If you are considering HE development and have decided against the 'off-the-shelf' prescribed approach offered by the HNC and HND route, the usual remaining alternative is to enter into collaboration with a validating body, usually a well-established HEI either locally or further afield.

Beginning such a relationship, particularly for FE providers developing HE for the first time, can be a daunting experience. While all institutions have their own codes of practice and policies on the development of courses with partners, I have found the fundamental principles are basically the same. My External Examining duties have required a thorough and detailed appreciation of the Codes of Practice and Regulations for the Open University, the University of East London and Manchester Metropolitan University, but in addition I have also been closely involved with four major universities in the development of several HE courses over my teaching career (Lincoln University, Lancaster University, The University of Hull and Teesside University). As such, I feel well placed to give an overview of the process and provide detailed support and advice on the various stages of working with a validating body. These can include:

Basics of validating a course - what is involved, who does what, approximate timeframes
Quality considerations - what their expectations are of you, what you can expect from them
Stages of development - from initial proposal to detailed validation document preparation, I can guide you
Preparing for validation meetings - what might be said, what might be asked and what might be demanded Validation document proof reading, potential issues and amendments

As long as I am furnished with the regulations, codes of practice and quality framework of the validating body, I can support your validation development from beginning to end. It can be a long and sometimes frustrating process, but the right approach from the very beginning can help alleviate the good majority of these issues. My support would be contextualised within current QAA and UKPSF frameworks, something I am fully conversant with.