(as approved by DCU Governing Authority on 12 June 2002)

Following a meeting of CHIU on 31 May, 2002 it was agreed to propose the following common policy relating to the publication of reports arising from quality reviews:

• The Quality Improvement procedures involve self-assessment reports, peer review reports and actions for improvement consequent on same within the resources available. The procedures also provide for the publication in such form or manner as a governing authority thinks fit of findings arising out of the application of these procedures. The governing authority is required to implement the findings having regard to the resources available, unless it would be unreasonable to do so.
• The Universities have sought to develop an agreed policy on the issue of publication at the level of CHIU. The Inter-Universities Quality Steering Committee has recommended that reports to governing Authorities should include summaries of peer review reports and these summaries should be published on the websites in respect of review visits taking place after 1st January 2002. The corresponding peer review reports will be accessible on request outside the Freedom of Information process in a manner most appropriate to each university. The self-assessment reports will be considered confidential and protected under Freedom of Information.

It is recommended that, in relation to publication of peer review reports, the following policies will apply:

• Reports to governing authorities will include as appendices the summaries of peer review reports for reports relating to review visits which have taken place after 1st January 2002
• Each summary will consist of a short description of the unit/school under review, the names and affiliations of the reviewers and their findings and recommendations in full
• Following consideration of such reports by the governing authority, the summaries will be published on the University's website and linked to the Quality Office site
• The full peer review report will be accessible either by request or through an associated link on the Quality Office website

It is recommended that the self-assessment report be considered confidential and protection sought as necessary under the Freedom of Information Act (1997) on the reasonable grounds that the release of such reports would undermine the very process of self-assessment.

The University may also publish the actions it has taken arising from the findings of the peer review reports. These actions may be captured in other reports made to Governing Authority in association with the peer review report summaries.