SOAS Granted Degree Awarding Powers
Professor Nirmala Rao
2 August 2011
The School of Oriental and African Studies has been granted the power to award degrees in its own name. Until now, it has only been able to award degrees on behalf of the University of London.
"This wonderful news is a tribute to all our colleagues in the School," said SOAS Pro-Director (Learning and Teaching) Professor Nirmala Rao. "It is a tremendous achievement and a national recognition of the quality and maturity of our academic standards and procedures. It confirms our standing as one of the leading specialist schools for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It has been a huge team effort, and I would like to thank everyone at the School for their cooperation, commitment and hard work."
Degree awarding powers are granted by the Privy Council on the advice of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, the Government body charged with monitoring standards in higher education. The Privy Council announced its decision on 28 July. The School's new powers take effect from 1 August 2011.
A number of University of London colleges, including the London School of Economics, University College London and King's College London, are now awarding their own degrees, rather than University of London degrees.
The power to award its own degree is integral to SOAS’ intention to be ‘an autonomous, self-directed and sustainable institution strengthened and supported by collaborations with its partners’, as set forth in its Vision and Strategy. The School will now consider how and when to exercise the powers.
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) visited the School between October 2009 and May 2010 to review the School’s application. The team of assessors, which were drawn from others universities, interviewed staff, students and Governing Body members, sat in on committee meetings and reviewed the School’s policies and procedures.
The decision to grant SOAS degree awarding powers recognizes not only the quality of teaching at the School but also its ability to set and maintain academic standards.
For further information, contact:
SOAS Communications
comms@soas.ac.uk
+44 (0)20 7898 4956
