THE CHI CENTRE CODE OF PRACTICE
FOR THE ASSURANCE OF QUALITY AND STANDARDS
OF THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL TUITION AT THE CENTRE
Based on the Model Code of Practice of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
Introduction
This Code is designed to assure the academic quality and skill tuition standards of the programmes, awards and qualifications of the Chi Centre.
Although it does not incorporate statutory requirements relating to any legislation relevant for complementary and alternative fields, it assumes that as an institution of further education we have an overriding obligation to meet the requirements of any such legislation.
This Code is a statement of good practice that has been fully endorsed by the Chi Centre.
Purpose of Education and Training in the Chi Centre
Education and training in the Chi Centre is a process of
•
gaining insight, knowledge and understanding of the interconnectedness of human body, mind, nutrition, dugestion and colon health (“Chi Disciplines”), and
gaining insight, knowledge and understanding of the interconnectedness of human body, mind, nutrition, dugestion and colon health (“Chi Disciplines”), and •acquiring practical skills that will help our graduates translate this understanding into responsible and prudent acts of therapeutic care.
acquiring practical skills that will help our graduates translate this understanding into responsible and prudent acts of therapeutic care. Institutional arrangements
We undertake to maintain the academic and practical standards of our programmes, putting in place arrangements that will enable them to be delivered successfully according to national and, where relevant, international expectations. We will provide appropriate support and guidance to enable our students to complete their programmes, and for students, supervisors, examiners and other staff involved in tuition and supervision to fulfil their responsibilities.
We will to bring our code of practice to the attention of students as early as possible, and certainly no later than induction.
We will monitor the success of our tuition programmes against appropriate internal and/or external indicators and targets, inter alia by
•submission and completion times and rates;
submission and completion times and rates; •pass, referral and fail rates;
pass, referral and fail rates; •withdrawal rates;
withdrawal rates; •the number of appeals and complaints, the reasons for them, and how many are upheld;
the number of appeals and complaints, the reasons for them, and how many are upheld; •analysis of comments from examiners;
analysis of comments from examiners; •recruitment profiles;
recruitment profiles; •feedback from students, employers, sponsors and other external funders;
feedback from students, employers, sponsors and other external funders; •information on employment destinations and career paths of former students.
information on employment destinations and career paths of former students. As a training centre we undertake to create an appropriate environment for rewarding learning that may include:
•opportunities and encouragement to exchange and develop ideas with people at appropriate levels who are also engaged in doing and learning about Chi Disciplines and pursuing established Chi Discipline programmes;
opportunities and encouragement to exchange and develop ideas with people at appropriate levels who are also engaged in doing and learning about Chi Disciplines and pursuing established Chi Discipline programmes; •ready access to mentors, colleagues and others able to give advice and support;
ready access to mentors, colleagues and others able to give advice and support; •adequate learning and Chi Discipline tools including access to equipment, literature and electronic publications;
adequate learning and Chi Discipline tools including access to equipment, literature and electronic publications; •opportunities for students to develop peer support networks where issues or problems can be discussed informally (this could include access to social space provided for the purpose);
opportunities for students to develop peer support networks where issues or problems can be discussed informally (this could include access to social space provided for the purpose); •supervision (see also the section on Supervision below) that encourages the achievement and successful pursuance of new skills;
supervision (see also the section on Supervision below) that encourages the achievement and successful pursuance of new skills; •guidance on the ethical pursuit of Chi Disciplines and the avoidance of Chi Discipline misconduct, including breaches of the agreed ethical rules;
guidance on the ethical pursuit of Chi Disciplines and the avoidance of Chi Discipline misconduct, including breaches of the agreed ethical rules; •availability of advice on career development, where relevant.
availability of advice on career development, where relevant. Such a learning environment will also enable Chi Discipline students to make judgements requiring creativity and critical independent thought, to grapple with challenges that develop intellectual maturity and sophisticated practical skills and encourage a high level of reflection on the student's own learning about Chi Disciplines.
We will wish to put in place explicit expectations that are clear and readily accessible to students and supervisors concerning timely submission and successful completion periods. Such expectations are likely to be influenced where relevant by the mode of study of the student, i.e. full-time or part-time and are also likely to vary according to the needs of subjects and individual students.
Selection, admission and induction of students
Admissions procedures will be clear, consistently applied and will demonstrate equality of opportunity
We will make clear and accurate admissions information readily available to applicants and staff involved in the admissions process on our website.
Only appropriately qualified and prepared students will be admitted to Chi Disciplines programmes.
All students irrespective of the initial training and experience levels will undergo an interview in the relevant discipline to test their initial competence. As appropriate, students will be offered an opportunity to attend review seminars before the commencement of the course.
Important factors to be considered are the student's motivation and potential to complete the programme.
The entitlements and responsibilities of a Chi Disciplines student undertaking a Chi Disciplines programme will be defined and communicated clearly.
Our offer of tuition will normally be expressed in a formal letter that is specific to the individual applicant. This constitutes a contract between the student and the Chi Centre. The terms of the letter are binding on the Chi Centre and, upon acceptance, on the student. The letter will normally refer to or enclose other information, for example references to institutional web pages, supplemented by printed information where necessary. The letter and enclosures normally refer to:
•the expected total fees, including extra charges which will be levied, and any other expenditure on practical items relevant to the individual student;
the expected total fees, including extra charges which will be levied, and any other expenditure on practical items relevant to the individual student; •the expected period of study for which the student is enrolled;
the expected period of study for which the student is enrolled; •the requirements which the Chi Centre places upon the Chi Disciplines student (for example, attendance, progress reports, contact with supervisors) and arrangements for enrolment and registration;
the requirements which the Chi Centre places upon the Chi Disciplines student (for example, attendance, progress reports, contact with supervisors) and arrangements for enrolment and registration; •references to the institution's regulations, student handbook, payment terms and other relevant information for a Chi Disciplines course, all of which will normally be available via our web pages;
references to the institution's regulations, student handbook, payment terms and other relevant information for a Chi Disciplines course, all of which will normally be available via our web pages; •reference to practical information, for example concerning accommodation and financial or travel information.
reference to practical information, for example concerning accommodation and financial or travel information. Students' responsibilities normally include:
•taking responsibility for their own personal and professional development;
taking responsibility for their own personal and professional development; •maintaining regular contact with supervisors (joint responsibility with supervisors);
maintaining regular contact with supervisors (joint responsibility with supervisors); •preparing adequately for meetings with supervisors;
preparing adequately for meetings with supervisors; •setting and keeping to timetables and deadlines, including planning and submitting work as and when required and generally maintaining satisfactory progress with the programme of research;
setting and keeping to timetables and deadlines, including planning and submitting work as and when required and generally maintaining satisfactory progress with the programme of research; •making supervisors aware of any specific needs or circumstances likely to affect their work;
making supervisors aware of any specific needs or circumstances likely to affect their work; •attending any development opportunities that have been identified when areeing their development needs with their supervisors
attending any development opportunities that have been identified when areeing their development needs with their supervisors •being familiar with institutional regulations and policies that affect them, including the regulations for their qualification, health and safety, intellectual property, and ethical Chi Disciplines guidelines
being familiar with institutional regulations and policies that affect them, including the regulations for their qualification, health and safety, intellectual property, and ethical Chi Disciplines guidelines Other information is likely to include details of supervision arrangements, including evaluation, monitoring and review procedures. During the induction process, students will be provided with details of opportunities that exist for meeting other Chi Disciplines students and staff, and for developing scholarly competence and independent thought.
Supervision
Systematic and clear supervision arrangements will be established from the outset. These include: the need to provide students with opportunities for access to regular and appropriate supervisory support; encouragement to interact with other students; advice from one or more independent source (internal or external); and arrangements that protect the student in the event of the loss of a supervisor.
We expect our supervisors to demonstrate their continuing professional development through participation in a range of activities designed to support their work as supervisors. Supervisors should take the initiative in updating their knowledge and skills, supported by institutional arrangements that define and enable sharing of good practice and provide advice on effective support for different types of student. Mentoring relationships are one example of how support can be provided for supervisors.
To assure consistency of supervision, the Chi Centre will wish to encourage supervisors working in industry or professional practice to participate as appropriate in any developmental activities offered by the Chi Centre.
Each Chi Disciplines student will have a minimum of one main supervisor. He or she will normally be part of a supervisory team. There must always be one clearly identified point of contact for the student
Breadth of experience and knowledge across the supervisory team will mean that the student always has access to someone with experience of supporting Chi Disciplines student(s) through to successful completion of their programme.
Supervisory responsibilities may include:
•providing satisfactory guidance and advice;
providing satisfactory guidance and advice; •being responsible for monitoring the progress of the student's Chi Disciplines programme;
being responsible for monitoring the progress of the student's Chi Disciplines programme; •establishing and maintaining regular contact with the student (where appropriate, guided by institutional expectations), and ensuring his/her accessibility to the student when s/he needs advice, by whatever means is most suitable given the student's location and mode of study;
establishing and maintaining regular contact with the student (where appropriate, guided by institutional expectations), and ensuring his/her accessibility to the student when s/he needs advice, by whatever means is most suitable given the student's location and mode of study; •having input into the assessment of a student's development needs;
having input into the assessment of a student's development needs; •providing timely, constructive and effective feedback on the student's work, including his/her overall progress within the programme;
providing timely, constructive and effective feedback on the student's work, including his/her overall progress within the programme; •ensuring that the student is aware of the need to exercise probity and conduct his/her Chi Discipline study according to ethical principles, and of the implications of ethical misconduct;
ensuring that the student is aware of the need to exercise probity and conduct his/her Chi Discipline study according to ethical principles, and of the implications of ethical misconduct; •ensuring that the student is aware of institutional-level sources of advice, including careers guidance, health and safety legislation and equal opportunities policy;
ensuring that the student is aware of institutional-level sources of advice, including careers guidance, health and safety legislation and equal opportunities policy; •helping the student to interact with others, for example, encouraging the student to attend relevant conferences, supporting him/her in seeking funding for such events; and where appropriate to submit conference papers and articles to professional publications;
helping the student to interact with others, for example, encouraging the student to attend relevant conferences, supporting him/her in seeking funding for such events; and where appropriate to submit conference papers and articles to professional publications; •maintaining the necessary supervisory expertise, including the appropriate skills, to perform all of the role satisfactorily, supported by relevant continuing professional development opportunities.
maintaining the necessary supervisory expertise, including the appropriate skills, to perform all of the role satisfactorily, supported by relevant continuing professional development opportunities. •When a student needs advice or guidance, supervisors should be able to respond within a reasonable timescale.
When a student needs advice or guidance, supervisors should be able to respond within a reasonable timescale.Feedback mechanisms
Collecting and acting upon feedback from students, staff, examiners and others involved in Chi Disciplines programmes is a fundamental part of the quality assurance process, at institutional and subject levels.
The Chi Centre will put in place mechanisms to collect, review and, where appropriate, respond to feedback from all concerned with Chi Disciplines programmes. They will make arrangements for feedback to be considered openly and constructively and for the results to be communicated appropriately.
The Chi Centre will use the feedback in an appropriate format in our quality assurance processes, as part of the regular review of academic standards. The feedback and review cycle should normally occur at least annually. Information about action taken in response to feedback should be made easily and promptly available to those involved.
Assessment
Assessment processes for Chi Disciplines qualifications must be clear; they must be operated rigorously, fairly, and consistently; include input from an external examiner at the diploma level; and carried out to a reasonable timescale. Some of the procedures are underlined below:
•the student will be assessed on the basis of an appropriate body of work and a practical examination;
the student will be assessed on the basis of an appropriate body of work and a practical examination; •at the diploma level, two appropriately qualified examiners will be appointed for the purpose, at least one of whom is external to the Chi Cenre but may be on the Advisory Board of the Chi Associates.
at the diploma level, two appropriately qualified examiners will be appointed for the purpose, at least one of whom is external to the Chi Cenre but may be on the Advisory Board of the Chi Associates. •examiners submit separate, independent written reports on each student.
examiners submit separate, independent written reports on each student. Student representations
It is in the interests of students and institutions to resolve problems at an early stage. The importance of resolving any problems at an early stage should be made clear to students and staff. All concerned should be made aware of the stages and processes, informal and formal, through which representations can be made.
THE CHI CENTRE FOR PRACTICAL DETOXIFICATION
Wellbeing Now, 17 North Town Road, Maidenhead Berkshire UK SL6 7JQ
THE CHI CENTRE FOR PRACTICAL DETOXIFICATION
Wellbeing Now, 17 North Town Road, Maidenhead Berkshire UK SL6 7JQ
