Learning Experiences and Innovation

Learning Experiences and InnovationEPQSProfessional, Statutory And Regulatory Body (PSRB) Accreditation

Professional, Statutory And Regulatory Body (PSRB) Accreditation

The Role of PSRB Accreditation  

Accreditation or approval from Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) is highly important for the University and has a valuable role to play in quality assurance and driving excellence in the student learning experience. Accredited programmes ensure that we remain competitive in our provision and can contribute positively to student recruitment and employability. 

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA, now part of Jisc) defines PSRBs and their role as “a very diverse group of professional and employer bodies, regulators and those with statutory authority over a profession or group of professionals. PSRBs engage with higher education as regulators. They provide membership services and promote the interests of people working in professions; accredit or endorse courses that meet professional standards, provide a route through to the professions or are recognised by employers.” 

Some examples of PSRBs include the General Medical Council (GMC), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Society for Natural Sciences (SNS). 

Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that are accredited or approved by a PSRB are subject to regular monitoring and audits, including on site or virtual visits, to ensure that the teaching and learning is aligned to current professional standards. 

The Services provided by Education Policy, Quality and Standards (EPQS)  

The EPQS Quality and Standards Advisors who specialise in  PSRB Accreditation provide specialist knowledge and support to academic teams on the process of seeking accreditation or approval for a programme. We currently support a defined portfolio of accredited programmes in the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy (ESE) (with the exception of the Business School which has its own Accreditation and Rankings Team for School-wide accreditation), and the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (HLS) (with the exception of Psychology & Sports Science which currently manage their own accreditations).  

Although we are currently unable to take on new accreditation projects outside of our current portfolio, we can assist with initial process guidance and recommendations. 

EPQS Quality and Standards Advisors who specialise in PSRB Accreditation provide the following services within the current portfolio of programmes: 

  • Complete relevant PSRB research, create guidance highlighting key information for departments, and create templates where required.  
  • Advise of PSRB requirements and circulate guidance and submission paperwork to departments for completion.  
  • Monitor the progress of the submission and quality assure the final version against the PSRB guidance. The content is, however, the responsibility of the department.  
  • Provide opportunities for Academic Lead(s) to meet with us to seek clarification and guidance.  
  • Act as the central point of contact between PSRB and Academic Lead (for example, contacting the PSRB with a specific academic query, arranging submission and visit dates/schedules).  
  • Compile documentation and evidence into an accessible format for the relevant PSRB.  
  • Upload documents to the PSRB site or provide external access to the PSRB via SharePoint.  
  • Establish an accreditation visit itinerary in consultation with the PSRB and liaise with the department on visit logistics to meet the PSRB requirements.  
  • Co-ordinate responses to additional requests from the PSRB during the visit and/or following a visit or a submission, with the academic/department lead.  
  • Maintain the Register of PSRB Accredited Programmes for departments within the EPQS Accreditation Advisors’ Portfolio.  
  • Liaise with the relevant teams to ensure that external-facing marketing materials are updated with the correct accreditation status.  
  • Complete Discover Uni data for the University's PSRB accredited programmes.  

Seeking new accreditation 

When deciding whether to seek accreditation or approval for one of your programmes, please consider the following*:  

  1. PSRB accreditation is a commitment and if a programme is advertised as accredited or approved and it is subsequently lost, this will be a reportable event to the Office for Students (OfS). 
  2. The department would need to allocate academic and administrative resource during the accreditation process, which may take up 12 months (although, this can vary). 
  3. Once accredited, the department would need to engage in regular reaccreditation and/or annual monitoring activities, which may include a large evidence submission and a visit from the PSRB panel. 
  4. A considerable part of some (re)accreditation submissions includes providing a sample of student work for the entire accreditation period, which can be up to 3-4 years’ worth. The department should collate this gradually during each academic year.  

*There are exceptions to these considerations, which include programmes requiring accreditation or approval as a legal requirement - i.e., the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery must be approved by the General Medical Council (GMC).