GLASGOW School of Art has been rapped by an education watchdog over the way it manages academic standards and the student learning experience.
The school, which has suffered catastrophic damage in two fires, has been criticised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in its latest report on the institution.
It has now been ordered to take action in a number of areas to ensure that quality and academic standards are not put at risk in the future.
“This judgment means GSA does not currently meet sector expectations in relation to the arrangements it has for securing the academic standards of the awards it offers and enhancing the quality of the student learning experience it provides,” states the report, which was drawn up by six independent experts for the QAA.
It follows complaints and demands for fee refunds from students because of disruption to their studies caused by the fires and the pandemic. Much of the iconic Charles Rennie Mackintosh building was destroyed by fire in 2018 towards the end of a £35 million restoration following the first inferno in 2014. The art school was later criticised by MSPs after a report which concluded that not enough priority was given to safeguarding the historic premises during the restoration.
The institution now has a new senior team after Professor Penny Macbeth became director last May, with Allan Atlee joining as the new academic deputy director last December.
The report has told GSA to work to establish a culture where students are seen as “equal partners, engaged individually and collectively in the development and enhancement of their educational experience”. It should also make sure resources and the curricula demands are aligned so that learning outcomes are “effective and equitable”.
In addition it should ensure staff and students have a clear understanding of institutional expectations around grading criteria and practices.
“GSA should also ensure that there are clearer expectations for feedback practice which are implemented effectively across the institution, so that all students receive timely, relevant and high-quality formative feedback on their progress at key points during their programmes,” the report states.
In addition, GSA should review the extent to which there is independence of decision-making in the complaints handling process, according to the report.
As well as the criticism, the institution was commended for its work on widening access, supporting students to move to online provision and decolonising the curriculum.
“To support progress at GSA towards decolonising the curriculum, library staff have worked effectively to ensure library collections and reading lists better reflect GSA’s multi-cultural environment,” the report states.
With regard to widening access it points out that GSA has established a variety of successful long-standing school and college partnerships, notably with Castlehead High School, which “raise the aspirations and achievements” of young people.
“The ongoing support provided by GSA to widening access students contributes to high retention rates,” says the report.
Professor Macbeth said GSA was committed to working with the QAA and others to make sure the school provided the “best creative education and high-level art school experience”.
“We clearly have some challenging issues to address and we will be working through them systematically and with rigour,” she said.
“The ELIR and the external insight it brings provides us with particular focus as we build on areas where we are strong, like widening participation and student support, and address those areas which do not reflect where we should and want to be.
“Addressing the areas where we are weak will require that we work together across the whole of GSA to ensure that we deliver a consistently excellent experience for all of our students.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here