The Buckingham University

Buckingham is unique. It is the only independent university in the UK with a Royal Charter, and probably the smallest with around 2,700 students (approx 1,600 on campus). Honours degrees are achieved in two intensive years of study. We keep class sizes small, with a student academic staff of the Oxbridge style tutorial groups are often personalised and always exhilarating.

The University campus is well known for being one of the most attractive locations in the region. The Great Ouse river, home to much wildlife, winds through the heart of our campus. Much of our teaching takes place in our restored buildings such as the Franciscan Building, formerly a friary, and, Chandos Road Building, a converted turn-of-the-century milk factory, while students can also enjoy the Hunter Street Library, once military barracks.

Each student mixes with over 100 different nationalities and so being at Buckingham is just like being in a mini global village. These contacts, acquaintances and friendships, carry on long after  life at Buckingham is over. Our graduates find jobs all over the world, and the friendships they make here go a long way to broadening their experience and to giving them links that, possibly, no other university can do at such an intense level.

The University’s Quality Assurance Team is based within Academic Services and provides advice, training and support to the University (through its Schools of Study) in meeting the expectations of the Quality Code. Consistency with these expectations provides confirmation that the University’s degrees meet UK thresholds for academic standards and that the quality of learning opportunities meet national expectations. Key areas of responsibility for the Quality Assurance Team include:

• Preparing the University for Institutional Reviews by the Quality Assurance Agency and developing action plans in response to their recommendations;
• Monitoring and reviewing the University’s policies, procedures and regulations to ensure they are consistent with the UK Quality Code and other external regulatory requirements;
• Overseeing and supporting the implementation of the University’s processes for approval and annual and periodic review of new, changed and closed programmes and modules;
• Overseeing and supporting the implementation of the University’s external examiner processes;
• Providing training to staff and student representatives on University committees;
• Providing termly reports to University committees and Schools Boards of Study in respect of changes to external or internal policies, procedures and regulations; and
• Providing guidance on the implementation and review of academic regulations and the operation of the University’s governance structures.

The University’s Planning Team is also based within Academic Services and provides support for business intelligence and evidence-based decision-making through the provision of regular data reports. Other areas of endeavour include:

• Supporting action planning across the University;
• Publication of the University’s academic, compliance and quality assurance calendars;
• Coordination of the University’s delivery of the NSS, PTES and PRES as well as internal course and module-level feedback;
• Updating the University’s Handbooks; and
• Overseeing and facilitating the completion of the University’s statutory returns.

At the University’s most recent Higher Education Review (October 2017), the QAA confirmed that the University met UK expectations in all four areas: academic standards, the quality of our students’ learning opportunities, public information and the enhancement of our students’ learning opportunities.