Section 8.2 - Type of Partnership

There are a number of different types of partnership activity (also known as collaborative programmes). The typology below gives brief definitions of the types of collaborative arrangements widely recognised across UK Higher Education. It should be noted that this is not a definitive list and each type of partnership may have variations in delivery and services to account for specific circumstances or needs. Such variations will always be considered through the relevant approval processes outlined in detail below.

Collaborative partnership activities are managed at Aberystwyth under two distinct bodies, both of which report to the Collaborative Provision Board:

Academic Partnerships Office (APO) within the Academic Registry: for higher risk, interdepartmental, multi-agency projects such as Franchise, Validation and Dual/Joint degree agreements for medium risk Recruitment and Student Mobility Partnerships such as Articulation arrangements;

And

Global Opportunities (GO) and International Recruitment & Development (IRD) divisions within the Marketing and Student Recruitment department: for lower risk Recruitment Partnerships (through both standard and advanced entry, such as progression agreements); and Student Mobility Partnerships (such as Exchange, Study Abroad and Erasmus programmes).

A collaborative partnership can relate to any level of taught provision or research supervision; be delivered through various methods of delivery including on campus teaching, distance and/or blended learning and via any of the various modes of study available. Advice to staff proposing collaborative partnership arrangements is to build relationships from low-risk partnerships before progressing to the further development of a high-risk collaborative provision project. Evidence of an existing successful relationship with an external institution increases the chances of successful approval at Committee stage.

A Risk Assessment process will determine the risk level of the collaborative project. The risk assessment necessary for low-medium partnership applications is contained within the Application and Initial Due Diligence forms. For Medium-high risk projects a separate comprehensive Due Diligence and Risk Assessment forms and reports are completed by Faculties and Registry AND a full Business Case completed and approved by Finance and Executive.

The risk associated with each type of collaboration depends upon the nature of the proposed arrangements. QAA requires the University to ensure that appropriate and proportionate procedures are in places to manage identified risks. An initial indicative risk level is noted for each of the types of collaboration according to the following scale.

For relevant paperwork and guidance regarding process for approvals and signatories, please see document APG_1 Guidance re Approvals and the following:

Paperwork
Guidance notes:		Templates:
APG_1	Guidance re Approvals	APT_1	Template for Panel Approval Report
APG_2	Guidance re Initial DD Review

Forms:		Flowcharts:
APF_0	Potential Partnership Questionnaire	APC_1	Flowchart for MOUs
APF_1	Application form for MOU	APC_2	Flowchart for Low-Medium Risk Agreements
APF_2a	Application form with Mapping for Articulation	APC_2a	Flowchart for Low risk project approval
APF_2b	Application form for MOA	APC_2b	Flowchart for Medium Risk Agreements
APF_3a	Initial Due Diligence Review Form	APC_3	Flowchart for High Risk Agreements
APF_3b	High Risk Due Diligence Form	APC_3a	Flowchart for High Risk Agreements
APF_4	Partner Documentation Required for Due Diligence High Risk
APF_5a	Risk Assessment Summary Report for High Risk partnerships
APF_5b	Risk Assessment Template Spreadsheet

Note that these are starting levels and thus the level may be increased as dictated by the nature of the proposed project and any proposed collaboration which is categorised as “Extreme” risk will be automatically declined and terminated by the appropriate Pro Vice-Chancellor.

1	2	3	4	5
Low	Medium	High	Very High	Extreme

Category	Type of Collaborative Partnership Activity	Definition	Risk Level	Information and Management	Process	Approval Level
Placements and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)	Non-credit bearing work-based placements and CPD	An arrangement which facilitates a placement in employment or the provision of learning opportunities for individuals already engaged in the labour market (whether or not they are currently employed) whereby participation does not earn credits towards any qualification.	1- Low	Academic Department and/or relevant support department	APC_2 & APC_2a	Faculty
Placements and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)	Credit bearing CPD	An arrangement which facilitates provision of learning opportunities for individuals already engaged in the labour market (whether or not they are currently employed) where credit towards a qualification can be gained.	1- Low	Academic Department and/or relevant support department	APC_2 & APC_2a	Faculty
Placements	Credit bearing work-based learning	An arrangement which facilitates a placement in employment in which the student can gain credits towards their qualification or placements required as part of study (e.g. ITT Teacher training placements)	2- Medium	Academic Department and/or relevant support department	APC_2 & APC_2a	Faculty
Recruitment and Student Mobility Arrangement	International Exchanges; Study Abroad;	An arrangement to allow individual students registered at Aberystwyth University undertake part of their programme of study, through either reciprocal and non-reciprocal arrangements, at a partner international higher education institution for an agreed period of time. The study programme for each student is agreed by both institutions and students are required to pay fees commensurate with the period of time studied. It must be noted that individual agreements between Institutions dictate whether academic credit is recognised at the other Institution. https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/international/study-abroad/international-exchange/ https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/international/study-abroad/erasmus/	2- Medium	IO	APC_2 & APC_2a	Faculty
Recruitment and Student Mobility Arrangement	Progression Arrangements	An arrangement where the University guarantees students consideration for admission (but not guaranteed entry) after successful completion of an award at another institution. Students who have successfully completed a programme at one organisation may be considered for entry (on an individual basis) to the beginning of a programme at Aberystwyth. Progression agreements are approved outside of CPB and managed by Admissions and Academic Departments, as they do not involve the award of credit by the University. It must be noted that credits completed in a partner Institution are not recognised nor contribute towards the final Aberystwyth degree award. Credits and/or awards are reviewed as part of the entry process only, and students must apply through the normal admissions process for consideration to transfer to an Aberystwyth University programme. Normal admissions criteria and English language entrance requirements will apply.	2- Medium	Admissions / Academic Department	APC_2 & APC_2a	Admissions / Faculty
Recruitment and Student Mobility Arrangement	Articulation	An arrangement whereby students who satisfy academic criteria and successfully complete an approved programme of study in a partner institution are automatically entitled (on academic grounds) to be admitted with advanced standing to a subsequent part or year of an Aberystwyth degree-programme. Students will typically complete two or more years of Undergraduate study at a partner institution and then transfer to Aberystwyth to complete the final two years of an Undergraduate degree. Exceptionally, students may be allowed directly into the final year of the University degree. All entrants would also have to satisfy any other entry conditions set by the University. Arrangements, which are subject to formal agreements between the parties, normally involve credit accumulation and transfer schemes.	2- Medium	APO	APC_2 & APC_2a & APC_2b	CPB / Faculty
Collaborative Research	Research only Collaboration	Research only collaborations are approved and managed via the Research, Business and Innovation Office. Contact drbi@aber.ac.uk for further information.	2 – Medium	RBI	APC_2 & APC_2a	RBI / Faculty / Executive
Collaborative Research Degree Programme	Split-site PhD	A split-site PhD is defined as a PhD which leads to an Aberystwyth University award and involves full and part time students spending part of or the majority of their registration period undertaking study at another approved organisation (which may be an academic organisation, a research centre or other workplace appropriate for the study, and which may be overseas).	2- Medium	APO	APC_2 & APC_2a & APC_2b	CPB / Faculty
Recruitment and Student Mobility Arrangement	Articulation with additional (Joint) provision (e.g. Chinese MoE)	An arrangement whereby students who satisfy academic criteria and successfully complete an approved programme of study in a partner institution are automatically entitled (on academic grounds) to be admitted with advanced standing to a subsequent part or year of an Aberystwyth degree-programme. As part of the approved programme of study at the partner institution, AU may have to contribute a proportion of the teaching programme/curriculum at the partner institution (usually on grounds of maintaining standards throughout the course).	3- High	APO	APC_3 & APC_3a	CPB / Executive
Collaborative Distance Learning	Distance or Online Learning (DL) / Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)	A model of learning where students undertake online learning, ordinarily at distance. Resources are made available via an E-learning platform with Aberystwyth University setting assignments for students. The exact nature of this model can vary from project to project and may occasionally involve blended learning. Students will have a connection with an overseas partner and may receive support from an overseas partner but will be pursuing an Aberystwyth University degree.	3- High	APO	APC_3 & APC_3a	CPB / Executive
Partnership	Flying Faculty	An arrangement where a programme or aspects of a programme are delivered at a location away from the home campus (usually overseas) by staff from Aberystwyth University. The University will ordinarily be responsible for the academic standard and quality of learning opportunities, including assessments, however wider support may be provided locally. This type of arrangement will usually name Aberystwyth University as the degree-awarding body.	3- High	APO	APC_3 & APC_3a	CPB / Executive
Strategic Agreement	Branch Campus	A campus of the university that is located separately from the main or ‘home’ campus of the university and is often smaller than the main campus.	3- High	APO	APC_3 & APC_3a	CPB / Executive / Council
Strategic Partnership	Collaborative Degrees / Joint Awards; Including Double/Dual Degree	An arrangement under which two or more degree-awarding bodies together provide a programme leading to a single award made jointly by both, or all, participants. A single certificate or document (signed by the competent authorities) attests to successful completion of this jointly delivered programme, replacing the separate institutional or national qualifications. Joint Degree: One award on one certificate (both parties signed) Double Degree: One award but two separate certificates Dual Degree: Two awards with two certificates	3- High	APO	APC_3 & APC_3a	CPB / Executive / Council
Strategic Partnership	Validation	A process by which AU judges that a module and/or programme developed and delivered by another institution/organisation without degree awarding powers is of an appropriate quality and standard to lead to an Aberystwyth University award at a specified level and that the necessary resources are available to support the delivery of the programme. Students normally have a direct contractual obligation with the delivery organisation.	4- Very High	APO	APC_3 & APC_3a	Council
Strategic Partnership	Franchise	A process by which AU, as the degree-awarding body, agrees to authorise another organisation to deliver (and sometimes assess) part or all of one (or more) of its own approved programmes. Often, the degree-awarding body retains direct responsibility for the programme content, the teaching and assessment strategy, the assessment regime and the quality assurance. Students normally have a direct contractual relationship with Aberystwyth University as the degree-awarding body.	4- Very High	APO	APC_3 & APC_3a	Council