Committee Terms of Reference (PDF, 549KB)
External partners
In addition to the internal quality assurance procedures, Bader College willingly engages with two external quality assurance auditors, whose recommendations are summarised within the Bader College quality monitoring action plan.
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA
QAA is the independent body entrusted with monitoring and advising on standards and quality in UK higher education. The agency safeguards standards and improves the quality of UK higher education wherever it is delivered around the world, ensuring students receive the higher education they are entitled to expect. Since 2012, Bader College's academic quality monitoring and enhancement has been annually reviewed by QAA via a combination of self-report mechanisms and QAA site visits.
Following full reviews in 2012, 2017, and 2021, QAA found that Bader College (formerly the Bader International Study Centre) met or exceeded UK expectations for quality and standards.
Recent QAA reports are in the public domain and can be accessed on their website.
The External Educational Quality Committee (EEQC)
The External Educational Quality Committee (EEQC) visits Bader College each year and advises on a range of academic matters. This Committee is chaired by the Vice Provost (Teaching and Learning) of Queen’s University and includes a senior faculty member from main campus and a UK academic. During the Bader College site visit, the EEQC meets with key representatives from various units within the college, including academics, non-academic staff, students, and administrators to discuss the quality enhancement initiatives currently underway, and future innovations and strategies. As well as providing suggestions for enhancement, the Committee highlights areas of best practice and opportunity.