Trent's Institutional Quality Assurance Policy & Procedures (IQAP)
- Institutional Quality Assurance Policy (docx)
- Undergraduate Degree Level Expectations (pdf)
- Graduate Degree Level Expectations (pdf)
Institutional Quality Assurance Policy (IQAP)
Category: Academic
Approval: Senate (internal) and Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance (Quality Council) (external)
Responsibility: Provost and Vice President Academic
Contact Officer: Manager, Office of Provost and Vice President Academic
Effective Date of Policy: Sept 1, 2019; Sept 1, 2015; initial Sept 1, 2011
Date for Next Review: Fall 2022
Senate: Approved Apr 16, Dec 2, 2014; initial approval May 10, 2011
Quality Council: Approved Aug 26, 2019; Dec 18, 2014; initial approval Mar 31, 2011
Purpose of Policy
The Institutional Quality Assurance Policy (IQAP) and associated Procedures work to ensure the high quality of, and promote standards of excellence in, Trent’s new and existing academic programs. The IQAP complies with the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF), developed by the Ontario Council of Academic Vice Presidents (OCAV) and adopted by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) in April 2010.
This policy governs the:
- Cyclical Review of Existing Degree and Graduate Diploma Programs
- Development of New Degree Programs
- Expedited Approvals of Graduate Diplomas
- Major Modifications of Existing Degree and Graduate Diploma Programs
The policy and associated procedures governing the periodic Cyclical Program Review of existing programs help promote, maintain, and improve the quality of education at Trent, and provide Trent’s students and prospective students, Trent’s partners, the provincial government, and the broader public with the necessary assurance of this quality. Cyclical program reviews provide information upon which the University may make decisions about academic programs. Insight about program quality derived from such reviews may result in recommendations for improvement, modification, or termination of an academic program. Degree-level expectations, combined with peer-review judgment by expert disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholars, provide the benchmarks for assessing a program’s standards and quality.
The policy and associated procedures governing the development and review of New Program Proposals ensure that new academic programs are consistent with Trent University’s vision, mission and strategic directions and with the guidelines for University Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Level Expectations (DLEs) developed by the Ontario Council of Academic Vice Presidents and affirmed by Trent’s Senate. The policy also ensures that new programs are of high quality, meet a perceived interest and demand, are supported with available funding and make good use of institutional resources, and draw upon and enhance existing strengths at the University. New program proposals need to be approved by the Quality Council.
The policy and associated procedures governing the Expedited Approval of New Graduate Diplomas ensures that these programs meet the quality assurance standards of Trent University and of the Quality Council.
The policy and associated procedures governing Major Modifications ensure that any major changes to existing degree programs enhance the quality of the program and are consistent with Trent’s strategic directions and the DLEs.