Although the majority of our courses have been designed such that they can be completed through independent study, many of our students choose to benefit from additional tuition and support from institutions within their own country. The type of support provided varies, but can include full-time classes, part-time classes, and occasional revision sessions. In addition to access to tuition and pastoral support, by studying at a local institution, students can gain access to a range of facilities, and opportunities to network with other External System students.
Teaching institutions have played and continue to play a central role in the ongoing development of the University of London External System in two main ways. Firstly, the support they provide has been a key factor in the success of many of our students. Secondly, they have helped the External System to grow and to provide access for a greater range of students.
In light of the importance of such institutions, the External System has introduced a framework which provides a more formal basis for such relationships. This framework, known as the ‘Institutions Policy Framework’ recognises institutions that meet a set of specific quality criteria. Under this framework institutions are awarded either Affiliate Centre or Registered Centre status:
To gain recognition, an institution would need to apply for admission to this framework. To do this it would submit a Self-Evaluation Document (SED), after which point a review panel would visit the institution to meet with staff and student and inspect the institution’s facilities. Once on the framework, an institution would need to undertake a range of quality assurance procedures, including annual monitoring and periodic review exercises.
An institution should normally have several years of successfully supporting External Students before applying for recognition. However, we appreciate that for many institutions, the ongoing support of the External System is crucial during their development stage. As such, a key aspect of the recognition process is be the candidacy phase. Once an institution enters this phase of the recognition process, it receives a range of support from the External System, including access to study materials and the appropriate Virtual Learning Environment, and marketing support.
If you are interested in providing support for students registered with, or would like to have existing support formally recognised by the External System, please contact:
Dr Tangjie Ward
Head of Institutions and Global Development
University of London External System
Stewart House,
32 Russell Square,
London
WC1B 5DN
Tel.: +44 (0) 207 862 8325
Fax: +44 (0) 207 862 8383
Email: tangjie.ward@london.ac.uk