Overview
The purpose of the external review is to provide an independent, objective assessment of the program’s strengths as well as to identify areas for improvements.
The external review is conducted by a three-member team, two of whom are academic peers from other post-secondary institutions, and one faculty/staff member from another faculty/department at Vancouver Island University (VIU). Trades and technical programs have the option of selecting one industry representative and one academic peer instead of two academic peers. If faculty/staff are interested in nominating a non-academic peer in addition to three-member team, they should speak with their Dean and the Office of University Planning and Analysis (OUPA).
Nomination Process
Faculty/staff, in consultation with the Dean, nominate five candidates for consideration as external reviewers from outside of VIU, and three candidates for consideration as the external reviewer from another academic unit/discipline at VIU.
Candidates nominated for the External Review Team should:
- be an academic peer from another post-secondary institution or an industry representative;
- have relevant expertise and experience in the field of study or related industry; and
- not be, or perceived to be, in a conflict of interest.
Other considerations might include selecting candidates with similar history and familiarity with the range of programming available at VIU, a similar pedagogical approach, and/or experience teaching in a program/department of comparable size.
Information should be collected for each candidate and submitted to OUPA using this nomination form.
External Review Site Visit
The external review typically includes a site visit during which the External Review Team meets with key stakeholders including: faculty/staff, current and/or past students, administrators, and other community representatives (e.g., Program Advisory Committee, Indigenous community members). When possible, it is recommended that the site visit is scheduled onsite over two days. However, other options include: an extended one-day, on-site visit; a webinar-based online visit; or a combination of these options.
OUPA compiles information packages for external reviewers containing the following: the self-study report, guidelines for external reviewers, site visit itinerary, and other documentation as requested or required. Information packages are sent to external reviewers at least month prior to the site visit.
While no compensation is provided, external reviewers from other institutions are reimbursed for the costs of travel. Meals are provided for external reviewers during the site visit. In certain circumstances, additional costs may be approved by the Dean and Associate Vice-President, Academic.
External Review Report
During the site visit, the External Review Team gathers information which forms the basis of the external review report. The External Review Report consists of a thorough, evidence-based analysis of the program/department that aligns with the same general topics as the Self-Study report. The External Review Report also includes a set of recommendations identified for enhancing the program being reviewed.