Legal and Governance

Wider Information Set (WIS)

Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) acknowledges the value of publishing information about its Higher Education provision.

As well as course information, we are pleased to publish information which will inform the public about higher education, and may help provide potential students with information so that they can decide whether to make an application to study with us.

The information below meets the expectations of the Wider Information Set (WIS), as required by the Office for Students (OfS). If you are searching for a particular piece of information, and are unable to locate it, please contact us foi@aub.ac.uk

Information is provided on institutional context; about aspects of courses and awards; and about the quality and standards of programmes.

Information on institutional context

AUB Mission Statement and Strategic Plan 2014-19

The University’s quality assurance policies and processes are contained within the Quality Assurance Handbook

Partnership information

All Honours degrees and Master's degrees delivered by Arts University Bournemouth are the sole responsibility of the University with respect to the maintenance of quality and standards. No awards at these levels delivered at AUB (and publicised on this website) are delivered collaboratively, although please see the statement on employer engagement below.

Research degrees are delivered through a partnership arrangement with the University of the Arts London, which is the awarding body for MPhil and PhD. The University of the Arts London is responsible for assuring the standard of awards. Responsibility for the quality of the student experience rests with the Arts University Bournemouth, which makes annual report to the University of the Arts London.

Arts University Bournemouth additionally validates awards offered by The Northern School of Art, and Bournemouth & Poole College. Arts University Bournemouth holds ultimate responsibility for the standards and quality of these awards, and the detailed arrangements are set out in a Memorandum of Understanding with each institution.

Information about aspect of courses and awards

Arts University Bournemouth prospectus and course information are available through the website. The programme specification, which provides more detail about the course including information about learning and teaching strategies, and lists the units to be taken, is also available as part of the course details.

Arts University Bournemouth runs an internal satisfaction survey on an annual basis (known as the Student Perception Survey or SPS). In 2024, overall satisfaction with the quality of courses was 86.6%.

Employers input into programmes at the University, in a variety of ways. Courses have an Industry Liaison Group (ILG), which comprises key employers within the industry and advises the course team both on developments within the discipline, and on the skills required by graduates. In addition, employers are invited to contribute to course development (both at validation and at periodic review), and an employer representative will usually be part of the validation or periodic review panel.

Employers also make contributions to courses by offering live projects (and, for instance, joining the panel which reviews the outcomes), or by giving specialist lectures.

Some courses are also accredited by professional associations: currently ARB/RIBA for courses in Architecture. This is indicated clearly on the Key Information Set for each course, as well as the relevant programme specification.

Information on the quality and standards of programmes

The University’s Quality Assurance Handbook contains the procedures for programme approval, monitoring and review. It also contains procedures for external examination. The outcomes of these processes are considered by the Learning, Teaching and Quality Committee, and are available on request once they have been approved by the Committee.

The Student Complaints Procedure and the Appeals Policy can be accessed through the staff and student portal, and are available on request.