5.3 Institutional Review
Enhancement-led institutional review (ELIR) is one of five main elements of the Quality Enhancement Framework (QEF); Scotland’s approach to managing the quality of the student learning experience and providing public confidence in the quality and standards of higher education. Developed by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, Universities Scotland, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Scotland (QAA Scotland) and student representative bodies, ELIR was introduced to the higher education sector in 2003-04.
The scheme operates on a five-year cycle. All Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were reviewed under this system during the period January 2004 - August 2007 and the QAA embarked on its second round of ELIR in January 2009.
The University of St Andrews was last reviewed in February and March 2011. The review team reported that ‘Confidence (the best possible outcome) can be placed in the University's current, and likely future, management of the quality of its provision’ (University of St Andrews ELIR 2010-11)