Temporary Suspension of a Programme Policy

Introduction

1. Northeastern University London’s (the University’s) founding values and principles are to provide an innovative educational experience, which includes the delivery of new and exciting programmes. Faculty are research active which can lead to the development of new programmes. This follows a rigorous approval procedure within the University’s regulations (See AQF4 Programme and Course Approval and Modifications).
2. The University carefully considers all aspects of creating a new programme, including the market appetite, pedagogical approach and employability.
3. The University is also aligning to the ongoing conditions of registration with the Office for Students, and this Policy falls under the Quality and Standards conditions, in particular B1: Academic Experience.
4. The University follows the UK Quality Code during the development of all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Scope

5. This Policy sets out the procedure for the temporary suspension of a programme that is relevant to all University staff, students and prospective students.
6. This Policy has been written to meet the expectations of the UK Quality Code themes: Admissions, Recruitment and Widening Access, and Learning and Teaching chapters and the guidance provided by the Competition and Markets Authority for UK higher education providers.

General Principles

7. The University aims not to temporarily suspend programmes, but in the case where this might be necessary, the University:
   1. will endeavor to deliver all the programmes it advertises;
   2. has considered alternative avenues before making the decision to temporarily suspend a programme;
   3. has a framework that defines the policies and procedure to be used when the decision is taken to temporarily suspend a programme;
   4. informs all affected prospective students of the decision appropriately, taking into account their chosen education pathway;
   5. informs all affected faculty and the respective Head(s) of Faculty/Programme Directors.

Reasons for the Temporary Suspension of a Programme

8. “Temporary suspension of a programme” is defined as the decision where the University will not run a specified programme for one academic year, after it has been advertised as available to prospective students, e.g, prospectus and/or website.
9. A programme may be temporarily suspended for educational, practical or business reasons, e.g. where student numbers are expected to be so low that the student learning experience will be harmed, or where a programme will not be economically viable.

Procedure for the Temporary Suspension of a Programme

10. A decision to temporarily suspend a programme will be made by the Executive Committee (ExCo). ExCo will review the pedagogical and financial status of the programme and consult with relevant staff prior to the final decision being made.
11. A programme with fewer than 10 prospective students accepted is at risk of being suspended.
12. ExCo has the final decision on whether a programme is temporarily suspended.

Timeline for the Temporary Suspension of a Programme

13. The data gathered to make the decision to suspend will come from faculty recruitment, student recruitment and consideration on the status of any visas being processed will be taken into consideration.
14. The Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs will provide ExCo with an update, from February to August, on the recruitment of faculty for all courses, in particular the courses where the recruitment process is ongoing.
15. The Director of Marketing, Admissions, Recruitment and Visa teams will provide ExCo with regular updates, from eight months prior to the programme start, on the recruitment of students for all programmes, identify programmes that are at risk, and potentially will not reach the minimum threshold.

Undergraduate timeline

16. ExCo will review the following data four months prior to the start of the programme:
    1. Offers made
    2. Offers accepted
    3. CAS applications in progress
    4. Faculty recruitment progress
17. ExCo will provide guidance to the Recruitment Team on priorities for recruiting to these programmes.
18. ExCo will review the programmes at risk two months prior to enrolment with the following data:
    1. Outstanding offers made
    2. Offers Accepted
    3. CAS applications in progress
    4. Confirmed CASs
    5. Faculty recruitment status
    6. Potential alternative programmes for applicants
19. Exceptionally, when a new programme is being introduced to the University’s portfolio, ExCo can ask for regular updates from staff in addition to the timeline outlined above.
20. Taking all factors into consideration, including student wellbeing and faculty feedback, ExCo will make the decision at the earliest possible opportunity to enable optimum time for the University to support students with alternative options.

Procedure for Notifying Prospective Students 

21. In order to minimise any inconvenience to prospective students, the University will:
    1. keep all recruitment activity under constant review and assess the number of applications, offer holders, acceptances and (where relevant) their historical conversion rates for each programme
    2. Where a programme is projected to be classified as “at risk” of being temporarily suspended at the four-month review stage, students will be informed that the programme is at risk and offered support
    3. continue to market the programme to increase the applications, offers and acceptance, with the aim of delivering the programme
    4. review any external stakeholders requirements, the educational experience and the circumstances of individuals who have accepted a place
    5. in relations to a programme exceeding one week in duration, give the student not less than four weeks’ notice of temporarily suspending the programme prior to the start of the programme (subject to circumstances beyond the University’s control)
    6. provide the prospective student with help and advice in relation to finding alternative programmes within the University
22. In order to minimise any inconvenience to faculty, the University will:
    1. inform the Head of Faculty/Programme Director, for the programme, on the recruitment numbers and that the programme has been classed as “at risk” of being temporarily suspended
    2. ensure that the Head of Faculty/Programme Director and/or relevant faculty work with the Marketing and Recruitment Team to increase the number of applications, offers and acceptances
    3. support faculty during the preparation of the teaching materials for new programmes that have been classed as “at risk” of being temporarily suspended

Reporting, Monitoring and Reviewing

23. ExCo has overall responsibility for the decision making, monitoring and evaluating this Policy and all programmes that are temporarily suspended.
24. ExCo reports to Northeastern London Board on an annual basis the outcomes of the use of this Policy.

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