Student Protection Plan

2.5 Institutional closure 

2.5.1 Institutional failure is monitored through risk management in accordance with HE  regulatory bodies. This monitoring assesses the financial sustainability management and  governance of the institution. This includes an external audit process that takes place at the  end of each financial year. For the most recent completed financial year, ending in August  2024, the auditors were satisfied and have signed off on ACM’s accounts as a going  concern. 

2.5.2 Whilst ACM has no strategic plans for partial or full institutional closure, the current  higher education landscape, and ACM’s recent change of ownership means that the risk  level for institutional closure has been assessed as medium. 

2.6 Loss of key staff 

2.6.1 ACM employs a large number of specialist teaching staff, both as contracted  employees and sessional staff. Many of these have high profile careers with national and  international reputations. Staff profiles are provided on the ACM websites and in other  promotional material although tutors are not promoted as being linked to a specific module  or class and no implication that students will be taught by a specific member of staff is given. 

2.6.2 Recruitment strategy ensures that the tutor faculty typically has multiple staff covering  specific subject areas thereby reducing any potential risk to the student experience through  loss of key teaching staff. 

2.6.3 Management and governance strategy is primarily based on senior and executive staff  teams contributing to the management and oversight of activities rather than through the  apex of a single member of staff or principal. This ensures broad engagement of  stakeholders and the effective use of expertise, whilst minimising risks that might be  attached to the loss of key staff. 

2.6.4 This is therefore considered low risk. 

2.7 Failure to achieve or maintain (after the DAPs probationary period has ended)  authorisation for DAPs 

2.7.1 If ACM does not achieve or maintain degree-awarding powers, ACM will continue with  its existing validation partnership agreement with Middlesex University.  

2.7.2 The failure to achieve or maintain degree awarding powers is considered medium risk  during the scrutiny process. However, appropriate mitigations have been put in place, with  the existing validating partner being maintained to ensure a validated programme is  available to students in the event of ACM’s degree awarding powers being revoked or not  granted.

3. The measures put in place to mitigate those risks considered feasible 

N.B. These are not necessarily risks considered likely to happen (as outlined above).  However, measures have been considered regardless. 

3.1 Major changes in year to course content 

3.1.1 ACM will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver the programme in accordance with  the description provided in the ACM prospectus or other material provided, for the academic  year in which a student began their programme. 

3.1.2 Major and minor changes to programmes are approved in accordance with academic  regulations, with changes becoming effective from the subsequent academic year. 

3.1.3.In the event where changes to course content do take place in-year, this will not  include variations to learning outcomes. ACM will ensure that changes are restricted to the  minimum necessary to achieve the required quality of experience, and affected students are  notified and consulted as appropriate and provided with a rationale as to why a change  might be needed. 

3.1.4 Where necessary it will allow students the opportunity to withdraw from the programme  and where required offer reasonable support to transfer to another programme at ACM, or to  another provider.  

3.2 Closure of an individual programme 

3.2.1 In the event that it is necessary to suspend or close a course and where there is a  material impact on students, the effect will be mitigated by: 

• communication with current students to provide assurance that they will not be  adversely affected by the decision and provide assurance that they are able to  complete their studies at the institution;  
• consultation with stakeholders who may be affected to ensure appropriate equality  impact assessments will also be undertaken; 
• future applicants will be notified in accordance with UCAS deadlines, allowing time  for students to source alternative suitable programme (where relevant) at ACM.  

3.3 Closure of a specific site or campus 

3.3.1 Where ACM has no option, other than to close a specific building, site or campus, the  following measures will be considered: 

• where possible, continue operating in a transitional manner over a period that would  enable current students to complete their studies at the original campus location the  student has selected. If a single or multiple building(s) close within a campus  location, efforts will be made to ensure the same level of equipment and facilities are  available across the remaining buildings at a campus location where possible. 
• where it is not possible to continue operating in a transitional manner, in supporting  students to transfer to appropriate programmes within the ACM portfolio at a different  campus location, or at other suitable providers, and (where appropriate financially) by compensating students where, because of disruption to their studies, they suffer  demonstrable, material financial loss.3.3.2 Where part of a campus is rendered unusable for activities involving students, ACM  will typically consider the following measures: 
  • relocating provision to an alternative location, this may include hiring spaces for  programme delivery (where possible nearby) and /or installing temporary buildings;
  • revising timetabling to allow all of the scheduled teaching to take part in the available  facilities. This may include timetabling sessions being held outside of normal  teaching hours. Where such an approach is taken, appropriate consultation will  normally be conducted with stakeholders who may be affected; 
  • undertaking appropriate equality impact assessment.  

  3.4 Withdrawal or non-renewal of validation 

  3.4.1 In the event of withdrawal or non-renewal of validation ACM will take all reasonable  steps to minimise the resulting disruption to students by, for example:  

  • working with the validating partner to allow enrolled students to complete their  programme at their existing campus location through a ‘teach-out’ arrangement;
  • working with a new university partner to provide validation of the programme, or  comparable programme; 
  • where either of the above is not possible, supporting students to transfer to  programmes at other providers and, where appropriate, financially compensating  students where they suffer demonstrable, material financial loss because of  disruption to their studies.  

  3.5 Institutional closure 

  3.5.1 Where ACM has no option, other than full institutional closure, the following measures  will be considered in the following order: 

  1. where possible, continue operating in a transitional manner over a period that would  enable current students to complete their studies at the institution; 
  2. where possible, continue operating in a transitional manner until the end of the  current academic year that would enable students to complete their studies or gain  an exit award. During this transition period, efforts will be made to find a credible  buyer to take ownership of ACM Guildford Ltd and its subsidiaries. 
  3. If a credible buyer cannot be found that will enable continuity of the student  experience, ACM will enable the validating institution (if under validation  arrangements) to continue teaching students on existing programmes at ACM sites,  or a suitable alternative location. To achieve this ACM will ensure student data,  programme information and materials, staff (as appropriate), facilities and resources  (where possible) and forthcoming tuition fee income are made available to the  validating institution. 
  4. If the validating institution is not able to undertake delivery itself, or if ACM is not in a  validation partnership at the time of institutional closure, or it is not possible to continue operating in a transitional manner, ACM or the validating institution will  support students to transfer to appropriate programmes at other suitable providers.
     5. where is it not possible for students to continue studying in a transitional manner with  ACM, its validating institution, or a suitable alternative provider, ACM will seek to  compensate students for tuition fees pertaining to outstanding credits at the point of  institutional closure, if possible, within the boundaries of the administration process 

     3.6 Loss of key staff 

     3.6.1 Where possible ACM will: 

     • Seek to fill gaps as quickly as possible, by moving other current members of staff  with appropriate skills and experience, into the vacant post(s) or recruiting externally,  to avoid disruption; 
     • Where ACM cannot avoid closing a programme, due to loss of key staff, the policy as  outlined in section 3.2 will apply.  
     4. Information about the policy in place to refund tuition fees and other relevant costs  to your students and to provide compensation where necessary in the event that you  are no longer able to preserve continuity. 

     4.1 Information regarding Refunds and Compensation Policy is made available to  prospective students and applicants via ACM’s website (www.acm.ac.uk/policies/) as well as  included within ACM’s internal assets, such as the student-facing virtual learning  environment. The policy is subject to a cyclical period of review, to align with the review and  update of all ACM’s policies and procedures, ensuring consistency and alignment with  current practice. 

     5. Information about how ACM will communicate with students about the student  protection plan 

     5.1 Students will be provided access to the Student Protection Plan via the public website  and the student portal. 

     5.2 Students have representation within the committee structure in which we would normally  expect activity likely to impact on student experience and their programme of study to be  discussed.  

     5.3 Should the protection plan need to be implemented students will be contacted by a  member of the senior management team at the earliest opportunity following a decision that  an applicable change was decided upon or notified to the institution.  

     5.4 ACM will take reasonable steps to avoid implementing change during an academic year  or making changes close to the start of an academic year.  

     5.5 ACM will undertake to update the website and presence on UCAS and other institutional  listing services at the earliest opportunity on notification of a significant change.