Collaborative provision
Partner and programme approval
Our processes for analysing and approving collaborative partners and programmes.
In considering potential partnerships, attention is given to the alignment of mission and ethos, whether the academic discipline matches the expertise of the University's staff, and whether it lies in an area related to the University's current and developing portfolio.
The University undertakes a comprehensive analysis of:
- The potential value of the partnership to all stakeholders
- The reputation and standing of the partner organisation
- The partner organisation's capacity to deliver to the standards expected by the York St John University
- The partner organisation's capacity to sustain a student experience of a similar quality to York St John University
As the operational workload of validating both a partner institution and a programme is substantial, the procedures allow for the programme and partner approval processes to begin together. However, all work done to approve the programme must be done on the understanding that nothing is final until the partner is approved.
Types of partnership
- A validation partnership relates to an arrangement through which York St John University approves a programme of study designed, developed and delivered by a partner organisation.
- A franchise partnership relates to an arrangement through which York St John University agrees to authorise another institution to deliver part of all of a York St John approved programme of study.
- An articulation agreement relates to admittance to the University with advanced standing of all students who meet the academic criteria on a specified programme delivered at another institution.
Download our guide for more information on the types of collaborative provision partnership models offered by the University, and their indicative risk level:
Use the drop-down below to view guidance and processes for the different partnership models.
For partnership models defined as Articulation, Progression or Collaborative Delivery, the following approval process applies:
Articulation, Progression or Collaborative Delivery Provision Flowchart for CPSC
For partnerships defined as Validation or Franchise, the following operations manuals define roles and responsibilities for each model:
The manuals should be shared with prospective partners and act as a key reference point prior to, and during the partner approval process, and for the term of the partnership.
For those partnerships defined as Validation, Franchise, Flying Faculty, Collaborative Delivery or Off-Campus delivery, the following approval process applies:
Procedure for partner and first programme approval
An outline of the process for the approval of a new collaborative partner is available in our overview document:
The process allows colleagues to work on the approval of a partner and the first programme(s). This process includes the discrete stages outlined in the drop-down below.
If a current partner is seeking to franchise an existing University award, a proposal to extend the partnership agreement should be submitted to the Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee: Additional Partner Programmes - CPSC form (docm, 83kB)
When an extension to a partnership agreement is approved by Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee, a business case should be completed: Programme Development Business Case - Collaborative Partner (docx, 37 kB). This document must be approved by the School Quality Panel (SQP) before submission to the Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee.
Partners seeking re-validation of existing programmes should complete the Programme Development Business Case - Collaborative Partner (docx, 37 kB).
All changes to the collaborative provision portfolio by the Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee are reported to the Strategic Portfolio Committee.
This section refers to approval of University awards offered through articulation and progression arrangements.
Proposer(s) complete the Partner Proposal: Approval for Articulation Progression arrangement (docx, 81kB) and submit it to their School Quality Panel for consideration.
This section refers to validation, franchise, flying faculty, collaborative delivery and off-campus delivery only.
The Partner Proposal Stage 1 Exec Board Approval Validation/Franchise (docx, 83 kB) is completed by the proposer(s) and submitted to quality@yorksj.ac.uk for consideration by Executive Board.
Executive Board considers the proposal in relation to: the strategic fit of the proposed partnership (University strategy and partnership strategy); the nature of the proposed partner; risk in relation to compliance; capacity (partner and University); and financial viability.
Approval in principle by the Executive Board allows the proposal to proceed to Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee with the Stage 2 CPSC Approval form and additional information.
For articulation and progression proposals approved in principle by the School Quality Panel, proposers then forward the approved Partner Proposal: Approval for Articulation and Progression Arrangements form to quality@yorksj.ac.uk for approval by Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee.
For validation, franchise. flying faculty, collaborative delivery and off-campus delivery proposals approved in principle by the Executive Board, proposers complete:
- Partner Proposal Stage 2 - CPSC approval - validation franchise (docx, 75.1 kB) and submit it to quality@yorksj.ac.uk for consideration by the Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee.
For corporate partnership (non-academic) proposals only, proposers complete:
- Partner Proposal CPSC Approval - Corporate Agreements (docx, 94.9kB) and submit it to quality@yorksj.ac.uk for consideration by the Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee.
The Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee considerations ensure that proposed and existing partners of the University involved in the delivery of academic programmes demonstrate a mission and strategic compatibility, and have appropriate legal, governance, financial, management and ethical arrangements in place. The Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee has delegated responsibility to approve collaborative partners.
Two site visit reports are a pre-requisite for the completion of high risk proposals due diligence enquiries. One of these visits must be undertaken by a representative of the Executive Board, the other is a scoping visit by a York St John School colleague. These may take place in either order or concurrently.
Colleagues undertaking a visit complete the Institutional Site Visit Report form (DOCx, 59.1KB) which forms part of the documentation required by Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee.
Following partner approval by the Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee, a legal agreement can be drawn up by the University solicitor. The outcome of low risk Collaborative Partnerships Sub-Committee considerations are reported to the Executive Board.
A Collaborative Programme Representative (CPR) must be appointed by this point (a CPR may be identified at any point prior).
The appointment must be reported to Registry.
The CPR:
- In negotiation with the partner, drafts the Operations Manual which forms the basis of the operational relationship between the University and the Partner.
- Working with Registry, supports the partner in the drafting of programme documentation for programme approval.
Download our operations manual templates:
Franchise approval events, whereby partners are approved to deliver existing York St John University validated provision, consider the proposed partners understanding of the York St John pedagogy and the ability to deliver a comparable experience, rather than considering the academic content.
Franchise Approval Panels comprise:
- Approved QSC Chair
- Head of Learning and Teaching (or nominee);
- One York St John academic independent from the proposing School.
The concluding recommendations of the panel may take one of 3 forms:
- Approval without further action required
- Approval with further action identified
- Non-approval, the reasons for which should be clearly stated
Recommendations are submitted to Quality and Standards Committee for final approval.
Validation approval events, whereby partner provision is approved as an award of York St John University, follow the same process as that for internal provision:
Please see detailed information provided on the Articulation agreements and progression arrangements page.
