PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

The Course Leader is responsible for setting a clear vision for the course and managing the expectations of students and colleagues throughout their journey at the University. Fundamental relationships are critical to the role's success, and the Course Leader will collaborate with the school leadership team, Head of Department, Academic Registrar’s Office, Module Leaders and other Professional Services colleagues as appropriate.

There are six key responsibilities underlying the role of course leader: academic leadership, course design and development, student partnership and support, teaching quality and quality assurance and marketing, and recruitment and admissions. Each responsibility is associated with fundamental tasks to deliver an excellent student experience and teaching quality, assessment and feedback, academic support and employment outcomes.

The key responsibilities may be shared with a co-course leader, and the Course Leader will need to work collaboratively with other colleagues (e.g. personal tutor, module leader) to ensure the success of the student experience.

A Course Leader has responsibility for:

Academic Leadership

· Providing leadership for a named course or group of courses in line with the University’s Strategic Plan, the University of Westminster Education Strategy, academic regulations and policies and other external stakeholders e.g. Office for Students (OfS), Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs).

· Leading a team of colleagues involved in delivering the course (both academics and professional services) in an inclusive, respectful and diverse environment to ensure effective coordination of a high-quality student learning experience.

· Liaising with the Head of Department in the selection and appointment of module leaders, ensuring they have the appropriate expertise and qualifications to deliver high-quality instruction, and coordinating with faculty to support alignment with course objectives and academic standards.

· Creating an environment of collaboration and shared ownership by ensuring that students and colleagues are involved in curriculum development, delivery, decision-making and evaluation.

· Leading the process of validation, revalidation and continuous review of the course to ensure the content and pedagogy are up-to-date and intellectually stimulating for students and reflect the needs of higher education regulators, employers and relevant professional bodies.

Course Design and Development

· Designing and delivering a high-quality, pedagogically sound, student-centred academic skills curriculum based on the achievement of learning outcomes.

· Collaborating with students, module leaders and other key stakeholders to design and develop a coherent course that ensures the curriculum reflects the education strategy of authentic, personalised and transformative learning, underpinned by an inclusive curriculum that embeds equality, diversity, inclusiveness and employability.

· Ensuring the course content and curriculum are up to date and continually reviewed to take account of developments in the subject discipline, pedagogy and the wider higher education environment and needs of employers and professional bodies both locally and internationally (as appropriate).

Student Partnership and Support

·  Acting as the key contact for students on the course for queries and resolving issues in collaboration with modules leaders, lecturers, personal tutors, Academic Registrar’s Office and other stakeholders across the University

·  Collaborating with the personal tutors, Disability Coordinator and Student Support Services and other relevant academic services to create an environment where students feel fully supported in their studies, are part of a community and are aware of specialist services for their health and wellbeing.

·  Monitoring student continuation, completion and progression, and recommending strategies to support student success.

· Collaborating with the Student Support Services team to ensure arrangements are in place for student welcome, induction and transition for new and returning students.

· Collaborating with the University Students’ Union to ensure that Student Course Representatives are in place and working with the representatives to promote active student engagement in the course, a strong sense of community and see that issues raised are resolved promptly.

· Coordinating and organising presentations for optional modules and course overviews for students.

·  Organising and contributing effectively to Course Committee Meetings, taking up and resolving key issues and ensuring such matters are communicated to relevant colleagues.

· Maintaining positive, regular communication with student representatives and responding to issues promptly.

·  Responding to student queries relevant to the course where these have not been resolved at the module level or elsewhere.

· Monitoring course workload (i.e. learning, teaching and assessment practices) to ensure an appropriate balance for students.

· Building and maintaining relationships with alumni and industry partners to enhance external engagement opportunities, including coordinating guest lectures, industry networking events, and collaborative projects that enrich the student learning experience and support career development.

· Ensuring that the requirements of students with support plans are met.

· Liaising with other schools as appropriate to run the course.

Teaching Quality and Organisation

·  Leading and managing the implementation of a rigorous quality assurance framework to ensure the quality of all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment for course and compliance with the University Academic Regulations and Quality Assurance and Enhancement requirements.

· Leading and managing the robust evaluation of all aspects of the course, including the subsequent academic achievement of students, to inform the continuous development and enhancement of the course.

· Ensuring that all appropriate inspection requirements and criteria are met for any inspection visit by a proper external accreditation body or external examiner.

· Leading and guiding module leaders to provide a transformational education for students, which aligns with the University’s Strategy and the Education Strategy of the University of Westminster.

· Liaising with the Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching, Student Support Services, Career Development Centre and other key stakeholders to ensure the course's quality of teaching, inclusive practice and employability opportunities.

·  Ensuring that the course handbook and course website are up-to-date, clear and accessible.

·  Liaising with module leaders to ensure that an appropriate course-level schedule of assessments is in place for the year to avoid bunching assessments.

·  Liaising with Module Leaders, lecturers and personal tutors to ensure that students are provided with timely feedback that meets the Assessment and Feedback policy.

·  Collaborating with Heads of Departments to ensure an appropriate course team is allocated to course modules to deliver high-quality teaching and support.

Recruitment and Admissions

·  Liaising with the University’s Marketing Department and Admissions Office to ensure clarity on admission requirements and that the course is promoted effectively to achieve course targets.

· Maintaining an overview of the recruitment process and the marketing of the course in conjunction with the Marketing Department and Admissions Officers and facilitating student registration for the course.

·  Attending and contributing to open days for students’ parents, applicants’ parents, and other local and international recruitment events, as well as supporting clearing activities to promote the course to potential applicants and secure high conversion.

·  Monitoring student recruitment, continuation, completion, and progression data and raising potential issues with senior managers.

·  Coordinating and participating in student induction processes and ensuring the general orientation of students through the course.

Quality Assurance

· Where courses have or are seeking professional body accreditation, acting as a representative of the University with the professional body to ensure the course meets the needs of the approval panel.

· Reviewing and responding to Module Evaluation Surveys, comments from Course Committee Meetings, Course Experience Survey and other KPI data and recommended improvements from the External Examiners to identify opportunities for continuous improvement in the student learning experience in liaison with the course team.

· Ensuring that follow-up actions on the Module Evaluation Questionnaire (MEQ), Course Committee Meeting (CCM) and Course Experience Survey results are implemented, liaising with colleagues and other schools/departments as appropriate.

· Monitoring and evaluating the course to ensure that it meets the relevant outcome data and KPIs, e.g. National Student Survey results and Graduate Outcomes, and including evaluation in the course annual monitoring report and course continuous improvement report to secure sustained improvement.

·  Attending and supporting the work of relevant Subject Area Boards, Module Review Boards and Progression and Award boards (PABs).

· Producing a comprehensive annual monitoring report on the course's performance.

·  Reviewing comments from external examiners and ensure that recommendations are implemented where appropriate.

· Promoting and leading course developments per the University’s strategic priorities including employability, retention and progression.

·  Monitoring suitability and availability of LRC resources and other course resources. Advise the Head of Department and the Dean of School/Faculty Management on any resource requirements and engage with LRC and other colleagues on course developments and reviews.

·  Monitoring the currency and relevance of the course curriculum.

·  Raising any significant issues or concerns regarding the course, staff or students with the Heads of Departments and the Dean of the School.

APPOINTMENT DURATION

The post holder will be appointed for a fixed term of 5 years. On completion of service period or in case if the post holder voluntarily steps down from their academic management position, to ensure a transparent and merit-based transition process and to maintain the integrity of academic management roles and recognizing the value added by the individuals serving in these capacities their subsequent rank and grade will be determined as follows:

The Grade Review Panel will evaluate the post holder’s qualifications, experience, and contributions to the University during their tenure.

The panel’s recommendation for rank and grade will be subject to final approval by the Rector.

The assigned rank and grade will reflect the post holder’s alignment with WIUT’s academic and professional standards, ensuring fairness and recognition of their contributions.

QUALIFICATIONS:

•   A master’s or doctoral degree in a relevant field, with experience in teaching, academic administration, and programme management.

•  Strong organisational, communication, and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to lead and coordinate educational programmes.

•  Commitment to supporting student success and enhancing the quality and reputation of the program.

EXPERIENCE

•  An understanding of the requirements for teaching in Higher Education in an international environment.

•  A specialist interest and output in teaching and research

•  Evidence of an understanding of Quality Enhancement and its contribution to the overall student experience process and the application to educational processes

• Evidence of policy formulation and execution

•  Evidence of being able to handle student academic advice and requests or in a position of influence and leadership

•  Excellent in writing and reporting skills

•  Evidence of good interpersonal skills, including presentation and communication skills

•  Appropriate level of computer literacy

Our benefits:

• Competitive Salary & 13th Salary Bonus (special eligibility conditions apply) – Recognizing and rewarding your contribution.
• 56 Calendar Days of Paid Leave – Enjoy an extended break to rest and recharge.
• Medical Insurance – Quality healthcare coverage for your well-being.
• Free Access to Sport Facilities – Enjoy complimentary use of the gym and yoga classes.
• Free Participation in Art Clubs – Explore your creative side with Vocal, Dance, and Drama clubs.
• Tuition Assistance – WIUT offers tuition reduction schemes for eligible employees and their family members.