Lampeter lambasted

The Quality Assurance Agency has criticised Lampeter University for failing to adequately monitor the quality of its degrees. Lampeter is the latest institution to receive a "limited confidence" rating from the higher education watchdog. The QAA gave London University's School of Oriental and African Studies the same rating in June this year.

The draft QAA report on Lampeter expressed limited confidence in the soundness of its present and likely future management of the quality of its programmes and of the academic standards of its awards. The criticism related chiefly to reporting lines between departments and senior management and the executive. A university spokesperson said: "Although significant, this is a matter that could easily be rectified."

The report also suggested that Lampeter's external examiners should comment on the comparability of academic standards with other institutions. "Again, this can be rectified without difficulty," the spokesperson said. The report noted that external examiner reports expressed full confidence in the university's management of academic standards. In 2006, the QAA criticised London University's central oversight of degrees.