Quality Assurance Agency For Higher Education - Structure and Funding

Structure and Funding

QAA is an independent body; a company limited by guarantee operating under the legal jurisdiction of England; and a charity registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It is not an accrediting body and does not hold a list of recognised universities or colleges. (This is held by the UK Government's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, known as BIS). QAA's objects and constitution are set out in its Memorandum and Articles of Association. The Chief Executive since October 2009 has been Anthony McClaran, and the Board contains a broad representation of the UK higher education sector, including universities, funding councils and students. QAA has offices in Gloucester, Glasgow and London.

Around one third of QAA's funding is by annual subscription from UK universities and colleges; two thirds come from the public sector through contracts with the higher education funding bodies and government departments. Since the publication of the Browne Review in 2010 and the White Paper 'Students at the heart of the system', the higher education landscape has been continually changing, and as part of its response to these changes, QAA has set up a commercial arm, Partners in Quality, which offers services relating to quality assurance in the UK higher education sector. The work of Partners in Quality contributes to QAA's overall mission and funding.