Lead assessor case study

Dr Christopher D Lewis

Why did you want to be an assessor?

I’ve always been motivated by improvement – I like making things better. Whether through developing frameworks, strengthening academic quality, or enhancing the student experience, I’m driven by the impact that positive change can bring. I also believe that effective regulation is essential: it ensures accountability, addresses poor performance, and protects fairness for students.

I applied to join the Office for Students (OfS) assessor pool to contribute to the wider higher education system. Having worked across academic leadership, quality assurance and student experience in various higher education settings, I’ve seen how robust, evidence-informed regulation supports improvement and drives confidence in standards.

Becoming a lead assessor has been a rewarding way to apply that experience nationally and give something back to the sector – combining rigour with evidence, and ensuring regulation helps to enable improvement.

What have you learned from conducting an assessment?

The assessor role is central to ensuring that students can trust the quality and integrity of their education. Regulation might not sound glamorous, but without it, the system would quickly lose credibility – with students, employers, and the public alike.

For me, the work embodies a simple but powerful idea: accountability and improvement go hand in hand. Good regulation doesn’t stifle innovation; it gives it room to flourish. By making sure that providers can demonstrate the value they deliver, assessors help to maintain confidence in higher education – and keep the system strong, fair and transparent.

Being an assessor has completely changed how I see the sector. You realise just how diverse higher education is, and I’ve seen how data, narrative and culture intersect to shape what good education looks like in practice.

It’s also made me a better leader. I’ve become more focused on how evidence informs decisions, how we evaluate impact, and how institutional improvement links to national expectations. In short, it’s sharpened my sense of perspective – and reminded me that regulation and enhancement aren’t enemies, they need to work in harmony with each other.

How does an assessment team work together during an assessment?

External assessors play a central role in the OfS’s quality assessment process. In practice, that means reviewing evidence from universities and colleges to understand how they meet the regulatory requirements for quality and standards. There’s a lot of reading, analysing and structured discussion involved – and yes, sometimes, many more Excel sheets and data sets!

But it’s not box-ticking. It’s thoughtful, collaborative work. Each assessment brings together a mix of expertise and perspectives, ensuring that every judgement is fair, balanced, and always grounded in evidence. The process is rigorous, yet deeply rewarding. You see the incredible range and depth of provision across the sector – and discover that reassuringly there is far more good practice out there than not.

Every assessment is different, reflecting the diversity of the higher education sector. Before a panel meeting, assessors review submissions, evidence and contextual information to understand how a provider meets the regulatory requirements. Discussions are structured, focused and analytical, drawing on the different expertise and perspectives within the team.

What consistently stands out is the professionalism and integrity of everyone involved. Each discussion is grounded in evidence and driven by a shared purpose: to ensure that students receive the quality of education they deserve, wherever and whatever they study. It is challenging work (especially the report writing) but deeply rewarding – offering valuable insight into how providers uphold standards and support continuous improvement.

What are your experiences of being a lead assessor?

My role is to keep the process moving smoothly and the team aligned. It’s part facilitation, part coordination, and occasionally part translation when the regulatory language gets technical – though I’ve always found the OfS team to be excellent interpreters if the team I was leading ever got stuck!

Lead assessors help keep discussions focused, ensure every voice is heard, and coordinate closely with OfS colleagues to keep everything on track. Just as importantly, we make sure providers have every opportunity to evidence their approach fairly and fully, and that judgements are based on clear, balanced and evidence-based consideration.

It’s a role that demands both analytical precision and people skills – the gathering of evidence through empathetic engagement. What I enjoy most is seeing how a group of professionals, each with their own perspective, come together to form a shared view that’s robust, well-reasoned and fair. The lead assessor’s job is to keep that process moving and make sure everyone is on the same page.

What piece of advice would you give to someone considering an assessor role?

For colleagues across higher education who care deeply about teaching, learning, and standards, becoming an assessor is an immensely worthwhile experience. It offers professional development, national perspective, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the quality and integrity of our sector. Assessors are well supported and part of a professional, collegial community that values objectivity, evidence, and rigour.

It’s a privilege to play even a small part in that work – helping to strengthen confidence in higher education and ensure that every student, in every setting, can thrive. And remember, this is an opportunity to put your passion for quality, data and good governance to work – and discover that regulation, in practice, can be quite an enjoyable experience!