National Student Forum's 2009 Report

09NationalStudentForumAnnual Report

Contents

Foreword 03

Executive Summary 05

Introduction 10

Chapter 1: Teaching and Learning 12

Chapter 2: Employability 32

Chapter 3: Postgraduate students 46

Chapter 4: Mature and Part-time students 60

Chapter 5: Disabled students 72

Chapter 6: Accommodation 78

Appendix A: NSF Member biogs 88

Appendix B: Update and review of progress 94

02 National Student Forum – Annual Report

Welcome to the second Annual Report of the National Student Forum, which outlines our work during the academic year 2008-09. Since the publication of our first report in October 2008, we have been pleased to see the growing interest in the Forum from ministers and policymakers as well as from universities and colleges. I hope that the work that we’ve undertaken this year will continue to encourage and inspire continuing improvement across the sector.

This year, the impact of the economic climate on graduating students has been a major concern across HE and this was the driver behind our decision to focus on improving employability. It also provided the backdrop to our reflections on the experiences of postgraduate, mature and part-time students and the need for higher education to continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of students and the wider community.

Our job as a Forum is in some ways a simple one. Our membership comprises a diverse range of higher education students who volunteer their time: undergraduates and postgraduates, full-time and part-time; younger and more mature; disabled and non-disabled; home and international students. As such, we don’t profess to be experts in the sector in all its complexity, but we are experts in what it is like to experience higher education and in understanding how different aspects of HE might look from a student perspective if things are working well.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the ministers, sector experts and Vice-Chancellors who met with us over the course of the year and provided invaluable information about what is already happening in the higher education landscape. We’ve outlined recommendations on specific aspects of Government policy that we would like to see addressed. As we further engage with sector organisations, we have become increasingly aware that some of the issues that we have surfaced arise from a gap between the rhetoric of systems and procedures and the reality of many students’ experiences. In these instances, we are particularly keen to work with sector organisations and institutions to hear their views on what else could be done – by Government, by their particular organisation or by other organisations or institutions – to help to close this gap.

This year, we’ve also included ‘snapshots’ and case studies as illustrative examples of what is already working well, along with the ways in which we would hope to see all universities and colleges supporting students in each of our key areas of discussion. We welcome feedback from individual universities and colleges about any specific improvements or approaches that our report encourages you to take.

Finally, many of our members came to the end of their term of appointment in June, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their energy and dedication over the course of this year. It has been inspirational to work alongside so many people committed to improving the experience of their peers. I look forward to taking forward our work next year, with members both old and new and to continuing our collaboration with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and other key sector stakeholders to improve the experience of all students in higher education.

Maeve Sherlock,Chair, National Student Forum


Foreword


For each key topic, the Forum developed:

an ideal vision of what it would be like for students if everything is working well in this area

suggestions as to how individual universities and colleges can support students in this area

The NSF was set up to help define ‘a reasonable student experience’ and to make recommendations to Government to help to achieve this. However, many of our suggestions for improvement fall within the gift of individual universities and colleges, rather than Government policy. Therefore, we outline our recommended practice for universities and colleges in each of our key discussion areas, against which we invite individual institutions to measure their current practice.

We readily acknowledge that many universities and colleges may already be implementing some of these practices, but urge all institutions to consider whether adopting new ways of working and/or reviewing the extent to which guidance is being implemented in practice, could lead to further improvement in this area.

recommendations for Government, and/or for areas which require further consideration and collaboration at a national strategic level

We have drawn upon our expertise in what it is like to study in higher education to develop recommendations that we believe require attention at a national strategic level. Some recommendations may involve a shift in current policy or practice, or new collaborations at a national level. However, others may more appropriately require careful consideration of how effectively or how widely existing programmes of work or specific initiatives are being implemented. As students we are not experts in the workings of the sector, and we both value and respect the sector’s autonomy.

We therefore urge Government and/or national sector organisations, as appropriate, to consider how these recommendations might be taken forward most effectively – either individually or collaboratively. We invite stakeholders to view our work as an invitation to engage in ongoing dialogue to bring about improvement for all students in the future.

The Government will respond publicly to the report’s recommendations.

The National Student Forum was set up by the former Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (now the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) in early 2008 to give a greater voice to students on higher education (HE) courses across England and to ensure that policies are the better for being informed by the student voice. It is required to produce an annual report for ministerial review and comment.

The 2008-09 Forum consisted of an independent Chair appointed by BIS and eighteen members who reflect the diversity of the undergraduate and postgraduate population. Members participated in four full Forum events and three subgroup meetings to develop recommendations and proposals to improve the student experience.

This year, we chose to focus on: teaching and learning (including technology-enhanced learning); employability; the particular needs of postgraduate, mature and part-time and disabled students; and accommodation. A summary of our visions, suggestions for how individual universities and colleges can support us and recommendations for consideration at national policy and strategy level is outlined overleaf.


Executive Summary

Overview of report approach and outcomes

Vision – what does it look like when we’re getting teaching and learning right?As I a student, I acknowledge that I am an active partner in the learning process, but I also expect to find that:

my learning experience is a high priority for the university

my learning is, where possible, personalised to my needs

my courses are flexible yet structured, and transferable

essential resources are easy to access and readily available

assessment and feedback are used to help me learn

I can be an active partner to my university or college in the design and management of my own education

my university/college encourages me to view my education as more than just subject knowledge

Issues and challengesThe Forum raised a series of challenges and issues relating to teaching and learning that are faced by students at some institutions. These included: a lack of clarity and advance information about what learning at university is like; insufficient emphasis on the development of lecturers’ pedagogical skills; too much assessment of learning rather than for learning; insufficient course innovation; confusion around transferability of credit between institutions; lack of sufficient choice in mode of study; and insufficient opportunity to collaborate, engage with and co-design the learning experience.

How can universities and colleges support teaching and learning?We would like to see all universities and colleges:

professionalise teaching and learning within the institution

personalise and differentiate approaches to take account of disabilities, learning difficulties and learning styles

increase flexibility in course structures and modes of study

develop a cross-institutional strategy to enable students to co-design and manage their learning

undertake regular reviews of course content and material to ensure currency and relevance (where appropriate to subject matter)

ensure a university-wide focus on assessment for, not just of, learning

review adequacy and accessibility of study resources for number and range of students

monitor and formally record students’ broader learning

In particular, we identified some of the current barriers to the growth of technology-enhanced learning: unequal digital access; unequal digital literacy for both students and staff; the lack of time and lack of support for tutors to develop the necessary skills and restrictive university policies and practices at some institutions.

We would like to see all universities and colleges: implement a systematic policy to enhance traditional teaching methods with new technologies; leverage technology to provide innovative methods of assessment and feedback; implement a dedicated support programme for students and lecturers to develop skills and confidence in using technology; support whole campus access to ICT resources for all students; and promote the university or college’s technology-enhanced learning approaches and resources to prospective students.

Recommendations

1. Incentivise universities to achieve excellence in teaching and learning, as well as research

2. Encourage greater transferability (of credits) between institutions

3. Increase flexibility and innovation in course structures and modes of delivery

4. Develop a national strategy to increase students’ access to academic texts through electronic means


Teaching and Learning


Employability We acknowledge that, as students, we need to take advantage of the opportunities universities and colleges make available to us, if we are to be in the best possible position to secure employment post-university. However, we also believe that an effective university-wide employability strategy, high profile careers services and high quality work placement programmes are critical factors in improving our employability.

Vision: how will we know if we are getting it right?As I student I am motivated and proactive in improving my employability, but my university also supports me so that I feel:

able to make an informed decision about the next step

confident that I have valuable skills and experience to offer potential employers

optimistic about my career prospects

Priority 1: a clear university or college-wide employability strategyWe would like all universities and colleges to incorporate the following aspects into the development or review of their employability strategies:

explicit recognition and active promotion of the value of work placements, volunteering programmes and part-time jobs

increased resources for, and the promotion of the use of, personal development plans

the provision of optional modules/classes that consider how the skills/knowledge developed during study/placements translate across into the work environment

an employer mentoring scheme in which employers volunteer to mentor students

a curriculum offer that includes the opportunity for students to engage with alumni or employers working in a related field and is co-developed with employers

systematic integration of the university or college careers service into students’ everyday lives

adequate levels of resourcing, awareness-raising and monitoring of careers services

Priority 2: a well-informed, well-resourced, high profile university or college careers serviceWe would like to see: better integration of careers services into different aspects of university life; improved support and training for careers advisors in how to best support particular student groups such as disabled students and international students; and university and college careers services placing more emphasis on promoting success stories of alumni from non-traditional universities and alumni mentoring schemes.

Priority 3: a high quality, well-structured work placement programme We acknowledge that there are three partners to a successful work placement – the student, the placement provider and the university. To improve work placements at an institutional level, we would hope to see all universities and colleges implementing:

a dedicated work placement specialist unit

a structured, phased approach to the delivery of information and guidance about work placements

a formal agreement with placement providers that sets out guidelines for what students need to learn on their placement

training programmes for provider mentors

sufficient communication with students on placements and the provider

a commitment to listen equally to both the student and employer perspective to resolve any matters of dispute over the quality of the placement; and to enable students to change placements if necessary

Recommendations5. Incentivise placement providers to increase

the number of, and improve the quality of, placements on offer

6. Identify ways in which university careers services can be better supported to meet the specific needs of particular student groups (e.g. disabled students, international students and postgraduate students)

A vision for a positive postgraduate experience: where are we trying to get to?If all is working well in the system, a postgraduate student would be able to say:

I received appropriate information, advice and guidace (IAG) prior to embarking on postgraduate study and I am clear about the levels and types of funding available to me

I benefited from a structured, tailoredinduction process

I have reasonable levels of contactwith supervisors

I have access to adequate research facilities

I have access to teaching opportunities, together with training and ongoing support for this

I feel part of a wider research community

I can access effective, ongoing guidance on subsequent career development

Issues and challengesCurrently, common challenges for postgraduate students include: patchy information, advice and guidance; financial issues (e.g. lack of access to student loans or research grants); variable support from supervisors – and training for supervisors; insufficient teaching opportunities;

lack of focus on the development of transferable skills; difficulty in accessing appropriate accommodation and social isolation.

How can universities further support postgraduate study? ensure postgraduate student handbooks are relevant and accessible

encourage personal mapping and development of skills needs

improve teaching opportunities for postgraduate students on research programmes

implement banks of postgraduate ambassadors that feed into wider networks

use teams of supervisors where possible

Recommendations7. Increase opportunities for cross-institutional

networking and ideas exchange for postgraduate students

8. Improve access to independent, impartial advice about the benefits of postgraduate study and the practicalities of study

9. Improve awareness about the full costs of postgraduate study and sources of finance

Liam’s story: a snapshot of the ideal university experience for a mature, part-time studentLiam was able to access a nationally recognised one-stop-shop source of information that contained everything mature and part-time students need to know to make their decision about institution. He was relieved to find out that he was still eligible for the same funding, pro-rata, as full-time students. Liam was given the opportunity before his course began to update his study skills. Liam’s timetable was set significantly far enough in advance that he was able to arrange for childcare and to let his employer know that he would be absent from work regularly at the same time each week for the entire duration of his degree course.

At university Liam found his lecturers relatively easy to access because they held their office hours on the day he attended lectures and used an appropriate communication channel. They recognised university was just one element to his busy life. Liam appreciated that both his employer and university understood when deadlines clashed and so both were reasonably flexible around dates. Liam was reassured to know that if, for any reason, he was unable to immediately complete his studies, his university was sufficiently flexible to enable him to complete it in future, or he would be able to formally transfer credit for the learning he had achieved elsewhere, if necessary.

Issues and challenges:We identified the system-specific issues and challenges for mature and part-time students including limited public funding or subsidies for part-time students, the lack of entitlement to funding to re-train in a different area; the lack of clarity about where to source independent IAG; the lack of sufficiently tailored IAG; insufficiently flexible modes of study and course structures.

How can universities and colleges support mature and part-time students? increase flexibility for modes of study and course structures

tailor IAG specifically to the needs of mature and part-time students

provide and widely promote ‘returning to learning’ courses

ensure that support facilities and services are available for those studying part-time

ensure that timetabling is sympathetic to the needs of mature and part-time students

RecommendationsSee recommendations 2 and 3, plus:10. Review student finance policy to provide

comparative funding for part-time students and the universities that teach them

11. Review Equivalent or Lower Qualifications (ELQ) policy, especially for courses that address specific skills shortages


Postgraduate students

Mature and part-time students

Vision: where are we trying to get to?If my living circumstances as a student are ideal…

I feel like an included, valued and respected member of my community

I feel financially secure

My living space is appropriate to my needs

I feel safe

Issues and suggestions for improvementWe raised the following issues: increasing costs of accommodation in relation to student loans; patchy relationship between students and the wider community; variable quality of accommodation and contractual issues; insensitive allocation within halls of residence, and a lack of accessible accommodation for different student groups. We would like to see Government introduce incentives for private landlords to adapt their properties to better accommodate disabled students and/or other student groups who may have additional accommodation requirements. We would also like private providers of student halls to increase the number of rooms that are available and accessible for disabled students and for students with families.

At an institutional level, we would like to see all university accommodation services: negotiating a range of prices/types of accommodation and more local travel subsidy schemes for students

working with the Students’ Union and local community associations to build relationships and improve perceptions of students within the wider community

working with private landlords to encourage them to be more open to renting to students outside the ‘traditional’ student areas

supporting collaboration between local authority planning services and students

increasing awareness amongst students of the basic standards they should expect when looking for accommodation – and what to do if these aren’t being met

offering contract checking services

offering prospective students the chance to express a preference about types of accommodation; and all residential managers being flexible and accommodating people’s individual request

The Forum did not make formal recommendations for accommodation but invites stakeholders to engage in further dialogue about how the issues might be tackled effectively.

Issues and challengesWe reviewed some of the issues faced by some disabled students. These comprised the need for more tailored information before entry into higher education; insufficient awareness of the specialist financial support available; the existence of misconceptions and stigma that unwittingly perpetuate discrimination; and both academic and non-academic disadvantages.

How can universities and colleges support disabled students?To improve the experience of disabled students, we would like to see all universities and colleges:

improve IAG for prospective disabled students

ensure enrolment and induction procedures are inclusive and tailored to meet the needs of disabled students

raise awareness of disability issues within universities and colleges amongst the wider student community and improve awareness of disability issues amongst academic staff

ensure that institutional feedback mechanisms capture data for disabled students, and use this data to improve future provision

RecommendationsSee recommendations 4 and 6, plus:12. Improve disability awareness training

and awareness-raising within universities and colleges

Disabled students

Accommodation


The National Student Forum provides students with a direct line to Government and other national policy makers. It was set up by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS, now the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, BIS) in early 2008 to give a greater voice to students on higher education (HE) courses across England and to ensure that policies are the better for being informed by the student voice. The Forum consists of an independent Chair, Maeve Sherlock, appointed by BIS, a Vice-Chair (elected by members), and up to 18 other volunteer members who reflect the diversity of the undergraduate and postgraduate population.

Forum members draw on their experience as students to identify the areas that they believe are genuinely important for students, to define a reasonable student expectation in these areas and, where appropriate, to make specific recommendations for improvement.

This report summarises the Forum’s views on the topics selected for detailed consideration this year: teaching and learning, including technology-enhanced learning; employability, including information, advice and guidance services, and work placements; postgraduate study; the continuing issues faced by disabled and mature and part-time students; and student accommodation. It makes suggestions about how the Forum feels the student experience could be improved in these areas.

This report is aimed at policymakers, sector organisations and universities and colleges,* but takes a differentiated approach for each audience, in acknowledgement of the sector’s autonomy. For each topic, it outlines the rationale for focusing on the subject, along with a summary of common issues faced by students. It also sets out:

‘ideal visions’ of how things should be if everything is working well

outlines of how universities and colleges can support students in each area – with illustrative examples of where this is already happening

recommendations for new policy or increased focus, for further consideration by Government and/ or sector organisations as appropriate

BIS Ministers have committed to providing a formal response to the Forum’s recommendations. Where the focus of recommendations falls outside the immediate scope of BIS policy, the Forum invites sector organisations to consider how these relate to existing or potential activity and welcomes suggestions from the sector as to how these might best be achieved. NSF members look forward to engaging with sector organisations over the course of next year to explore how these might be approached in more detail.

Finally, the Forum encourages individual universities and colleges to listen, reflect and consider any action that it might be appropriate to take at an institutional level to improve the student experience in the featured areas. It also actively encourages individual universities to feed back to the Forum on any specific actions, improvements or initiatives that are taken in response to this report.†

*We use the terms ‘universities’ and ‘universities and colleges’ interchangeably to refer all institutions providing higher education

†Contact details for the NSF can be found on its website athttp://www.nationalstudentforum.com


Introduction

What is the National Student Forum?

Report purpose, approach and targets for recommendations

Report outcomes

Role and remitA key strand of the government’s Student Listening Programme was the launch of the National Student Forum (NSF) in early 2008, set up to provide students in higher education with an enhanced voice in the development of the policies that affect them. The NSF provides the Government and partner organisations with direct access to the views of students from a wide range of backgrounds and study environments. Its remit is to:

advise Government on the reasonable expectations of students

provide a student perspective on emerging policy areas, feeding views to policymakers

help evaluate the impact of existing policies on students in different circumstances

initiate discussion on areas of potential policy interest for the NSF or for Government

produce an annual report for Ministers’ attention and comment which includes recommendations for Government

MembershipDuring the academic year 08-09, the NSF had eighteen members, initially appointed for a two-year period, plus a Chair. Members were drawn from nominations put forward by the following stakeholder bodies, working together with BIS to ensure that the Forum is reasonably reflective of the diversity of the higher education student population: National Union of Students (NUS); National Postgraduate Committee (NPC); Mature Students’ Union (MSU); Open University Students’ Association (OUSA); Skill: the Bureau for Students with Disabilities (Skill); British Council (to nominate international students).

Forum Ways of WorkingThe full Forum meets four times over the course of the academic year. In addition, subgroup meetings are held, where discussion of issues facing particular sections of the student population is needed, or to develop initial proposals for further consideration by the Forum as a whole. During the academic year 08-09, three such subgroups were held.

The NSF sets its own agenda. Meetings are regularly attended by Ministers, policymakers and partner organisations, in accordance with the topic selected by the Forum. In addition, the NSF contributed to the BIS consultation on the Future of Higher Education.


National Student Forum: remit, membership and ways of working

01

Teaching and supporting learning

All of our thinking about teaching and learning is underpinned by the fundamental belief that, as students, we are active partners in the learning process and have a critical responsibility in terms of achieving success. However, we believe this success can only be achieved in partnership with excellent teaching at the universities and colleges at which we are studying.

We are aware that in recent years many universities and colleges have placed an increased emphasis on raising the standard of teaching within their institutions. We welcome this focus, and are delighted to share examples of such practice in this report. Each year, the National Student Survey (NSS) reports on various aspects of teaching and supporting learning, ranging from academic support to assessment and feedback. The 2008-09 survey found that 83% of students are satisfied with their teaching on their course. We acknowledge that this is a strong overall satisfaction rate and commend those institutions who are achieving well in this area.

Nevertheless, the student juries (held in early 2008) revealed that students were facing a range of issues relating to teaching and supporting learning and ranked this as a priority area to be addressed in future. This chimes with many of our own experiences in this area. The NSS also shows that satisfaction rates with assessment and feedback remain comparatively low at 65% and that the general satisfaction rate varies considerably from one university to another. We were therefore keen to create a vision of what it would look like if all universities and colleges provided outstanding teaching to support their students to learn to the best of their individual abilities.

We were joined in our discussions by Professor Paul Ramsden (Chief Executive of the Higher Education Academy, HE Academy), who was invited by John Denham (then Secretary of State of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills) to set out key issues for teaching and the student experience over the next ten to fifteen years to feed into the debate on the Future of HE. Professor Ramsden highlighted the increasing requirement for the academic world to recognise that curriculum and teaching methods must continue to evolve to meet the broader needs of the economy and society and to ensure currency beyond the university walls.

As Forum members, we welcome the steps already being undertaken by many individual institutions and the HE Academy to encourage and promote professional development in teaching in higher education. We have learned that these include such initiatives as:

paid teaching fellowships (e.g. Greenwich University and Kings College London, as just two examples)

explicit links between achievement in teaching and learning* and the criteria for promotion from lecturer to senior lecturer (for example, Roehampton University)

Associate, Fellow and Senior Fellow status in recognition of an individual’s commitment to enhancing the student experience (HE Academy)

the HE Academy’s annual high profile fellowship awards scheme for excellent teaching†

However, the student juries, our own experiences, and the NSS results indicated to us that although many institutions are already achieving excellence in teaching and learning, others have further to go, and we cannot afford to be complacent if we are to ensure that all students achieve as well as they might.

Our work, therefore, covered a broad examination of issues relating to teaching and supporting learning, along with a more detailed exploration of the opportunities and challenges relating to technology-enhanced learning in particular.

*Linked to the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching

†HE Academy National Teaching Fellowship Scheme, in which fifty academics receive a £10,000 grant in recognition of individual excellence in teaching

Why focus on teaching and supporting learning?


A Vision for Teaching and Learning: how will we know if we are getting it right?

As a student, if I am to be successful in my learning experience, I acknowledge that I need to: be an active partner in my learning

strive for excellence in all my academic achievements

be pro-active in undertaking any research

view my learning whilst in higher education as broader than just my academic achievements

take seriously the feedback I am given in order to maximise my potential

In recognition of learning as a partnership between me as an individual and my university or college, I expect to find that:


my lecturers enjoy teaching, and value their interactions with students

there is sufficient contact time for my particular course and I am clear about the degree to which my lecturer is available to me for additional support – and how to go about getting this

the university has clearly taken the time to construct a course that is relevant, and varied in its methods of delivery

I can study for a degree in any mode (e.g. full-time, part-time, distance) and be successful

I can access lectures in a variety of formats e.g. podcasts after lectures

my course offers the right balance between structure and flexibility of modules, appropriate to the particular subject I am studying

I can transfer credit between universities and colleges for appropriate degrees

there are different resources and areas of buildings to suit different learners

resources are available to me at a time that is convenient to me

all resources and buildings are accessible to all students, including those with disabilities

influencing course development and content where appropriate

engaging with my assessment and ways of being assessed

working with my peers to collaborate, support and mentor each other

I am encouraged to develop an awareness of my strengths and weaknesses with regard to my research and study skills and how these are applicable to different contexts of my life

I am encouraged to develop ‘soft’ skills in the classroom that translate into broader interpersonal skills for life

I have a clear acknowledgement of my experiences and achievements, including non-academic achievements, e.g. my time spent volunteering is credited towards my degree

assessment methods are varied, relevant to the content taught and include feedback where possible

feedback is used to help me, not judge me

I feel comfortable discussing any learning or support needs I have because tailored support and a personalised approach is mainstream

my learning experience is a high priority for the university

my courses are flexible yet structured, and transferable

essential resources are easy to access and readily available

I can be an active partner to my university or college in the design and

management of my own education

my university/college encourages me to view my education as more than

just subject knowledge

assessment and feedback are used to help me learn

my learning is, where possible, personalised to my needs


It can sometimes feel as if some of my lecturers…don’t really take their teaching commitments seriously. It’s as if it’s not seen as a priority by the university. (NSF member)

The student juries and our own experiences surfaced a variety of issues relating to teaching and supporting learning, ranging from the pedagogical (e.g. insufficiently differentiated teaching methods, poor practice in the lecture room etc) to the logistical (e.g. inflexible modes of study; lecturer/tutor inaccessibility etc).

We outline these issues in more detail below, but it is our perception that some arise because teaching and supporting learning are simply not as high on the agenda for some universities as they might be; others because ways of working are still heavily biased towards meeting the needs of the ‘traditional’ student; others still because of the potential cost implications or because there hasn’t been sufficient emphasis on ensuring that existing requirements and guidelines are being met as effectively as they might be.

We understand that the focus of universities as research institutions has understandably evolved a culture in which funding structures, reputations and career paths are forged largely upon research achievements, rather than teaching achievements. Historically, there has been little financial or reputational incentive for institutions to be viewed as leaders in the field of teaching and learning; consequently making teaching more student-centred and developing pedagogical skills has not necessarily been viewed as priorities.

However, with increasing numbers of students entering higher education, and with the pressing need to ensure that we are all learning not only subject knowledge, but useful transferable skills, we are pleased to see that many universities are now considering how they can operate as centres of excellence for both research and teaching and learning. As a Forum, we would like to see a system that values and promotes both in equal measure and we outline our suggestions for helping to achieve this below.

Lack of clarity and advance information about what learning at university is like

In some cases – especially for those of us coming straight from environments or cultures where study has been more guided – we aren’t always sufficiently aware of the difference between studying at school or college, and studying at university level. This can lead to a mismatch of expectations amongst students from different backgrounds about how we will be expected to learn.

I had no idea that I’d end up having to structure so much of my time myself! And that I’d have to take so much more responsibility for my learning. It’s not that I mind, but it would have been useful to know beforehand so that I didn’t waste so much of my time during the first year.” (NSF member)

We would like to see all higher education institutions working closely with colleges, schools and applicants coming via both traditional and non-traditional routes to make sure that prospective and new students are clear about the level of personal responsibility we need to take for our learning. This is especially important for those of us who face particular difficulties with time management (e.g. students with dyspraxia, or autism), as we need to understand the implications for how we will need to work.

Insufficient emphasis on the development of pedagogical skills

While most of us are happy with our lecturers, we have experienced some lecturers who are not very good teachers – in some cases, this may simply be because there has not been sufficient emphasis on learning how to teach effectively. For example, many of us have experienced the benefits of personalised learning approaches at schools and colleges, during which we became aware that we all learn in different ways. We acknowledge that, in a lecture hall, it is not going to be possible to personalise approaches for every individual student. However, lecturers can maximise the potential for positive learning outcomes by varying their teaching methodology and delivery to take account of a range of learning styles in any given session.

Most of my lecturers have been great, but one or two seem really ill-at-ease in front of a class. (NSF member)

Academic support is rarely geared to individual requirements or factors, such as learning style, disability, gender, age, mode of study, religion or culture. (NSF member)

What are the underlying problems?

What are some of the issues faced by students?


2 Improving course relevance

and currency

The Universities of Sussex and Brighton created the Postgraduate

Certificate in e-Learning Design to develop a recognised qualification

for both practising e-learning designers and those who would like to

work in the industry in future.

It was developed through a successful collaboration between a group

of Brighton-based employers and the universities of Sussex and

Brighton, following a comprehensive training-needs analysis carried out

with members of the Brighton e-Learning Alliance.

Both academics and industry experts were closely involved with the

development of the course content, ensuring that the programme

would meet the needs of local employers. The qualification is now

recognised by leading e-learning companies and acts as an industry

benchmark.

For further information, go to: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/

informatics/1-2-2-5.html


We have learned that most new staff now receive initial training in teaching skills and are expected to demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development.* However, we believe there is still a challenge in encouraging and supporting some mid-career staff who, perhaps, weren’t required to undertake training in this area. We would also like to see individual universities and colleges strengthening their existing commitments to improving teaching and learning as a core element of their professional development programmes.1

Lecturer inaccessibility

We sometimes find that lecturers can be difficult to contact and insufficiently available for personalised support.

It is often incredibly difficult to get hold of my lecturers. Some fail to show up at their own appointed office hours and can be impossible to reach by phone or email. (NSF member)

We are aware that lecturer availability will vary, but each department should work with current students to establish appropriate levels of contact time with academic staff, as appropriate to the nature of the course.

Clear communication of lecturer availability for course X at institution Y to prospective students would not only ensure that we make an informed decision when choosing a course, but would provide guidance for lecturers and tutors as to the university’s expectations on student responsiveness (e.g. standard expectations of response times and procedures).

Insufficient course innovation

We know that there are standard validation and review processes for courses,† nevertheless in our experience the course content on some courses at some universities and colleges is simply repeated year on year and so risks seeming irrelevant to current students, and out of touch from the employer perspective. Whilst we appreciate that this is more critical for some subjects than others, it is obviously important that resources and content are engaging and are meaningful for the context of study.

If you look at the reader for my module, you will find it was the same four years ago, when my friend took exactly the same course. (NSF member)

In whatever way is most appropriate for the subject area, we would like to see regular course content reviews that are influenced by the latest developments in the field, and universities and colleges building stronger links with relevant professional bodies and employers to ensure course relevance to, and currency with, the wider world.2

In addition to course content, it is also important that teachers are innovative in their teaching delivery. Adopting varied teaching methodology ensures that students with all learning styles are catered for and it enables disabled students to access material more readily. We address this issue further in our section on technology-enhanced learning.

What are some of the issues faced by students? (Cont...)

*As outlined in the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education

†See, for example, section 7 of the QAA’s Code of Practice (programme design, approval, monitoring and review).

1 Embedding a commitment to

teaching and learning in CPD

The University of East London operates a

comprehensive CPD programme, specifically mapped

against the UK Professional Standards Framework for

teaching and supporting learning in HE, with a specific

focus on teaching and learning.

For further information, go to: http://www.uel.

ac.uk/lta/professional/framework.htm



*The HE Credit Framework for England was developed by the QAA, UUK and Guild HE

3 Increasing flexibility

and transferability

The Open University set up the 2plus2 scheme to enable students

who may not necessarily have previous qualifications to gain a

degree in science. Students are expected to study part time from

home for two years with the OU, and then transfer to their chosen

participating full-time university (e.g. Loughborough University) to

complete the final two years of their degree.

The course allows students to structure their study around their

work. During students first two years at the OU, course materials are

either delivered to students’ doors or electronically and they study

the course in their own time. A one week residential course is a

requisite for students. Students can attend tutorial support lessons

or organise self-help study groups. Students gain a BSc (Hons) in

Chemistry or Physics from the full-time partner university.

Insufficient choice in mode of study3

There are also still relatively few institutions that allow the same degree to be completed in a variety of modes (e.g. full-time, part-time day, part-time evening, modular), according to the need of prospective students. This is increasingly important for a growing number of prospective students, including mature and part-time students, who may have competing demands upon their time and so be unable to complete a degree course run according to a traditional full-time schedule.

I was unable to enrol on the course I wanted to take because I was not able to study full time. I had two children still at school and I worked part time, so studying full time would have been impossible. (NSF member)

Confusion around transferability of credit between institutions

Particularly amongst the increasing numbers of mature and part-time students, there is an increasing requirement for courses that offer flexibility and transferability – and we outline our recommendations for these particular student groups in more detail in Chapter 4. There still appears to be much confusion (amongst students, if not the universities and colleges themselves) about whether and how credit for individual qualifications is recognised and transferable.

We have learned that although there is now a system* that describes the typical number and value of credits required to gain an HE qualification, not every university has to use the credit system. In addition, many students are not sufficiently aware of this system and further work needs to be undertaken within and across universities and colleges to develop a common understanding and recognition of credit accumulation, and to explain to students how and whether they are able to carry credit across to different courses or institutions.

Balancing choice with coherence

We are in favour of students being able to ‘shape’ their learning by choosing from a range of modules (as appropriate to the subject matter); however, we are aware that this desire for flexibility needs to be balanced with ensuring that the overall course is coherent. Ideally, this would result in a balance where students feel that they have some choice in what they study, while at the same time their courses are structured and build cumulatively.

Too much assessment of learning rather than for learning

In our experience, assessment and feedback is not always implemented as well as it might be: we are not always given feedback on our assessments; feedback, where it is given, does not always enable us to progress because of how it is delivered; and assessment methods are not always relevant to the content taught. Our experience is echoed in the 2009 NSS results, in which only 65% of respondents expressed satisfaction in this area.

We are aware that universities and colleges need to assess our learning summatively, but we feel that many universities do not leverage the potential for using assessments as a tool for learning. Probably the best evidence for this is that at most universities, markers do not provide feedback on examinations so, when this assessment method is used, we are often unable to learn from our mistakes.

Different students will benefit from different methods of feeding back – for example, it can be particularly helpful for some students (e.g. students with anxiety or mental health issues) to receive audio rather than written feedback.

Assessment methods need to be reviewed. Some departments use the same examinations year on year – meaning there are no sample scripts for us to practice on. If we are not told what we did wrong in the examination, how are we meant to improve? (NSF member)

5 Enabling students to co-design their learning experience The University of Salford’s Learning, Teaching and Enhancement Strategy,

2009-15, was written with academic, support services and student audiences in

mind to encourage a partnership approach between the University and its learners in

designing and managing the learning experience. Elements of student collaboration

include:

• A strong relationship with the Students’ Union (SU) e.g. the Union Executive

were invited to input into new institutional learning and teaching related

strategies and policies and a major review of the University’s academic quality

assurance handbook is underway, guided by a group of stakeholders from across

the institution, including students represented by the SU• Internal programme review procedures were amended in 2008/09 to include

reflection on the results of the National Student Survey to more closely align

the student voice with curriculum design and quality assurance processes.

Increasingly, Schools are holding informal discussions with current students to

‘unpick’ the NSS scores of the previous cohort to better understand areas for

improvement and strengths to build upon• A research project into the student experience is in the design phase and,

although it will be led and conducted by the Students’ Union, the PVC

(Academic) will provide support and guidance. The results are to be shared with

the University and actions arising from the research will be jointly agreed

• Faculty specific programmes, e.g. one faculty is focussing on strengthening

its PDP scheme while others are expanding mentoring systems and student

representation on learning and teaching committees

We wholeheartedly support the findings of the recent NUS Feedback Amnesty on the importance of providing feedback that offers clear guidance on how to progress.4

Furthermore, on occasion, some of us have found that assessment methods do not always feel relevant to the content being taught. This can mean that we underachieve, because whilst we might have excellent knowledge of the subject, our skills for the assessment method might be weaker. We would like universities and colleges to work with current students to implement a robust review of their current assessment methods (e.g. oral, practical) to examine whether they are fully appropriate, and to explore alternatives that are feasible, and perhaps even preferable, for the particular subject matter.

Insufficient opportunity to collaborate, engage with and co-design the learning experience5

Over the past ten years there has been a growing trend amongst universities and colleges to seek students’ views about their university and their education. We are often asked to fill out course evaluation forms and to comment on our tutors’ skills, and we support this move towards valuing the student voice in improving the teaching and learning experience. However, we still feel that it would be beneficial if universities and colleges offered more opportunities to leverage our potential as active partners in the development and management of our own education where appropriate.

We readily acknowledge that we are in higher education to learn from those who know more about our subject than we do, and that this necessarily affects the role that students are best placed to play in this process. We are aware that this shift would also require a shift in some students’ perspectives, to viewing ourselves as much more than passive recipients of knowledge. Nevertheless, in our experience, the opportunity for students to co-design and collaborate in their own learning can be motivating and powerful, and probably provides us with one of the most useful and transferable skills to take out to the wider world. We hope to return to the specifics of how students might be best placed to collaborate in their own learning in future.

“It is now time to move beyond simply collecting and responding to students’ views. We should embed the student perspective in all aspects of teaching, quality enhancement and quality assurance.” (Paul Ramsden, ‘The Future of Higher Education: Teaching and the Student Experience’, 2008)

“Students shouldn’t just be passive. Most of us are motivated by the opportunity to be active partners in our learning.” (NSF member)

We would, therefore, like to see universities and colleges developing and implementing a cross-institutional strategy for collaborative and co-designed learning.



4Improving feedback

The Great NUS Feedback Amnesty 2008 identified that

feedback should be:

• used for learning, not of learning

• timely (provided in time to inform our next assessment attempt)

• a continuous process

• related to clear criteria that have been laid out in advance

• constructive

• legible and clear

• provided on examinations

• be flexible and suited to student needs

• inclusive of self assessment and peer-to-peer feedback

• accessible to all students

For further information go to: http://resource.nusonline.

co.uk/media/resource/2008-Feedback_Amnesty_

Briefing_Paper1.pdf



Inadequate study resources

Although we recognise that many universities and colleges have made major capital investments in order to improve their resources, some of us still find it difficult to access the resources we require. In particular we have found that:

the physical environment of many libraries is still not sufficiently accessible for students with some physical disabilities (e.g. working elevators, Braille copies)

libraries/resource centres are not open sufficiently long hours, especially for those of us who work full time/shifts and can only access the library at night or during university holidays such as mature students or postgraduate students

there can be insufficient recognition of different studying styles and student requirements in the provision of resources (e.g. a balance between sufficient quiet spaces and less formal, ‘mobiles-allowed’ spaces)

journal access can be limited at some universities, negatively impacting upon postgraduate students in particular

access to e-books is still relatively limited despite their wide-ranging benefits, particularly for disabled students, distance learners etc

We recognise that there are financial considerations in relation to all of these areas, but we urge universities to review whether their current practice or level of resourcing in these areas is enabling them sufficiently to meet the needs (and, in some instances, entitlements) of their students and, if not, to factor this into priority development planning.

A narrow view of learning

While many of our universities are improving pedagogically and have intensified their focus on improving students’ research and study skills, reading and writing abilities, and critical thinking, we feel that it would be useful if all universities demonstrated a more explicit focus on helping us to recognise and develop the non-academic skills that will be important to us in the wider world.

Communication skills are important for life beyond the protective walls of universities. We need to know what we are good at so that we can make more informed choices about careers. (NSF member)

We were delighted to hear that some universities and colleges are piloting the Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) because this has the potential to reflect a more holistic view of our learning and experience during our time in higher education (e.g. acknowledge any time spent volunteering and key transferable skills we have developed). We strongly support the future rollout of this initiative across the sector, which we believe is scheduled for 2010-2011.


Professionalise teaching and learning within the institution Strongly encourage all teaching staff to undertake formal training that is aligned with the UK Professional Standards Framework e.g. the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and the MA Education

Ensure internal continuing professional development programmes for staff are mapped against the UK Professional Standards Framework

Formally link promotion criteria for lecturers to achievement against the UK Professional Standards Framework

Personalise and differentiate approaches to take account of disabilities, learning difficulties and learning styles Ensure all staff are implementing existing guidance* to ensure inclusive approaches for students with learning difficulties and disabilities

Provide and promote existing tools and training† that enables lecturers to tailor their learning for different students’ needs

Implement a personalisation policy outlining expectations that teaching staff will adapt methodologies to take account of different learning styles and abilities (including students with learning disabilities)

Increase flexibility in course structures Increase transparency and raise awareness about the process for transferring credit between universities and colleges – and provide students with help in navigating this process

Allow students to build to a full degree by taking modules over time

Extend time limits for completion of professional training courses (where the nature of the course permits this, without compromising subject knowledge currency)

Provide support on module choice through module guides, both from academic staff, alumni and current peers (at later stage of study) to ensure overall balance and coherence6

*E.g. as outlined in the HE Academy/ECU Disability Legislation: Practical Guidance for Academics (2006)

†For example, JISC TechDis’ ‘Teaching Inclusively’ staff development modules www.techdis.ac.uk/getTeachingInclusively); the Higher Education Academy’s Inclusive Practice Bulletins http://www.psychology.heacademy.ac.uk/networks/sig/index.asp), and the OU’s Inclusive Teaching resource www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching

6Supporting module choice

Anglia Ruskin University commonly uses the results of

former students’ module evaluation forms in module guides

to help future students to decide which module to take. The

university’s ‘Guidance on the contents of module guides’

states, “It is considered good practice to include details of the

comments received from students on the previous delivery of

the module via the module evaluation form. For example, the

Faculty of Science and Technology require module guides'

to include a summary of the results of the previous module

evaluation questionnaire along with a description of action

taken in response to comments where the response to any

question was ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’.”

http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/academic/public/

module_guide_guidelines.pdf

How can universities and teaching and learning?

The NSF was set up to help to define ‘a reasonable student experience’ and to make recommendations to Government to help to achieve this. However, many of our suggestions for improvement fall within the gift of individual universities and colleges, rather than government policy. Therefore, we have outlined recommended practice for universities and colleges in each of our key discussion areas, against which we invite individual institutions to measure their current practice.


To improve teaching and learning at an institutional level, we would like to see all universities and colleges:

Increase range of modes of study Enable any given degree to be completed in a variety of modes e.g. full time, part-time day, part-time evening, modular, etc

Develop a cross-institutional strategy to enable students to co-design and manage their learning Inspire student engagement in learning and broader decision-making

Consider how the student perspective can be further embedded into quality enhancement and assurance processes (compare with recent QAA initiatives)

Raise students’ awareness of their individual learning styles and the implications for their modes of study/chosen subject etc

Strengthen the involvement of current and former students in course content review

Maximise the use of individual learning plans as an opportunity to set learning targets between teachers and students

Undertake regular reviews of course content and material to ensure currency and relevance (where appropriate to subject matter) Involve industry or non-institutional subject specialists in the review – and alumni now working in the field

Ensure a university-wide focus on assessment for, not just of, learning Clarify students’ expectations of feedback when they start university

Offer a broad range of feedback methods (e.g. written, by phone, virtual learning environments, podcasts) to suit, for example, students with visual impairments, students with mental health issues, anxiety, autistic spectrum conditions and students with non-traditional studying patterns

Consider a broader range of assessment methods as appropriate to the subject matter (e.g. oral, practical, portfolio creation etc)

Implement the feedback strategies outlined in the Great NUS Feedback Amnesty Report

Monitor the quality and consistency of the implementation of these strategies across the university

Review adequacy and accessibility of study resources for number and range of students Provide prospective students with brief overview of availability of standard resources (e.g. access to online archiving systems such as JSTOR, the US-based online system for archiving back issues of well-known academic journals)

Stage and widely promote ‘Using Study Resources’ session(s) for all students on arrival at university

Consider the potential for collaboration with other universities to maximise resources at minimum cost

Review current levels of accessibility of libraries and other study resources for a wide range of students, including:

– part-time students (who in particular may need 24 hour access)

– disabled students (access to Braille or other differentiated resources)

– students with different learning styles (different areas of libraries for different types of learning e.g. individual, group, semi-formal etc)

Monitor and formally record students’ broader learning Identify the transferable skills (hard and soft) that each course can help to develop in programme specifications, in addition to subject knowledge – and detail these in the course outline that is shared with prospective students

Provide a similar outline for each module, to enable current students to make an informed choice

Implement review sessions at the end of a course to acknowledge the transferable skills gained

Identify opportunities to recognise and capture the development of such transferable skills and also non-academic achievements etc in a broader achievement record7

7 Recognising and capturing

broader learning

The University of Huddersfield supports students to develop a

personal Record of Achievement. They suggest a record of

achievement can:

• raise awareness about the process of learning, and the development

of personal transferable skills, general academic skills, and subject

specific skills

• help you to reflect upon your learning, and evaluate the developmental

changes that are taking place for you

• provide a structure for you to work independently to identify skills

and achievements gained

• assist in forward planning, in study, in personal development, and in

career terms

The university suggests an 8-part structure with the following titles:

Personal Statement; Courses, Qualifications and Credits; Academic

Work; Employment History; Specific Projects; Unpaid Activities and

Community Involvement; Outcomes.


colleges support

“The more technology advances in our day-to-day lives, the more we naturally expect this to be reflected in the way we learn.” (NSF member)

As with the discussion above on improving teaching and learning in general, our discussions on technology-enhanced learning are based on the assumption that students are active partners in the learning process. Clearly, both individuals and institutions have a role to play in ensuring that the possibilities of technology-enhanced learning are leveraged as fully as possible.

As forum members studying a wide range of subjects in a wide range of study environments, we all agreed that the use of technology-enhanced learning is on the increase. This was, therefore, an aspect of teaching and learning that we were particularly keen to explore in more detail. As technology continues to develop in all spheres of life, this not only increases its potential for use within the lecture room and beyond – but also our expectation that this will happen. The increasing numbers of us who are studying at unconventional hours and/or from home or work need the flexibility offered by technology-enhanced learning methods because we are unable to study on campus in the ‘traditional’ way.

During our discussions, it emerged that many of us are increasingly interested in how ‘technologically rich’ a university or department is when considering which university to apply for. Currently, most universities do not tend to advertise this information to prospective students – but we now recognise the clear advantages to technology-enhanced learning and expect that, in future, students will want to know what they will have at their disposal.

Our discussions were informed by representatives from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and inspired by examples of innovative practice shared by Russell Stannard, lecturer at Westminster University and winner of the JISC award for Outstanding ICT Lecturer of the Year 2008.

What is technology-enhanced learning?

Technology-enhanced learning, as the name implies, includes teaching, learning, assessment and feedback methods that are enhanced by technology – whether this be distance learning, flexible learning or blended learning (where technology is used in conjunction with face-to-face teaching).

Technology-enhanced learning: the benefits

The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) defines the potential benefits of technology-enhanced learning as:

flexibility in learning

increased accessibility

personalised support

rapid feedback

social participation

opportunities for more collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches

enhancement of the quality of teaching and learning

improved access to learning for students off campus and for part-time students.

Teaching and Learning focus: technology-enhanced learning


Technology -enhanced learning: the pitfalls

We identified some of the current barriers to the growth of technology-enhanced learning:

unequal digital access8

Access to IT resources can vary enormously between universities. This includes, but is not limited to, unequal access to:

laptops and desktop computers

high speed internet

large inboxes

software

online journals (due to a university’s subscriptions policy – this is particularly significant to postgraduate and research students)

assistive technologies

In addition, the financial constraints and circumstances of individual students can sometimes mean that access to technological resources is not as readily available as necessary. The NUS has successfully negotiated discounts for all students to purchase certain software and technological apparatus but, particularly for some courses where there is a heavy reliance on technology, some students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds still struggle to gain the access they need.

unequal digital literacy

We are aware of ‘skills gaps’ – for example where certain groups of students (e.g. mature students who may be returning to study after a long time, or students from poorer backgrounds, who may not have had the same access to technologies as other students) do not have the same levels of familiarity with technology. Mature students can be bewildered by the growth of a new ‘technological language’ that has developed in their absence from study and can feel intimidated and lack confidence when faced with the double challenge of renewing their skills and having to learn a new language.

I don’t know how to write a wiki or use twitter – I don’t even really know what these things are! (NSF Member)

For all of us it is becoming more and more standard that some element of our learning takes place online, so we all need to learn how to learn online or in a technological environment.

I’m trying to re-skill and I don’t want the technology to get in the way of my learning(NSF Member)

8Promoting equal access to ICT

The Open University aims to ensure that all students, and particularly

those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have access to Information

and Communication Technology (ICT) hardware and the opportunity

for appropriate skills development before they commence their study. It

provides a cohesive package of support to students as they begin their

studies, including:

• early provision of financial support to enable students to purchase

computers as near as possible to the course start date

• 10 pilot projects with local libraries and UK online centres to provide

community based access to ICT hardware

• a booklet providing basic advice about how ICT is used in the OU, how to

purchase hardware and how to access training

• an accredited ICT skills module to bridge the gap between the

University’s introductory level “Openings” courses (which are not ICT

dependent) and other areas of the Level 1 curriculum

From May, H. and Bridger, K. (2008) Developing and Embedding Inclusive

Policy and Practice within Higher Education: Summary York: Higher

Education Academy



Technology -enhanced learning: the pitfalls(Cont...)

Critically, in addition to the ability to access information online or via technology, is the issue of how effectively students are able to filter or analyse information that is so freelyavailable online.*

the lack of time and lack of support for tutors to develop the necessary skills

No less crucial than the skills gap of students is the potential skills gap of lecturers – many of whom might not be comfortable with the use of technology, and for whom the necessary training and support is not always provided by universities

restrictive university policies and practices

Investment in ICT is not always seen as a priority, and where investment is made, issues around institutional culture and practice still need to be considered further. For example, in some institutions there is:

– a continuing policy to refuse online submission of assignments even though online receipt systems are available and increasingly credible

– inadequate storage for students’ needs in university email inboxes

– an underdeveloped infrastructure for online course registration

– a lack of readily available technical support (particularly acute for students living off campus or undertaking field research in remote areas)

It is boring and uncomfortable to spend hours in front of a computer screen reading large amounts of text! We love ICT – but it’s not a replacement for the traditional. (NSF Member)

Whilst many of us keen to embrace the flexibility and innovation that technology-enhanced learning brings, those of us who are still studying in the ‘traditional’ way (i.e. in the classroom) are not advocating technology-enhanced learning as a replacement for effective traditional teaching methods, with all the benefits of personal interaction, but as an enhancement to them.

We are keen that new learning technologies are not used as an excuse to reduce contact time between students and lecturers or to replace traditional teaching methods – except where specifically implemented to support distance/ out-of-hours students.

For a few of us, this has already begun to happen, as lecturers choose the ‘easy’ option e.g. email contact with students over face to face conversations or phone calls. Whilst we acknowledge that email can be a very efficient means of contact (particularly for those of us with different working patterns), it is important that this does not become the default means of communicating for those of us who would prefer a more personalised approach.

We also believe that increased technology-enhanced learning should not mean the use of technology for technology’s sake. We want to see more emphasis on blended learning, where technology is used to produce an inspiring learning experience, not as a replacement for intellectual challenge and good pedagogy. For example, an over-reliance on PowerPoint during sessions is not an inspired approach to teaching, but can nevertheless be a useful summary tool.

Nobody should worry about putting up teaching resources online after a class, it’s just that we shouldn’t only be reading from PowerPoint during class – it’s important for revision that we have access to this information. (NSF Member)

We would like universities and lecturers to review their teaching methods and use of available systems to assess whether they are sufficiently taking advantage of new technologies to ensure that the approach is as accessible, engaging and as relevant as possible to the future world in which we are going to be working

*As identified in the CIBER report on the Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future, commissioned by JISC and the British Library in 2008.



Having explored both the potential for and some of the challenges relating to technology-enhanced learning we would like to see all universities and colleges:

10 Employing innovative use of

screen capture software to

improve teaching and learning

Russell Stannard (Westminster University, winner of 2008 JISC

award for Outstanding ICT lecturer of the year) uses screen

capture software in innovative ways to enhance

students’ learning.

• Screen capture software is used to enable the lecturer to

make short videos demonstrating how to perform certain

tasks on the computer. This is especially useful for learning

how to use innovative Web 2.0 tools and software

• Videos can be uploaded onto a website for students to view

after lectures, acting as effective revision material.

www.multimediatrainingvideos.com

• The same technology can be used to give “live” feedback

videos to students. This approach makes feedback both visual

and oral and can be very engaging for students.

http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/luFeedback/

index.html

10

9 Leveraging technology-enhanced learning

for assessment

JISC has developed a wide range of technologies to support e-assessment

in diverse forms. For example, technologies can be used to support peer and

group assessment, onscreen marking and feedback-giving, evidence-based

learning, planning and reflection. For further details, see the WebPA project:

(http://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/stories/2008/02/webpa.aspx). They have also

established the HEAT scheme where teaching staff can bid for small items

of technology with which to develop a new approach to their teaching and

assessment. See www.techdis.ac.uk/getheatscheme

How can universities and technology-enhanced lea

1: Adopt and implement a systematic policy to enhance traditional teaching methods with new technologies avoid over-reliance on PowerPoint presentations as a replacement for interactive teaching and lecturing. However, do ensure that they are available to students online after lectures for revision purposes

use ‘blended’ formats for distance learning – don’t just re-create a book on a screen

encourage the increased use of podcasts as a learning or revision mechanism

2: Leverage technology to provide innovative methods of assessment and feedback leverage technology to assess students in a variety of ways (e.g. allow students to respond to questions orally using audio-recording software in supervised rooms)9

use screen capture software to provide visual and audio feedback on assessment10 which would particularly benefit some disabled students

use technology to track group work assessment so the assessor can see what individual students have contributed


colleges best support rning?

29 National Student Forum – Annual Report299 NNNaattiioonnnall SSStuuddeenntt FFoorruumm AAAnnnua

11Running a free laptop surgery

The London School of Economics runs a Laptop Surgery to offer

advice and hands-on assistance to students and staff with problems

connecting to LSE resources from personally-owned laptops and

mobile devices.

The surgery offers help with:

• Connection of personally-owned laptops to LSE’s IT environment

• Virus and ‘malware’ protection, disinfection or removal

• Academic data retrieval

• Advice on operating system problems and diagnosing hardware

problems

• General advice on laptop and mobile devices issues

For further information, contact http://www.lse.ac.uk/itservices/

remote/laptopsurgery/

3: Implement a dedicated support programme for students and lecturers to develop skills and confidence in using technology provide induction courses to teach students how to use technology-based resources

encourage student-led laptop trouble-shooting and training sessions, set up in collaboration between student unions and university ICT support departments11

ensure lecturers are adequately trained and feel confident in using technology-enhanced learning technologies12 through a CPD framework that encourages and rewards staff for up-skilling in this area

4: Support whole campus access to ICT resources for all students provide free broadband access for all students13

develop a resource pool for students to borrow technological items that are fundamental to the course (e.g. laptops, cameras)

ensure all students have access to computer facilities on campus and/or to laptop loan facilities

ensure all students, including disabled students, can access university websites and course material by following accessibility guidelines and by providing free access to accessibility software such as JAWS

5: Promote the university or college’s technology-enhanced learning approaches and resources to prospective studentsProvide prospective students with such information as: the degree to which innovative approaches to technology-enhanced learning are used within various departments

university technology partners – and how open these partnerships work

the degree to which particular technology applications are in use e.g. Microsoft, Blackboard etc

access to online resources, includingjournal subscriptions

ll RRR t

13 Supporting whole-campus

accessibility to ITThe University of Northumbria IT and technology-enhanced

learning policy promotes accessibility to all students by:

• providing the entire campus with access to

wireless broadband• enabling all students to access the learning portal using

Citrix (remote access software for delivering applications

over a network and the Internet)

• running an online forum to support learning on the

learning portalFor further information, go to http://www.northumbria.

ac.uk/sd/central/library/nora/; http://www.jiscinfonet.

ac.uk/infokits/learning-space-design/more/

case-studies/northumbria

for up-skilling in this area

12 Supporting staff in

the development of

technology-enhanced

teaching skills

JISC TechDis, JISC Digital Media and Netskills

all provide free training resources for staff. For

example, JISC TechDis regularly deliver training

sessions to give staff the skills to begin using

techniques such as podcasting and audio feedback,

screen capture software, use

of video and creation of self-paced learning objects.

As JISC-funded services these

are freely available to all universities.



NSF recommendations for Teaching and Learning

We have drawn upon our expertise in what it is like to study in higher education to develop recommendations that we believe require attention at a national strategic level. Some recommendations may involve a shift in current policy or practice, or new collaborations at a national level. However, others may more appropriately require careful consideration of how effectively or how widely existing programmes of work or specific initiatives are being implemented.

We have indicated what it would mean for students in our day to day lives if these recommendations were successfully implemented, along with some potential

indicators of success. As students we are not experts in the workings of the sector, and we both value and respect the sector’s autonomy. We therefore urge Government and/or national sector organisations as appropriate to consider how these recommendations might be taken forward most effectively – either individually or collaboratively. We invite stakeholders to view our work as an invitation to engage in an ongoing dialogue to bring about improvement for all students in future.

What would this mean for students? How might we measure success?

1. Incentivise universities to achieve excellence in teaching and learning, as well as research

See vision for Teaching and Learning on pages 14-15

More lecturers are achieving a formal teaching qualification

All universities and colleges have increased emphasis on teaching within their CPD requirements, and offer progression routes that are clearly linked to achievement in teaching and learning

There are fewer variations between institutions in the NSS survey for satisfaction in teaching

NSS results for satisfaction with assessment and feedback have risen significantly

2. Encourage greater transferability (of credits) between institutions

I am aware that I can transfer from one university or college to another easily

There are high levels of awareness amongst students that transferring between courses and between institutions is both possible and relatively simple

More universities and colleges accept applicable credit transfer from another university

3. Increase flexibility and innovation in course structures and modes of delivery

I am able to complete my degree in a variety of modes to suit my needs, e.g. full-time, part-time, modular or distance

In most cases I am able take a break from my studies and return to it at a later stage, even if that is much later

Most universities offer choice of mode of study on most courses

Time limits for completing degrees are only imposed where absolutely necessary (e.g. where course currency is critical e.g. medicine, law etc)

4. Develop a national strategy to increase students’ access to academic texts through electronic means

It is easy for me to access the academic texts I need, regardless of what type of student I am, or where I am studying from

E-books are in widespread use, particularly by distance learners and disabled students

Disabled students routinely have access to software that ensures academic texts are accessible

In the longer term, all texts are simultaneously published electronically at the time of initial hard copy publication

02

Improving our employability

The whole process should be viewed as a partnership with shared responsibility for success. (NSF member)

Although many of us choose to go to university simply to study a subject we enjoy and to reap the wider benefits of a positive university experience, we are increasingly aware of the role that higher education plays in improving our employability. Our report last year touched briefly on this topic, providing suggestions for further development in this area for both Government and universities and colleges. However, in recognition of the current economic situation in which we are emerging into a depressed, and therefore more competitive, job market, we were particularly keen to explore what more could be done to improve students’ work-related skills and knowledge, so that we are in the best possible position when seeking employment.

In our discussions, we were joined by:

the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service (AGCAS), the professional association for higher education careers practitioners who lead, support and provide resources to facilitate the delivery of careers services for HE and related sectors

the National Council for Work Experience (NCWE), which works to support the development of quality and standards across all forms of work experience and to encourage more employers to provide work placements

The NSF, AGCAS and NCWE are all in agreement that students have a responsibility to be proactive in developing employability skills and seeking advice and opportunities. Ultimately, we recognise that as students we are responsible for ensuring we are employable and that we need to start thinking about what comes after university or college sooner rather than later, if we are to develop the right skills and make the most of the opportunities on offer during our time in higher education. For example, we should consider participating in a range of extra curricular activities and/or working part-time while we study or over the summer. We also need to be realistic about the opportunities that are likely to be available to us in any particular career, given our individual level of ability and current experience.

However, as forum members, we feel that there is still more that some universities and colleges could do to ensure all students can access adequate support for their endeavours. We believe that:

a clear university or college-wideemployability strategy

an impartial, well-informed, well-resourced, high profile careers service

high quality, well-structured workplacement programmes

are critical factors in increasing our employability, and in this section we share our suggestions for the ways in which universities and colleges can address these three priority areas, along with specific recommendations for consideration at a national level to incentivise and monitor progress on this front.


Why focus on employability?

NSF vision for improving employability: how will we know if we are getting it right?

If students are motivated, proactively engaged and supported by an effective

strategy to improve employability, how should it feel from the student’s perspective?


I am proud of what I have achieved

I have a good understanding of my personal skills and strengths – and how I can address any weaknesses I may have over time

my expectations about what I can achieve are informed by knowledge of the graduate labour market

my university has strong links to local and national employers that it can leverage to help provide me with opportunities to learn and grow

My university or college encouraged me to consider whether entering into employment or continuing with further study is the best option for me at the moment

I know where to go for up to date information about graduate jobs and training opportunities

My university careers service provided me with impartial, well-informed advice and guidance about the range of potential sectors where I could consider seeking employment – or about the particular sector and/or occupation(s) I am interested in

I have developed a realistic expectation about the current and future employment market for these sectors/occupations

I have been able to speak with someone with first-hand experience in this sector/occupation, signposted and supported by my university or college

I am aware of the financial implications of entering the world of work at the moment (e.g. repayment of student loans) or continuing with further study (e.g. taking on additional financial responsibilities)

My university or college has provided me with opportunities to work, undertake work placements and volunteer during my studies and understand the transferable skills and experience I have developed during my time in higher education

My university or college encouraged me to consider how I can improve my employability by choosing particular modules, where applicable

My university or college encouraged me to capture these skills and experiences in a Personal Development Plan (PDP) or a Record of Achievement as I progressed

My university or college offered seminars or courses that helped me to understand how to translate these skills to market myself successfully to potential employers

I feel optimistic about my career prospects

I am able to make an informed decision about the next step

I feel confident that I have valuable skills and experience to offer

potential employers

What should universities and colleges include in an employability strategy? explicit recognition and active promotion of the value of:

– work placements (whether short or long term/voluntary or compulsory)

– volunteering programmes (and recognition of this experience as part of a student’s ‘record of achievement’)

– part-time jobs (either while studying and/or during the holidays)

increased resources for, and the promotion of the use of, personal development plans to explicitly outline and monitor the transferable skills developed through both academic and non-academic experiences

We would like to see every higher education institution not only implementing a clear employability strategy, but co-developing it with students, and promoting its existence to all staff and students from the time they sign up for their courses. Clearly, some subjects (especially vocational courses) have a more explicit focus on employment and career-specific skills and knowledge than others – and we are not suggesting, for example, that every English literature module have clear employment-related objectives.

However, we do think that a whole-institution approach to the development of transferable skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving and the use of complex data, will ultimately benefit all students.14

Of course, we acknowledge that many universities are already undertaking work in this area. However, the level of emphasis given to developing employability varies significantly from one institution to the next, and we would like to see all universities and colleges commit to an internal review of current initiatives and develop a strategy to cohere these and to foster employability across the institution.



We would like all universities and colleges to incorporate the following aspects into the development or review of their employability strategies:

Priority 1: a clear university employability strategy

14Developing transferable graduate skills

Liverpool John Moores University’s employability strategy centres around the

World of Work (WoW®) process, which expects every student to develop and

reflect on the eight transferable graduate skills the university has identified

alongside their subject skills and, to a greater or lesser extent, undertake

some kind of work-related learning. The eight essential graduate skills are:

analysing and problem-solving, team-working and interpersonal skills, verbal

communication, written communication, personal planning and organising,

initiative, numerical reasoning, and information literacy and IT skills.

Key Points:

• Employer-verified World of Work (WoW®) programme available to every

student, enabling them to build up a portfolio detailing how they have acquired

eight key graduate skills and a certificate of higher level WoW Skills

• Review of every curriculum to build in employability and

work-related learning

• Ready-for-work job application skills and employability advice

• Strong relationships with local, regional and national employers and a

brokerage hub

For more information see www.ljmu.ac.uk/WoW


the provision of optional modules/classes that consider how the skills/knowledge developed during study/placements translate across into the work environment (e.g. a course in ‘How to Market Yourself to Employers’)

an employer mentoring scheme to enable current students to develop a greater understanding of the business world15

a curriculum offer that:

– covers not only academic subject knowledge, but also includes the opportunity for students to engage with alumni or employers working in a related field

– is co-developed with employers and experts in the field to ensure contemporary relevance (where subject-appropriate)

systematic integration of the university or college careers service into students’ everyday lives e.g. helping them to find summer or part-time jobs, short or long term work placements, ‘summer camps,’ giving advice on module choices which may impact upon future career paths etc (see Priority 2 for further detail)

adequate levels of resourcing, awareness-raising and monitoring of careers services to ensure that they have the high profile and

reputation they need within the university or college to carry out their important role for all students

– further work with student unions to raise awareness of the nature and breadth of the careers services on offer

– reciprocal agreements with other universities and colleges so that students can access local career information when home over the summer

– rigorous internal monitoring of the implementation of the existing AGCAS code of practice by university and college careers services

– an explicit commitment to support students with a wide range of specific needs e.g. disabled students, international students, mature students, students of varying academic abilities

a sufficiently resourced, high quality work placement programme (see Priority 3 for further detail)

file and

15 Improving understanding

of transferable skills

Anglia Ruskin University has an Employer

Mentoring Scheme, to help to translate “ability

into employability.” Graduate recruiters identified

a lack of business awareness among graduates

as being a significant barrier to progress. To

address this, the university devised the Employer

Mentoring Scheme to give second year students

the opportunity to be supported and mentored

for six months by a graduate or professional

on a one-to-one basis. Each mentor helps the

student to evaluate and enhance their personal

skills and develop a greater understanding of the

real business world. The mentors all receive free

Anglia Ruskin mentoring training and instruction.

or college-wide



16 Integrating careers guidance and

employability into the mainstream

The University of Reading Centre for Career Management Skills (CCMS) is

a research and development centre that works closely with the career advice

service and academic departments to move forward thinking and practice at

Reading and to develop further the University’s pioneering role in HE curriculum-

based careers education, and to share information, learning and resources for the

benefit of the whole sector. The CCMS:

• Develops innovative online resources (e.g. Beyond the PhD, an online resource for

PhD Researchers) to support students’ career management learning, including a

major new learning and teaching site – Destinations® – which is used not only at

Reading but also in many other universities

• Funds projects which allow academic and careers staff to develop their ideas for

innovative careers- and employability-related initiatives within and outside

the curriculum

• Researches the development and practices of curriculum-based HE

careers education

• Supports research into graduate employment, including factors affecting graduate

career choices, and the impact of careers education within HE

• Provides real and virtual meeting spaces for all those interested in careers

education, through online communities, working groups, training, and events

For more information see http://www.rdg.ac.uk/ccms/

We recognise that the demands on information, advice and guidance services at universities and colleges are challenging in their breadth and complexity and it is critical that resourcing levels reflect this. Some students will be seeking advice on next steps with no particular career in mind, whereas others will already be studying on courses that have a clear progression route from university. In addition, some students may wish to consider further study – and we outline our recommendations for information, advice and guidance for postgraduates in particular in Chapter 3. However, here we are focusing on the role that IAG services can play in supporting students to improve their employability in particular, and we outline some current challenges and suggested strategies for addressing these below.

Insufficient integration of careers services into the mainstream student experience

All too often the careers service can operate, or be perceived by students to operate, in a silo. Many students only consider engaging with careers services as they prepare to leave. We believe that more could be done to leverage the service’s skills and knowledge base to improve the employability of students through more sustained engagement throughout the entire period of study.

We would like to see all careers services being better integrated into different aspects of university life, e.g. working with academic departments to integrate career planning into the curriculum, working with student unions to energise their approach to student engagement,

and reach out in ways that are appropriate to the various stages of our university life:16

Admittedly in Fresher’s’ Week, we’re not likely to be thinking about the job we’ll be applying for when we graduate – but we’d welcome help in getting a part-time job during term time, or over the Christmas holidays. That way, we’d become aware of the range of services they could offer right from the start. (NSF Member)

The careers service could advise on whether some module choices will affect your potential career path. Then you’d know it’s not just about going to them when you’re about to leave!(NSF Member)

Insufficiently differentiated support for different student groups

Many careers services are excellent and provide outstanding facilities for all student communities. However, in our experience, some students have sometimes felt their careers services could provide better tailored provision.

Some disabled students have found that they were unable to access sufficiently specialist advice and guidance from university careers services. We would like to see all careers advisors being trained in how best to support disabled students, whether in the provision of direct support or, where appropriate, of better signposting to someone who can offer specialist knowledge or advice.

Priority 2: a well-informed, well-resourced, high profile university or college careers service


17 Tailoring support for international students to

gain employment

Brunel University employs a comprehensive approach to supporting international

student employability, addressing both ‘supply’ (e.g. the students’ knowledge of the UK

market and preparedness for it) and ‘demand’ (e.g. knowing the employers most likely to

accept international recruits). Continued support from the Prime Minister’s Initiatives for

International Education 1 and 2 and other bodies which fund innovation and excellence

provide evidence of its pioneering approach. Key initiatives for international students to

date are:

• Appointment of a Careers Consultant to develop specialist services

• A pre-entry DVD outlining the UK graduate job market and recruiter expectations

• A module for the Destinations™ careers package including video case studies to

highlight workplace culture and practice

• A web directory of jobs and work experience in key sectors such as finance, marketing,

IT and engineering

• A Postgraduate Employment Preparation programme combining technology-enhanced

learning, face to face sessions and e-support from employers

• Annual International Careers Fair

• Award-winning ‘Doing business in..’ events introducing companies interested in overseas

expansion to students who can provide local knowledge, languages and other skills

• A unique web-based package for students to improve their interview skills and

communicate with employers worldwide

• Focussed international student web pages including comprehensive country specific

employment information

In the past, some international students have felt that careers advisors have not viewed them as an equal priority, because their immediate employment opportunities in the UK were more limited.17 Careers advisors need to be fully aware of the new immigration laws allowing international students to remain in the UK for two years after graduation, and the impact this may have on their employment options and employability.

Many prospective postgraduate students continue to struggle to access accessible, student-facing information about the differences between various postgraduate courses; and postgraduate researchers report difficulty in ascertaining their long-term career options and prospects. We would like to see the development of existing IAG for prospective postgraduates and training for research supervisors to provide careers advice. For a further discussion of careers guidance for postgraduates see chapter 3.

Striking the balance between realism and aspiration

The student population encompasses a wide range of abilities, and we recognise that we need to be realistic in our expectations (a top law firm is unlikely take us on if we are heading towards a third class degree!). Careers and academic staff have a critical role to play in helping us to develop reasonable expectations, whilst encouraging us to be the best that we can be.

It doesn’t always feel as if we’re being taken seriously if we are not heading towards a first or upper second-class degree. (NSF member)

This encouragement is essential at all universities – regardless of the perceived ‘prestige’ of the university we are studying at. We would like to see university and college careers services place more emphasis on promoting:

success stories of alumni from non-traditional universities

alumni mentoring schemes to inspire and motivate all students to achieve all that they are capable of

stories of graduates who have been successful regardless of the class of degree they attained

major employers who do not necessarily require outstanding academic achievement, but who place a greater emphasis on a broad range of skills, with whom students can embark on a potentially successful and rewarding career.

Priority 2: a well-informed, well-resourced, high profile university or college careers service (Cont...)


Work placements can play a key role in the formal and informal learning of students. Sometimes we organise optional work experience for ourselves (often outside of the academic term) to improve our chances of finding employment. In other instances, we are required to undertake a work placement as a component of our course. We primarily focused our discussions on the latter, as we acknowledge that, although we value any support offered by university careers services in sourcing optional work experience, responsibility for these placements rests primarily with us as individuals.

Clearly, there are three partners in the creation of a successful compulsory work placement:

the student

the university

the employer/placement provider

In our experience, there is a great deal of unevenness across the country with regard to the level of support provided by universities for compulsory work placements. Some of us have had great experiences where we have felt nurtured by our university; learned a great deal; and become more employable as a result – as demonstrated by Sheffield Hallam University in our excellence in action case study. However, others of us have experienced intense frustration over our work placement and come away feeling as though we have gained very little. In this time of economic instability it is more important than ever that work placements are fully leveraged to supplement formal academic teaching and to increase students’ employability.

A well structured, stretching placement should mutually benefit students and providers – we develop further and faster, and they can better meet their business’s requirements.(NSF member)

We examined some of the most common issues faced by students on compulsory placement, and used these to inform our recommended practice for universities, placement providers – and students.

What do we, as students, need to demonstrate to maximise our chances of a successful placement? a positive, open-minded, flexible attitude

professionalism: politeness to colleagues; time-keeping and a commitment to quality work

an understanding that sometimes we will be required to undertake routine tasks – because that is the reality of some aspects of that type of work and/or is essential to the provider organisation’s immediate requirements

a willingness to stretch ourselves by trying new things and ‘going the extra mile’ to impress

a desire to open up future leads for placements or jobs by networking and speaking to people

What can placement providers do to support work placements?

We agree with the National Council for Work Experience that the best work placement providers ensure that there is:

senior management buy-in to internship programmes and the resulting business benefits, ensuring continued widespread internal commitment to the scheme

a dedicated mentor or buddy who takes the time to get to know our incoming strengths and weaknesses, and supports our development

a structured placement with a reasonable level of variety and stretch which encompasses academic objectives if needed

a pastoral interest in students’ wellbeing

a commitment to paying all expenses, and/or to pay students the minimum wage if they are carrying out a role that the company would have to hire somebody else to do

The National Council for Work Experience runs a Quality Mark accreditation/benchmarking scheme for placement providers who exemplify good practice. We would like to see more providers applying for this – and for Government to provide financial support by subsidising and encouraging employers who want to follow best practice in this respect.

Priority 3: a high quality, well-structured work placement programme


*Outlined in QAA’s Code of Practice for work-based and placement learning, section 9. See: www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeofpractice/section9

18 supporting disabled students in work

placements

There are a good number of resources available to assist universities in

supporting disabled students including:

• The University of Manchester’s Careers and Employability Division award-

winning toolkit to assist universities and placement providers when

supporting disabled students in finding and successfully undertaking a

placement. See http://www.disabilitytoolkits.ac.uk/ for more information

• The DfES’ toolkits: ‘providing work placements for disabled students, a good

practice guide’ and ‘Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Specialist support

for students with SpLDs’

The NSF was set up to help to define ‘a reasonable student experience’ and to make recommendations to Government to help to achieve this. However, many of our suggestions for improvement fall within the gift of individual universities and colleges, rather than government policy. Therefore, we outline recommended practice for universities and colleges in each of our key discussion areas, against which we invite individual institutions to measure their current practice.


To improve work placements at an institutional level, we would like to see all universities and colleges implementing:

How can universities best support work placements?


a rigorous internal review of current practice against the best practice guidance forwork placements*

a dedicated work placement specialist unit that:

– builds and maintains excellent relationships with many providers locally, nationally and internationally so that students have a choice

– maintains clear and current profiles of the placements available

– provides specialist help to disabled students to help them find placements appropriate to their needs (e.g. some disabled students may need specialist IT equipment, quiet environments and extra time)

– works closely with, or is part of, the careers service to provide continuity for students and employers

a structured, phased approach to the delivery of information and guidance about work placements e.g.

– a general overview before we sign up forthe course

– tailored input in the months leading up to the placement (e.g sessions to explore student perceptions of work experience in advance)

– detailed information in the days immediately prior to the placement beginning

– structured debriefing sessions to follow up on what was learned during the placement

the option to set up our own work placement if the university is struggling to find one that we feel is appropriate to our needs (as long as it meets the university or college’s requirements too)

a formal agreement with placement providers that sets out guidelines for what students need to learn on their placement – and sharing this with students

training programmes for provider mentors

– general training on how to supervise and support placement students professionally and effectively

– specific training, where relevant, on how to support the needs of international students and disabled students in the workplace18 (e.g. enabling disabled students to have time out of the placement to access disability support)

sufficient communication with students on placement and the provider to ensure progression against learning objectives – and to maintain students’ motivation and connection with the university

a commitment to listen equally to both the student and employer perspective to resolve any matters of dispute over the quality of the placement and to enable students to change placements if necessary

Samantha had been looking forward to her work placement since she applied for her course. The course prospectus provided a rich insight into what it would be like because it included stories from former students who had completed similar placements. It also told her when and how she would receive further information about it during her course.

Throughout her second year she was well prepared for the year-long placement, which took place in her third year. Over the course of the year, in different modules, she was taught the knowledge and skills she would need for her placement. She was also in regular contact with her university’s placement unit, which matched her skill set with a placement provider to find her the perfect employer. Additionally, she was assured that if this process had not worked, she would have been able to request a change of placement. A specialist support unit supported one of her fellow students, Paul, who has a disability. They worked hard behind the scenes to ensure he too got a valuable placement, ensuring that his particular support requirements were met and that the placement provider was aware of how best to support him to create a placement that was mutually beneficial to both Paul and the employer.

Once on placement Samantha was paid the minimum wage. In addition she was only required to pay half of her university fees during this placement year as the university acknowledged that during work placement years, its responsibility as a learning provider is greatly reduced. In recognition of the fees she continued to pay, she was given structured support from the university, including a half-day’s lecture back on campus per week. Samantha was assigned to a mentor at the placement who looked after everything she did academically, and she was given a ‘go-to person’ to speak to if she had any non-academic needs or concerns. Her mentor assigned her clear objectives detailing what she needed to accomplish and learn. These were created in conjunction with her university, and they continued to check in on her to ensure she was progressing. She was given a logbook with a list of tasks she needed to accomplish, a box for her to fill in the date where she achieved this, and then a place for a signature from her mentor. She was regularly assessed and given clear feedback so that she was able to improve. What was really great though, was that they were flexible with this learning. There was some box ticking involved, but in the areas in which she was clearly already competent they didn’t make her continue the programme. Instead, they designed a bespoke programme to stretch her.

On reflection, as Samantha drew towards the end of the placement, she felt she was given a great insight into the world of work and the culture of the work place. She felt more secure about her future employment because she had made great contacts on her placement – in fact she was even hopeful that she might be offered a job there at some stage in the future.

Samantha is just coming to the end of her work placement, which took place in her third year of university. Work placements are a significant part of her degree and successful completion is a pre-requisite to her graduating.

NSF vision for an ideal work placement



NSF recommendations for supporting employability

We have drawn upon our expertise in what it is like to study in higher education, to develop recommendations that we believe require attention at a national strategic level. Some recommendations may involve a shift in current policy or practice, or new collaborations at a national level. However, others may more appropriately require careful consideration of how effectively or how widely existing programmes of work or specific initiatives are being implemented.



What would this mean for students? How could we measure success?

5. Incentivise placement providers to increase the number of, and improve the quality of, placements on offer.

See vision for an ideal work placement on pages 34-35

Government is supporting/sponsoring the NCWE Awards for quality work placements

Government is subsidising a number of SMEs to take part in the Quality Assurance Mark Schemes

More employers are adhering to a framework for the quality and standards of work placements (or have achieved the NCWE Quality Assurance Mark)

Increased numbers of employers, including SMEs and large corporations, are offering internships

6. Identify ways in which university careers services can be better supported to meet the needs of particular student groups (e.g. disabled students, international students and postgraduate students)

I am satisfied that I have been able to access satisfactory specialist careers guidance that takes account of my personal situation

All universities offer dedicated, tailored support for disabled, international, postgraduate and other student groups with specialist needs – and this is widely acknowledged to be the case by these particular student groups


03

Improving the postgraduate student experience

There are more, and different, students entering postgraduate study than ever before – and we really need to think about what that means, what changes it might necessitate. (NSF member)

Increasing numbers of us are choosing to enter postgraduate study, and we are motivated by a range of reasons. Both the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) and the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) results from 2009* demonstrated that these motivations range from interest for their subject to improving employment prospects.

In a job market in which having a degree is increasingly becoming the norm, and in an economic climate in which employment opportunities are reduced in the short term, many of us are continuing with our studies in the hope that the situation will have improved by the time we complete them – or returning to re-skill in a different sector. This link with improving employability is demonstrated by increasing interest in options such as the New Route PhDs, which combine a structured programme of training in discipline-specific and transferable professional skills (for example, teaching and management) with traditional research. We have been pleased to see the Government recognise the importance of postgraduate study and we welcome the review of postgraduate education that was announced by Lord Peter Mandelson in July 2009.

We acknowledge that the majority of students have a very positive experience of postgraduate study, with PRES and PTES figures for 2009 indicating that more than four out of five postgraduate students felt that their experience had met or exceeded their expectations. We also acknowledge that the experiences and expectations of students on, for example, a taught Masters programme may be very different to those undertaking a PhD. However, in our view, there are three major challenges that need to be addressed if all postgraduate students are going to be able to achieve to their potential. These challenges are:

an infrastructure that has historically predominantly focused on the needs of undergraduates (ranging from funding structures to IAG and university support services)

If the nation wants more highly skilled postgrads coming out of universities, they need to do more to support and finance that. (NSF member)

perceived patchiness of academic support for postgraduates – both between universities, and even between different departments in the same university

At the moment it’s too much of a lottery. It’s brilliant at some places, and poor in others. (NSF member)

academic and social isolation, due to the lack of sufficiently developed support networks

We need to encourage current and former postgrads to form a community to support each other – often those who are going through it, or have recently been though it, are the best placed to help (NSF member)

We therefore placed a high priority on developing our thinking on the postgraduate experience for the Forum this year. Last year, a subgroup developed draft proposals for this area, and this year we held a further subgroup meeting and also worked as a full Forum to review and refine our final recommendations. We were joined in our discussions by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and Research Councils UK (RCUK), who offered contextual advice on current policy and practice around postgraduate study.

*We recognise that not all universities choose to participate in PRES and PTES and so these results only demonstrate findings from the 82 universities that took part in 2009. We use these results as a general indication of the feelings of English postgraduate students today. 34% of PRES respondents and 45% of PTES respondents were motivated by subject interest; 50% of PTES respondents were motivated by employment prospects, with 32% of PRES respondents wanting to progress in academic careers.


Why focus on postgraduate students?

A vision for a positive postgraduate experience: where are we trying to get to?

In our view, if all is working well in the system, a postgraduate student would be able to say: I received appropriate IAG prior to embarking on postgraduate study, in which I was encouraged to consider subsequent career opportunities in both academic and non-academic contexts

I am clear about the levels and types of funding available to me

I benefited from a structured, tailored induction process, and I am consequently clear on the levels of support my department will provide me with – and what is expected of me in turn

I have reasonable levels of contact with supervisors

I have access to adequate research facilities

I have access to teaching opportunities, together with training and ongoing support for this

I feel part of a wider research community, as my university provides networking opportunities for social and research purposes

I feel supported in addressing the cultural challenges that I may face as an international postgraduate student

I can access effective, ongoing guidance on subsequent career development (whether within or beyond academia)

…and about information, advice and guidance in particular, a postgraduate student would be able to say:


I have a clear idea of what my course will involve (and have spoken to students already on the course)

I know how many people will be on my course and that the university has sufficient resources for the course

I know about the potential career opportunities (either inside or outside of academia) that are open to me after I finish my studies

I know that the university to which I am applying has year-round and 24 hour access to libraries and other facilities

I know the likely added value to my employability before I choose my course

I know the potential range of employment opportunities that this course could open up to me – both academic and non-academic

My supervisor/department will advise me on career development opportunities throughout my course

I know how much my course will cost (including hidden costs such as equipment, memberships, work placements and travel costs)

I know what bursaries are available and how to apply for them

I know how to find the right information at the right stage of my application

I know how to access relevant people to discuss the possible academic content of my proposal

I know how to find the right supervisor and the right support package for me

I feel reasonably confident I am making the right choice about

my course because:

I feel confident about my chances of prospective employment because:

I feel comfortable with my finances because:

I have a good chance of getting a place on my course because:


Summary of common issues and problems

*See www.prospects.ac.uk for detail

†QAA descriptors are provided as part of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/fheq/EWNI/default.asp

19 providing advice on

research careers at a

national level

Vitae provides career information and

guidance for those starting out on doctorates

and experienced researchers, helping

researchers navigate recruitment processes

and manage careers over the long term.

For further information, go to www.vitae.ac.uk

20 supporting consideration

of future careers at an

institutional level

‘Beyondthephd’ is a University of Reading

initiative that aims to support arts and humanities

postgraduate researchers in their future careers.

Its website includes profiles of the careers of

previous researchers from a variety of fields,

thought-provoking articles and videos of careers

and skills advisors. Further information available at

www.beyondthephd.co.uk

Unfortunately, not all students currently have such a positive experience – and we outline below some of the common issues and problems faced by some postgraduate students, collated from our discussions both this year and last.

Patchy quality of information, advice, and guidance

There can be the assumption within universities that people who undertake postgraduate research programmes know what their next steps will be and how to reach them. Although, particularly at postgraduate level, we fully acknowledge that students need to take responsibility for exploring and weighing up the avenues available to us, we find that this can be hampered by:

the lack of accessible, student-facing information about the differences between various postgraduate courses and the differing expectations of the students who take these.

As postgraduate courses are so diverse, students often require independent information, advice and guidance about the different types of courses (e.g. masters vs. PhD courses; diplomas vs certificates; research vs taught programmes, etc) and the implications for our academic or non-academic careers in future

Prospects* offers basic information that provides a useful starting point, as do individual universities for specific courses – but not always in sufficient detail. In addition, the QAA describes certain aspects of courses† but, given that its primary audience is universities and colleges, the content is understandably not always particularly student-facing.

Postgraduate survey results are not widely promoted within universities and it can be difficult to speak with current/former postgraduate students from other universities to get a first-hand picture of what it might be like to study ‘postgraduate course X’ at ‘university Y’. (NSF member)

difficulty in ascertaining long term career prospects

Vitae19 provides career information and guidance for those starting out on doctorates and for experienced researchers, helping researchers manage careers over the long term. However, PRES results for 2009 indicated that only just over a third (37%) of respondents were encouraged to think about the range of career opportunities available to them. In our experience there is more to do here, both in raising awareness of Vitae and in providing IAG at an institutional level.20

In my experience, careers services for PhD students just tell you to look on the internet! (NSF Member)


Student finance issues

Finance issues for postgraduates are exacerbated by:

the lack of access to student loansthe lack of public funding support for postgraduates (despite access to career development loans)

insufficient awareness of the full cost of studying on a particular course, including hidden costs, such as conference attendance, field study expenses etc

lack of funding opportunities for international students (in particular, those who have completed undergraduate courses in the UK)

insufficient awareness of other potential sources of funding (e.g. charities)

difficulty in obtaining research grants

challenges for disabled postgraduate students

Where can you access a comprehensive and up to date database of all the other organisations, apart from RCUK, who fund postgraduate study? (NSF member)

There are particular implications (time, resources and funding) for postgraduates taking medical suspensions due to disability or illness. (NSF member)

Academic issues whilst at university

Unsurprisingly, much of our discussions focused upon the variation in the academic support and provision between different universities:

lack of accessible, clearly defined expectations and support for the particular course being studied

The Postgraduate handbook is so thick! I wish there was a more user-friendly type of information that would have told simply told me ‘these are the things you need to look at’.(NSF member)

inadequate induction and integration

Finding your way about when you start can be really hard, especially when you’re not part of the more structured Freshers’ Week programme that’s usually on offer to undergraduates. This was true for me, especially when I was part-time. But now I know who to pester – befriend your departmental secretary! (NSF Member)

patchy support from supervisors – and for supervisors

Ongoing emotional and practical support provided through contact time with a supervisor is crucial to preserving morale, and we concur with previous PRES respondents that it is probably the most important factor in successful completion. Whilst most of us are happy with our supervisors’ skills and knowledge*, some of us have struggled to secure sufficient supervisor contact time†. We also believe it is critical that, in turn, supervisors receive adequate support and training in how to supervise. We are aware that some universities are already using supervisor teams21 and we would like to see this more widely implemented. We feel it encourages a rounded approach to academic support (especially when our research crosses disciplines), whilst guarding against individual personality clashes.

Summary of common issues and problems(Cont...)

*In concurrence with PRES 2008 results, in which 84.4% of respondents were satisfied with supervisor skill and knowledge.

†Approximately one in four (according to PRES 2008) and just under one in three (according to PTES 2008)

Providing appropriate handbooks: what can sometimes go wrong?

University-specific guidance on postgraduate study should readily be available to all postgraduate students, but in reality, degrees of accessibility and levels of awareness about this can be variable:

“Recently I went to my department to ask if I could have a copy of our postgraduate handbook. They didn’t seem to know how I could access it and sent me to the faculty office, which sent me to the academic registry, which sent me to the careers advice people. It transpires that we don’t have one.

Eventually, they printed off a 26-page “Higher degrees by research” booklet which has info about how long a PhD thesis should be, how to bind it and footnote it etc and supervisory info which appears to be taken from the QAA Code of Practice, but that’s all. There’s nothing about social/cultural aspects of the university, or the union or any kind of orientation; no information at all beyond supervision and how to submit your thesis – there didn’t seem to be anything at all for Postgraduate Researchers. Most of the students I know weren’t given a handbook.” (NSF member) See NSF suggested content for handbooks on p.58.



*PRES 2009 results show that only 49.4% of postgraduates feel they had adequate teaching opportunities

†As outlined in the QAA Code of Practice, precept 19

21using teams of supervisors

Supervisor teams are recommended in precept 3 of the QAA’s Code of

Practice and already widely used in the USA.

Nottingham University has a policy of allocating students a supervisory

team containing at least two supervisors. At least one member of the

supervisory team will be currently engaged in research in the relevant

discipline(s), so as to ensure that the direction and monitoring of the

student’s progress is informed by up to date subject knowledge and

research developments. The other member(s) need not necessarily have

relevant discipline expertise, so long as the breadth of experience and

knowledge across the supervisory team means that the student will

always have access to someone with experience of supporting research

student(s) through to successful completion of their programme. One of

the supervisors in a joint supervisory arrangement must be designated as

the prime point of contact between the University and the student. Please

see ‘The University of Nottingham Quality Manual’ for more information,

found at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/research-students/

supervisors-appointment.htm#number

insufficient teaching opportunities

If we are going to have more and more people going to university, we need more and more people to teach them – and we believe that investing in postgraduates is one means of achieving this. However, some of us have struggled to access teaching opportunities during our postgraduate study.* Whilst we recognise that there is no formal requirement for universities to provide teaching opportunities, and that the appropriateness may vary from course to course, we would encourage universities to be creative about identifying more opportunities for us to develop our skills.

Not everyone’s cut out for teaching – and, yes, we’ve got to think about the quality of the teaching experience for undergraduates. But even if you’re not the right personality for, or are not yet ready for, taking a full class, you can help lecturers prepare; help out with marking; help with lab preparation etc. (NSF member)

insufficient departmental support and guidance for teaching experience

We are also aware that proper guidance and support should be provided for teaching,† but some of us have found that this is not always the case. Again, this is backed by 2009 PRES results which showed that 54.1% of students didn’t feel that they had received adequate support and guidance for teaching.

I have been fortunate to have been encouraged by my supervisor and head of department to teach, and have received training as well as support from many members of my department. Although I am still doing my PhD, when it comes to my teaching I am treated very professionally, which is enormously helpful in terms of developing my teaching and also future career prospects. (NSF member)

lack of focus on the development of transferable skills

Some of us have a general concern that our transferable skills are not being as fully developed as possible. This is supported by PRES results from 2009 which showed over a third of respondents did not feel they had adequate opportunities to develop their transferable skills. This is of particular concern to those who may not be eligible for some of the existing excellent schemes that can help to develop these e.g. Vitae’s National GRADschool or the RCUK’s Researchers in Residence programme. Some training and development opportunities are offered by the universities themselves (often accessing support and resources from Vitae), but are not always of the same high quality. We would like to see more emphasis on providing equivalent high quality provision to develop transferable skills for ‘non-sponsored’ postgraduate students – perhaps through greater collaboration between universities.

Postgrads not funded by the research councils can sometimes slip through the net.(NSF Member)

uninspiring research environments within some departments

Although we believe that the research environment is critically important to successful completion, it is an aspect that we often find unsatisfactory. Indeed, the 2009 PRES results revealed that only a little over half of postgraduate students felt that they had good access to seminars, opportunities for social contact with other research students and become involved in the broader research culture. In our view, the research environment of a department is reflected in:

– a department’s explicit strength of interestin research

– nurturing of social contact between research students and the integration of students into the departmental community.

– opportunities to become more involved in the university’s broader research culture; a good seminar programme

– research ambience (i.e. physical resources – such as a desk to study at – and atmosphere)

Basics, such as a desk to study at, can make a big difference to the general research ambience! (NSF member)


insufficient access to study resourcesPostgraduate students may have greater need of longer university opening times, library opening times, year-long taught courses etc. In addition, for research students, access to online resources is critical – but not yet available to all.

By now, access to online digital archive resources like JSTOR* should be standard for all postgraduates – not just for some students in some universities. (NSF member)

Non-academic issues whilst at university

difficulty in accessing appropriate accommodation

As with all students, we need accommodation to be affordable. However, in addition, we may need childcare, a family friendly community and the option to choose to live mixed in with the undergrad community – or in dedicated postgraduate accommodation. (NSF member)

See Chapter 6 on student accommodation for further detail.

social isolationResearch work can be isolating (especially in certain subjects, such as arts and humanities), and there can be a lack of peer networking and social opportunities for postgraduates.


*www.jstor.org/


NSF vision for further development of postgraduate ambassador schemes and support networks

Ambassador schemes and support networks can inform, encourage

and inspire prospective, current and completing postgraduate students. We would like to see increased use

of such schemes to provide:

Individual university departments could source and administer a bank of postgraduate students willing to act as ambassadors for the subject and:

– post their contact details on the relevant department website or a social networking site

– arrange for them to be available on university open days; by phone or face to face or online at specific times

– consider incentivising participation in the scheme (e.g. nominal payment; book vouchers, etc)

Individual universities could encourage alumni of the university to act as informal mentors or advisors about potential careers opportunities

Individual departments could empower these same ambassadors to provide informal peer support on common questions (e.g. submission of dissertations, applying for extensions, claiming conference allowances, arranging interlibrary loans, postgraduate social opportunities)

The university could work with the student union to ensure a co-ordinated approach and link with wider student support services and networks – a postgraduate peer support network could help to counter social isolation, as well as provide informal support on academic issues

The student ambassadors could promote initiatives such as Vitae’s Academic Network, an excellent initiative enabling Masters, PhD and Postdoctoral researchers to grow their own academic networks and make contact with other researchers who share their research interests. Find out more at www.graduatejunction.com/site/index

Help in choosing a course or university

Support moving on from university

Support whilst at university

Ensure postgraduate student handbooks are relevant and accessible

Undertake informal research with current postgraduates to establish a baseline for handbook content (e.g. ‘What I wish I’d known when I first started’)

Ensure all departments develop appropriate postgraduate student handbooks, featuring both general information on university life and information specific to the student’s department/course (see What we’d like to see: postgraduate handbook contents p.58 for further detail)

Distribute more comprehensive student handbooks in both hard copy and electronic form (e.g. on a CD Rom or online), ensuring the content is accessible to disabled students and can be easily navigated

Encourage personal mapping and development of skills needs

Use institutional level results of PRES and PTES* to identify the development needs and requirements of postgraduates – and make these available to prospective students

Investigate the usefulness of implementing personal development plans for postgraduates where required (not as standard)

Implement a GRADschool at a local institutional level, open to all researchers irrespective of funding22

Consider whether and how the RCUK-funded Researcher in Residence programme could be made more widely available to all researchers, irrespective of funding.

How can universities furt postgraduate study?


The NSF was set up to help to define ‘ a reasonable student experience’ and to make recommendations to Government to help to achieve this. However, many of our suggestions for improvement fall within the gift of individual universities and colleges, rather than government policy. Therefore, we have outlined recommended practice for universities and colleges in each of our key discussion areas, against which we invite individual institutions to measure their current practice.


Within some universities there are already some excellent examples of good practice that we would like to see implemented more broadly.

CRmir

22 increasing access to GRADschools for non

RCUK-funded students

GRADschools are run nationally by Vitae (www.vitae.ac.uk) and are open to all postgraduate

researchers in their second year and above (places are free to research council funded

Postgraduate Researchers). However, Vitae have provided resources and expertise to the

sector in order for institutions to use and develop the GRADschool model for their own

researchers. The number of universities using the GRADschool model has increased rapidly

over the last 5 years to around 30 institutions increasing the reach and number of places

available to all researchers irrespective of funding.

GRADschools are three to four day experiential learning courses where participants are split

in to groups and undertake a number of activities including working in a simulated business

or academic environment, practical team exercises and sessions about their personal

motivations and career.

Designed to help researchers reflect upon and develop the skills they have, GRADschools

encourage researchers to consider how they can apply their skills now and in the future and

aim to help them make more informed choices about the next step in their career.

GRADschools enable researchers to:

• develop their personal effectiveness

• identify ways to communicate effectively

• make more informed choices about their future and own and manage the next step of

their career

*Postgraduate Research Experience Survey and Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey

her support


23 increasing opportunities and improving support for

postgraduates who wish to teach

The School of English Studies, University of Nottingham regards teaching as an essential part of

subject-specific training and career development for all its research students. To support this:

• It has a dedicated Postgraduate Teaching Fellowships (PGTF), which provide funding (equivalent

to AHRC funding) and teaching opportunities for 1-2 students each year.

• It encourages all research students (funded or self-funding) to apply for undergraduate teaching

from their second year of registration onwards.

• Postgraduate part-time teachers are paid for preparation, marking, holidays and office hours.

• Postgraduate part-time teachers initially contribute to seminar teaching on core level 1 and

2 modules related to their research expertise and when suitably experienced are offered the

opportunity to gain course development and lecturing experience. Those on teaching fellowships

are occasionally given limited level 3 experience, which is overseen by a full-time member

of staff.

• Postgraduate part time teachers are supported through all aspects of module teaching by

experienced staff already convening and teaching on the module and by a training programme

run by the University’s Professional Development Unit (PDU). Before commencing teaching, all

students are required to take the following PDU training sessions – ‘A Practical Look at Core

Teaching Skills’ and ‘Marking and Assessment’.

• The School has an appointed co-ordinator of part-time teaching. S/he meets with all

postgraduate part-time teachers at the beginning of the academic year to give them a chance

to get to know each other, to set out expectations and to discuss any concerns and questions. In

consultation with students’ supervisors, the co-ordinator of part-time teaching also helps identify

any further relevant training courses needed and provides an additional contact and mentoring

point throughout the academic year.

University-organised SET (Student Evaluation of Teaching) is undertaken for postgraduate part-

time teachers and ensures they receive feedback on their teaching. Reports on SET go to the

part-time teaching co-ordinator who follows up on any issues raised. The School’s system of peer

observation and module review additionally provides the opportunity for ongoing feedback and

discussion of teaching.

Improve teaching opportunities for postgraduate students on research programmes23

Universities should identify an increased number and wider range of teaching or teaching-related opportunities to help postgraduates get some experience of classroom teaching, depending upon the skills, knowledge and ability of the individual postgraduate student e.g. assisting a more senior lecturer, preparing lectures and lecture materials, assisting smaller groups in lab work etc., in addition to opportunities to take full responsibility for delivering certain elements of the course

Postgraduates who are offered teaching opportunities should be given full induction and support by their department, along with a departmental mentor, and encouraged to take a professional development course in teaching

If postgraduates are required to undertake preparation and marking, they should be paid for this time. If preparation and marking time is included in their hourly teaching rate, this should be made clear

Implement banks of postgraduate ambassadors that feed into wider networks

Increase the use of postgraduate ambassador schemes that can provide both academic and non-academic peer support, and which can feed into wider academic networks

Use teams of supervisors

Implement greater use of supervisory teams, rather than just individuals*

*In line with the QAA’s code of practice precept 12


General university information

University services/facilities

1. About student services: who are they, where are they and when are they open?

2. How do I register for my course?

3. Where is the library and when is it open?

4. Where can I find information about support for disabled students, international

students, etc?

Social/Pastoral

5. What can I expect during my first week?

6. How can I get involved in university life in areas other than my studies?

(e.g. volunteering, PG studies associations, the student union, societies

and activities)

7. Where can I find the postgraduate/mature student space?

Employability

8. How can I access general careers advice and guidance?

9. Where can I find information about specific job opportunities during my studies?

(including jobs within the university)

Student Finance

10. What are the costs of study likely to be (include compulsory, hidden and optional,

e.g. conference attendance; field work etc)?

11. What funding am I entitled to?

Department/course-specific information

Academic

12. What can I reasonably expect from my supervisor?

13. What pastoral and academic support, advice and training can I reasonably expect

from my department?

14. What general skills courses are available to me? (e.g. IT,

management, communications)

15. What is expected of me in terms of study and output?

16. What are the requirements for my thesis submission?

17. What mark scheme will I be assessed against?

Procedural

18. How do I apply for extensions or mitigations?

19. What should I do if something goes wrong?

General20.

What journals do my faculty publish?

21. Who’s who in the department?

22. What networking opportunities are available to me?

23. What conferences are open to me?

Contents

Sample students handbook table of contents

Student’s Handbook 02

58

20.

21.

22.

23.

pen?

NSF recommendations for postgraduate study




What would this mean to students? How could we measure success?

7. Increase opportunities for cross-institutional networking and ideas exchange for postgraduate students

I feel I am part of a wider research community

I have the opportunity to exchange ideas about my research with my peers

There is a coherent online networking and knowledge-sharing resource, that brings together existing and new mechanisms

Postgraduates at all universities have increased access to conferences and development opportunities regardless of how they are funded (e.g. whether they are self-funded or RCUK funded)

8. Improve access to independent, impartial advice about the benefits of postgraduate study and the practicalities of study

I can easily access the information advice and guidance I need to make an informed decision

I can talk to someone who did my course, or something similar, before I make my decision (see vision for postgraduate

ambassador schemes)

For further detail see vision for a positive postgraduate experience on pages 48-49

The work of Vitae and Prospects is more widely known about by prospective and current postgraduate students

There is comprehensive, impartial IAG for postgraduates on an online portal (possibly

as an extension to the NSF’s

recommended IAG portal)

Postgraduate student ambassador schemes are widely used at an institutional level and prospective postgraduates have routine opportunities to engage with these

9. Improve awareness about the full costs of postgraduate study and sources of finance

I am fully aware of how much my postgraduate study will cost me

The Student Loan Company’s ‘My Fact Find’ service has been extended to incorporate postgraduate costs

A database of alternative sources of funding for postgraduates has been developed which is widely known about by prospective and current students


04

Improving the experience of mature and part-time students

We can see that the landscape of higher education is changing. Rising costs of higher education and the desire to improve our employability in a competitive job market are leading to increasing numbers of us choosing to study part-time whilst continuing to work/bring up children and/or return to study at a later stage in life.

We are already in a situation in which the proportion of ‘traditional’ students (who enter higher education at eighteen, and study full-time) is decreasing, while universities that cater specifically for the needs of mature and part-time students have seen a rapid increase in demand for their courses. We were therefore keen to examine, not only the shift in practice that might need to take place within individual universities, but the entire shift in culture required of a system in which those who historically have been viewed as ‘the exception’ are rapidly becoming ‘the rule’.

In our view, universities can benefit enormously from increasing numbers of older or part-time students, through the creation of a more inclusive and culturally diverse university experience. Some universities are already leveraging these benefits, and have made significant changes to their traditional ways of working in order to attract and support these student groups – and we commend this. However, at other institutions, according to both the student jurors and Forum members, their experience is not always as positive as it might be.

Much of what we suggest below may seem obvious, and most institutions are already beginning to adapt their practice and provision to some extent. However, our key message is that the need to adapt is urgent – and the extent of the adaptation is potentially radical. The question “How can we adapt what we already do to

better meet the needs of a changing student

population?” may take us some way towards improving the experiences of mature and part-time students. However, we may all do better to ask ourselves “If we set out to design a higher

education system to meet the current and future

needs of students from scratch, what would be

different – and how quickly can we get there?”

Our approach

We piloted an approach in which we invited guest students with first hand experience of the issues facing mature and part-time students to participate in our work on this topic. We were also joined in our discussions by Tricia King, Pro-Vice-Master of the Student Experience at Birkbeck University (which has a large number of both mature and part-time students) and Lesley Rollason, Head of Policy and Planning, Staffordshire University and co-author (with Christine King) of Part Time Study in

Higher Education:*

In discussing these two student groups alongside each other, we are not suggesting that all of the issues faced by part-time students are completely interchangeable with those of mature students. However, there is often an overlap in terms of the students themselves (i.e. many part-time students also happen to be mature), and also in the problems that arise for them due to the lack of flexibility in current funding structures, and institutional systems and processes.

Our recommendations for Teaching and Learning (see Chapter 1) highlighted the urgent need to increase flexibility of course structures and modes of study in recognition of this shift in the student demographic. However, there are other generic issues that need to be addressed if we are to improve the experience and the outcomes for mature and part-time students. In so doing, universities will also, no doubt, be improving the experience for other student groups including disabled students (and mature and/or part-time disabled students). Unfortunately, while many of the generic issues we highlight below may seem obvious, they still need to be addressed if we are to improve the experience of many mature and part-time students.

*commissioned by Government to feed into its Future of HE Review (2008, ongoing), http://www.dius.gov.uk/higher_education/shape_and_structure/he_debate/~/media/publications/P/part_time_studies_and_he_131008

Why focus on mature and part-time students?


You get the feeling that the rules are written already, not everyone’s up for changing them. (NSF Member)

Prior to starting at university

Liam recognised the long-term benefits of going to university, but was quite nervous. He lacked confidence in his academic abilities and in how current his study skills were. Most of all, he didn’t know how he was going to juggle having a career, being a dad, and studying.

Liam was grateful that he was able to access a nationally recognised one-stop-shop source of information that contained everything he needed to know to help him, and other mature and part-time students, make their decision about institution. He could access this service online, over the phone and in person. He was relieved to find out that although he would be studying part-time, he was still eligible for the same funding, pro-rata, as full-time students.

Once Liam had chosen his university he was pleased to discover how understanding it was about his situation. Firstly, he was given the opportunity, before his course began, to update his study skills through a series of evening courses, or a two day intensive course covering such content as accessing the library, using electronic resources and referencing. Secondly, Liam’s timetable was set significantly far enough in advance that he was able to arrange for childcare and to let his employer know that he would be absent from work regularly at the same time each week for the entire duration of his degree course. The timetable showed understanding of his needs in that all of his hours were in one block of time each week. Thirdly, a month before Liam was due to begin university he received a comprehensive pack that included a mature and/or part time handbook, information about Freshers’ week, his university user name and information on how to access his email.

Arriving at university

The first day of Liam’s Induction (or Freshers’) Week was on the usual day that he was scheduled to attend university. His department ran a special induction for the students on his course. He was guided through the day by his peer mentor/buddy who was from the year above him and in the same department – and had as much access as he needed in person/by phone/email over rest of the week. Over time, her support would prove to be invaluable. In Freshers’ Week Liam joined a wine society run by his student union, enabling him to feel like a student as well as a parent and employee, rather than just rushing in and out to do his studies.

Ongoing university experience

Now that he’s at university, Liam finds his lecturers relatively easy to access. They hold their office hours on the day he attends lectures, respond to emails reasonably quickly, and speak to him on the phone because they recognise university is just one element to his busy life. They also give him feedback on his work in a way that he can access despite the fact that he’s part-time: rather than posting results on the department notice board (which isn’t always accessible at his times of study), they post his work back to him, or give him brief feedback over the phone.

Liam appreciates that both his employer and university understand when work deadlines clash with university deadlines and that both are reasonably flexible around dates. However, most of the time, Liam has found his workload to be relatively manageable, particularly because his work is spread equally over the semester.

Liam is reassured to know that if, for any reason, he is unable to immediately complete his studies, his university is sufficiently flexible to enable him to complete it in future, and he will be able to formally transfer credit for the learning he has achieved so far elsewhere, if necessary.

Liam’s story: an ideal university experience for a mature, part-time student


Liam is 36 years old and about to return to study for the first time since he completed his A-levels 18 years ago. He has been working in an office for the last three years and his employers are keen that he should increase his skills set. He plans to study part time so he can continue working where he is. He has a young son.

Competing priorities

Many mature and part-time students have work and/or family commitments which make a significant claim on our time – meaning that our studies are not always our first priority, or at least need to share equal priority with other important aspects of our lives. Getting the balance right between work pressures, university pressures and family responsibility can be incredibly difficult. Work meetings can clash with classes or examinations; work deadlines with essay due dates; and all of these can be further exacerbated if we are in an unsupportive work environment or if childcare arrangements fall through.

All of this can make it difficult for us to find the time to study, let alone the time to socialise and integrate properly with other students, if that is something that is important to us – which it may or may not be!

Freshers’ Week was a full time affair! I needed to take a week off work to be able to participate – or risk feeling that I’d missed out on a key opportunity to meet everyone and to settle in properly. (NSF member)

To be honest, as a mature student, I’m really not that bothered about joining the students’ union – I’ve got my life outside university, and I’m happy with it! It’s good to know what opportunities are there though. (Guest student)

Lack of confidence

In addition, for those who have been out of formal education for some time, and/or for whom our former educational experience was not particularly positive, lack of confidence can be a major issue. Plucking up the courage to make the application itself can be the first hurdle – especially if the process itself seems complicated and inaccessible.

At Birkbeck, it usually takes 3 years for a mature student to move from making the first tentative enquiry through to actual application. In the end they will often submit their application very late in the summer because only then do they know whether they can afford it and whether it is possible to juggle study with family and work, and only by then have they built up the courage. Their needs are very different to full time 18 year olds and we work hard to meet those needs. (Tricia King, Pro-Vice-Maser of the Student Experience)

Skills gaps

Those of us who have not been in formal education for many years, or who have been working in certain jobs and careers for some time, may have a gap in some key skills (e.g. technological, written communication etc) that can make the prospect of study daunting and could make it harder for us to succeed once at university. Technological advances in education have meant that many of our study resources are now accessible online and many courses routinely use technology that we might not be familiar with. In addition, using the library, referencing, formal writing and even note taking are all skills that we may need to learn or refresh.

Different starting points

For those students entering into full-time higher education at eighteen, the progression and support routes are clearer – we know we can get advice from our schools and colleges, from Connexions etc. However, for those of us who are ‘outside’ the system, there is no ‘one route’ in.

When I was thinking about becoming a mature student, I ended up going to Connexions and telling them I was going to need their help, because I didn’t know where else to start.(NSF member)

Mature and/or part-time students: understanding the context


Excellence in action: tailoring support for mature and part-time students within a specialist university

Birkbeck College (part of the University of London) is a specialist provider of part-time education and describes itself as ‘London’s evening university’. It provides a comprehensive array of courses from certificates in HE to first degrees, from masters programmes to PhDs – all mostly studied in the evening.

Most Birkbeck students are mature learners – the average undergraduate is 35, but students of all ages study at Birkbeck. Most students are juggling study with working and/or raising a family. Many students are admitted without traditional qualifications.

A new student experience project is currently exploring how best to support the needs of part-time and mature learners. Phase one of the student experience project is a set of My Birkbeck student support services that launched in August 2009. The project aims to provide a seamless student journey through the college, from first enquiry to graduation and beyond, for all students at all levels.

The My Birkbeck services include: a new interactive website that will be the starting point for most students’ enquiries and gathers information from across the college. Experienced Birkbeck students, who are often juggling study with work and childcare, will be able to resolve issues from home or the office. Less experienced students or prospective students will be able to talk to someone on the helpdesk.

a ‘one stop shop’ helpdesk will be open when students need it, including evenings and weekends and will provide access to all the advice and information students need face to face, over the phone and by email. Helpdesk staff have been trained on the extensive student support services available throughout the college and will immediately be able to answer frequently asked questions, enabling other student support specialist departments to deal with more detailed and complex enquiries.

a new student communication plan that sends timely and targeted information and support to prospective and current students, especially before and after term one. Over the next few months Birkbeck will trial using the new communication channels to connect its prospective and current students with its enthusiastic alumni for mentoring, buddying and careers support.

a new set of induction activities and a new handbook that will ensure that all new students get the best start possible and help with the transition back to study.

a student support forum that connects the My Birkbeck services with all student support services across the college. This will allow a dynamic relationship between the support students are looking for and the services that can help them.

a student voice forum that ensures that the service is meeting the needs of students.

There will be three tiers of service available to students: level one will be the help desk, providing a front door to all student support services. Referrals will be made for issues that can’t be resolved immediately and expert advice will be arranged or an appointment made for a later date; this will reduce the pressure on all specialist services.

level two will be co-located in the front of house area and will include services such as the library issue and help desk, the ITS help desk, self-service PCs, flexible, one to one interview spaces and an expanding coffee bar.

level three will be located behind the helpdesk and can be accessed via the helpdesk.The expertise in school offices will be closely involved with the helpdesk.

Excellence in action: tailoring support for mature students within a non-specialist university

The Lifelong Learning Centre (LLC) at Leeds University provides specialist support, services and programmes to mature undergraduate part-time and full-time students. In addition to running its own part-time certificates, Foundation degrees and Honours degrees, it also acts as a ‘home’ for mature and part-time undergraduates across the institution. The specialist support it provides includes: comprehensive web pages with a range of advice tailored to mature students two-day Academic Support Workshops that include sessions on registering/applying to university, using the library, writing essays and coping with study

a physical space on campus for mature students can study, socialise, and access specialist advisors

In the 2007/08 National Students Survey 96% of Lifelong Learning Centre students expressed ‘overall satisfaction’ with their student experience.

For further information visit http://www.leeds.ac.uk/lifelonglearningcentre/



What are the system-specific issues for mature and part-time students?

1. Limited public funding or subsidies for part-time students

We believe the student finance system unfairly disadvantages individual part-time students. We are also aware that universities who predominantly teach part-time students also tend to be financially disadvantaged.* We would like to see both these imbalances redressed.

Part-time students cannot access student loans and this can lead to massive pressures on students who may already be juggling work and families. While some mature and part-time students are eligible for the access to learning fund, they often don’t hear of it.

There should be pro rata financial entitlements for part-time students. It’s just unrealistic to expect all employers are going to be happy to pay for this, especially if they think you’re doing it to get a better job somewhere else!(Visiting student)

I’m a part-time student who also gets funding from my employer. Employer co-funding is at about 41% – but then we are often bound to our place of work for years afterwards.(Visiting student)

In addition, only full-time students are exempt from paying council tax.

2. Lack of entitlement to funding to re-train in a different area

Some of us who are mature students may have returned to higher education to retrain due to losing our jobs, or due to concerns about the lack of opportunities in the future in the area in which we originally studied. However, we are concerned the withdrawal of funding for ELQ (equivalent or lower qualifications) will have a huge impact on us, preventing many of us from being able to re-train.

I just don’t understand it. Government says it needs people to re-train in areas that are going to be useful to the economy – but then won’t allow you to apply for another loan to retrain if you’ve already studied another subject before, no matter how irrelevant that original subject may be! Maybe they could drop the ELQ rule for key skills or subjects – a bit like they did with the golden handshakes with teaching for the shortage subjects. (NSF member)

3. Lack of clarity about where to source independent IAG

For those of us who are looking for a part-time course, it can be difficult to know where to get

this information, as it is not provided on the UCAS site. In addition, there isn’t the equivalent of Connexions or the schools careers advisor to help us navigate our journey.

Sometime, you don’t even know the right questions to ask, or what kind of things to take into consideration. (Visiting student)

Full-time undergrads have UCAS – everyone else has Google! (NSF Member)

Some colleges run courses which act as ‘feeders’ to university, and some universities run taster courses – both of which can be great, but we need to know where to go to get independent advice before we make a decision about whether to go ahead with it as a full course.

A taster course can be very misleading about what it’s like to study somewhere full-time as a mature student. Also, the college can sometimes ‘push’ you towards their affiliated university – even though that might not be the right choice. You need to be encouraged to weigh up the options and make sure it’s the right place for you. (Visiting student)

4. Lack of sufficiently tailored IAG

It can be difficult for us to assess whether a university will suit our needs and enable us to complete our studies successfully because, at present, many universities are still providing us with the information they supply to traditional students. We need to know how flexible the university is, what its childcare provision is like, how many hours/days we will realistically need to devote to our studies, when university resources will be available to us, how we can bridge the gaps in our education etc. For mature students who are also disabled, the need for specialist IAG is particularly acute. Lack of this information in advance leads to higher dropout rates because we were not able to make a sufficiently informed decision.

Information also needs to be appropriately pitched for people who may not have been in formal education for years.

The information often unwittingly says ‘it’s not for people like you’ because it’s full of education jargon. (NSF Member)

Support on how to get an academic reference when you left school 20 years ago is essential! (Visiting student)

*For example, the current funding structure means that Birkbeck, University of London receives funding as if it were an HEI educating just over 7000 full time students – when in fact it actually educates 19,000 part-time students. There is a part time funding premium but it does not come close to covering the costs when all 19000 students need to attend open evenings, use the application and enrolment facilities, access the library, use student support services, attend induction etc



What are the system-specific issues for mature and part-time students? (Cont...)

5. Unsympathetic timetabling

It may sound trivial but, for mature and part-time students who are often balancing families, careers and caring duties with their studies, the timetable can be the difference between successful completion and failure. Some universities understand this and so, for example, streamline contact hours into blocks of time at manageable times of the day.

A 10am start allows for the school run – a 9am start doesn’t! (Visiting student)

We also need advance notice of the timetable and consistency of study days to enable us to plan.

When my timetable changes each semester, or even each year, these things can be hard to manage. As a part-time student, I need timings to be constant. (Visiting student)

6. Lack of sufficiently flexible modes of study, course structures and study resources

The issue of flexibility around study modes, course structures and access to study resources is clearly critical for mature and part-time students, but is symptomatic of many students’ increasing expectations of personalisation and responsiveness in response to a broader societal shift. We have covered this in more detail in Chapter 1.

It’s so urgent, it’s mainstream! It’s not just for mature and part-time students. The whole system needs to move on and adapt to meet today’s changing world. (NSF member)

This need for flexibility also has implications for support systems ranging from tutors and academic staff to student finance advisors; from student unions to the cafeteria.

It can also be an isolating experience attending lectures at night, when even the cafeteria is no longer open. Sometimes it’s the caretaker who’s directing you to the lecture room.(Visiting member)

7. Inadequate childcare provision

Childcare provision can be great at some universities, but many universities have limited spaces and inflexible opening hours – which isn’t helpful for those of us studying in the evenings, or during half-terms or work placements, when our childcare needs will vary significantly.

I only attend lectures one day per week, but I can’t access campus childcare because the nursery requires children to be enrolled at least three days per week. (Visiting student)

8. Lack of opportunities to socialise and integrate

As we identified previously, not all mature/part-time students want to get involved with aspects of student life beyond the classroom. However, for those of us who do it can be difficult to find out about opportunities or activities that are targeted directly at students like us – or to know which ones attract such a diverse bunch that we wouldn’t feel out of place. We also recognise that integration and involvement with other students is one way in which the student learning experience can be improved (and can be correlated with student success), for this reason we feel it important that opportunities for wider participation are available to mature and part-time students.


25providing flexible childcare

Birkbeck Evening Nursery is particularly flexible and

responsive because it:

• is open at the time when most Birkbeck students

attend lectures: in the evenings between 5.30pm

and 9pm; and doesn’t close for half term or

reading weeks• is open to an unusually large age range of children,

from 2 years to 10 years (though in exceptional

cases they will accept children of up to 12 years)

• operates a ‘pay as you go’ system: parents only

pay for the sessions their children actually attend,

on a night by night basis. It is therefore available to

‘regular’, ‘occasional’ or ‘emergency’ users.

1. Increase flexibility in modes of study and course structuresSee our section on general Teaching and Learning for further detail

2. Tailor IAG specifically to the needs of mature and part-time studentsSystematically promote part-time courses through UCAS

3. Create a ‘know before you go’ pack of information specifically to support prospective mature and part-time students

4. Provide and widely promote ‘returning to learning’ courses that develop transferable study skills e.g. basic IT, writing, researching, referencing24

5. Implement optional buddying schemes for mature and/or part-time students

6. Ensure that support facilities and services are also reasonably available for those studying part-time e.g. student union; finance office; academic registry; student support services; cafes

7. Consider offering specific ‘study counselling’ sessions for students who are struggling to cope with competing study, work and life pressures

24 preparing students to return

to learning

Staffordshire University’s free-to-all Step Up to HE Certificate

is designed specifically for people who would like to return

to study but are unsure how to go about it and what it will

entail. It consists of two modules. Module 1: Enhancing

your skills, includes classes on note-taking, preparing for

lectures and seminars, research skills, using the library and IT

support materials. Module 2: Subject Tasters and Guidance

for the Future, allows students to sample a range of learning

perspectives from a selection of academic disciplines across the

University. Students explore and experience a variety of learning

and teaching approaches. Throughout the module students are

also offered opportunities for advice and guidance about future

study routes. Students are assigned a personal tutor and are

able to meet with Student Ambassadors. The course is worth 30

credit points at level 0, qualifying students for level 1 of a degree

course. The course requires full time attendance over either a six

or eight week period.

How can universities and and part-time students?



Our primary recommendation for improving the experience for mature and part-time students is to increase flexibility of modes of study, course content and study resources. Details are outlined in our chapter on Teaching and Learning. In addition, we urge all universities and colleges to take the time to consider their current offer from the perspective of a prospective mature, part-time student – and consider the aspects that could potentially be easily adapted and those which might require a more systematic review.

In the meantime, we outline below ten steps that universities and colleges can take to improve their overall offer to mature and part-time students.

We recommend that universities and colleges include the following content for mature and part-time students in a ‘know before you go’ pack:

The average number of mature and part-time students studying on the course (broken down by demographic into number of 21 – 25 year olds and number of 25+ year olds)

Transparent information about the application process including how non-traditional qualifications are assessed for credit towards meeting application criteria

How to access support during theapplication process (e.g. help with getting academic references)

Information on any funding options and entitlements that may be available (including discretionary grants, childcare funding etc)

Early notification of the timetable, both numbers of hours and specific day/s and times students will be expected to attend university

An indication of likely peaks in activity and assessment deadlines during the course

Specifically targeted information from student unions about:

– the range of services available to all students, but which highlight those which may be of particular interest or relevance to mature and part-time students

– how to get more involved in student life (if they wish) – either socially or politically

– any activities and social networks aimed directly at them, or which attract a diverse range of students in which they won’t feel isolated

Childcare costs and levels of provision

Information on ‘returning to learning’ courses (e.g. to support the development of specific IT and study skills)

Information on the university’s support and ‘buddying’ policies for mature and/or part-time students

The university policy on work extensions, deferral of course completion, and re-takes


NSF ideal ‘Know Before You Go’ pack for mature and part-time students

8. Ensure that timetabling is sympathetic to the needs of mature and part-time students

stick to set class times over the course of a year, don’t change each term

consider whether start/end times enable students to work around childcare or work commitments

provide notification of the timetable as early as possible to enable students to plan for childcare and/or work arrangement

9. Ensure childcare provision is as flexible as possible25

consider offering ‘pay as you go’ services that provide additional flexibility

childcare provision should mirror study patterns (if the course is in the evening, childcare should be open in the evening too

10. Work with the Students’ Union to provide social spaces and opportunities for mature and part-time students

colleges support mature



NSF Recommendations for mature and part-time students


We have indicated what it would mean for students in our day to day lives if these recommendations were successfully

implemented, along with some potential indicators of success. As students we are not experts in the workings of the sector, and we both value and respect the sector’s autonomy. We therefore urge Government and/or national sector organisations as appropriate to consider how these recommendations might be taken forward most effectively – either individually or collaboratively. We invite stakeholders to view our work as an invitation to engage in an ongoing dialogue to bring about improvement for all students in future.

What would this mean for students? How could we measure success?

2. Encourage greater transferability (of credits) between institutions (also featured in Teaching and Learning, Chapter 1)

I am aware that I can transfer from one university or college to another easily

High levels of awareness amongst students that transferring between courses and between institutions is both possible and relatively simple

More universities and colleges accept applicable credit transfer from another university

3. Increase flexibility and innovation in course structures and modes of delivery (also featured in Teaching and Learning, Chapter 1)

I am able to complete my degree in a variety of modes to suit my needs, e.g. full-time, part-time, modular or distance

In most cases I am able take a break from my studies and return to it at a later stage, even if that is much later

Most universities offer choice of mode of study on most courses

Time limits for completing degrees are only imposed where absolutely necessary (e.g. where course currency is critical e.g. medicine, law etc)

10. Review student finance policy to provide comparative funding for part-time students and the universities that teach them

As a part-time student I can afford to go to university, regardless of my age or other circumstances

I can access student loans, council tax exemptions and wider benefits packages that are comparable to full-time students

There is a significant increase in part-time student applications and admissions

Increasing numbers of part-time students are completing their degrees

More universities have access to the equivalent of full-time funding and are offering a much wider range of part-time courses

Part-time study is no longer considered to be ‘the exception’

11. Review ELQ policy, especially for courses that address specific skills shortages

I am able to return to university to re-train in a skills-shortage subject even if I already have a degree

The UK’s skills needs are being effectively met because more people are choosing to go back to university or college (to study shortage subjects in particular)

05

Improving the experience of disabled students

As a Forum, we recognise that any discussion surrounding disabled students sits within the broader context of equality and diversity within higher education. We certainly don’t consider disability to be more important than any other aspect of equality and diversity, and when we develop recommendations for key topics we aim to ensure that our approach is inclusive of as wide a range of perspectives as possible. Nevertheless, having considered issues that were raised by the student juries and in the light of some of our own experiences, last year we held a subgroup to explore some of the issues that are particular to this group of students in more detail.

The subgroup developed draft proposals for improving the experience of disabled students, for further consideration and refinement by the full Forum this year. We invited the Equality Challenge Unit to work alongside us to identify a number of ways in which universities can support disabled students, along with several recommendations for Government and partner organisations.

We were delighted to learn that much is already happening in the sector to improve the disabled student experience. Some examples both at a national and institutional level include:

Government published a statistical report on disabled students in higher education in May 2009, exploring both the issues faced by, and the progression of, disabled students*

HE Academy convened a year long summit programme on inclusive learning and teaching in association with the ECU and Equality Forward in 2009. It is completing research on the experiences of ten institutions developing and embedding inclusive policy and practice. It has published a series of resource bulletins focusing on inclusive learning and teaching. With the ECU, it is in the process of updating its current version of Disability Legislation: Practical Guidance for

Academics, which highlights inclusive practice when teaching disabled students

ECU (funded by HEFCE) has commissioned the Inclusive campus: practical guidance

on sensory accessibility research project to improve general accessibility and the accessibility of student services and teaching environments for sensory-impaired students. Findings will be available later in 2009

Aimhigher North London (now Aimhigher WECAN) is continuing with its successful This-Ability ambassador programme in which disabled students and recent graduates work with disabled school pupils to encourage them to enter higher education

Anglia Ruskin University has developed a blended learning module on inclusive practice (accredited by the Staff and Educational Development Association), which will shortly be available to academic and support staff

We welcome this focus, and look forward to the improvements that these initiatives will hopefully bring. However, we don’t think that there is room for complacency, and there is still more to be done to ensure that all disabled students have a positive experience of higher education.

With this in mind, and in order to further develop our recommendations from last year in this area, we reviewed some of the persisting issues faced by disabled students as identified by the Forum’s subgroup in 07/08. In summary these comprise:

1. The need for more tailored information before entry into higher education about:

what learning support is available

how accessible different aspects of university life are

2. Insufficient awareness of the specialist financial support available

3. Misconceptions and stigma that unwittingly perpetuate discrimination, such as:

well-intentioned assumption e.g. some

staff assume that all disabled students will

automatically have issues with time management

subconscious discrimination e.g. when

disclosure of a disability sometimes leads

to subsequent problems in obtaining work

placements or affects expectations of

performance during assessment processes

4. Academic disadvantage arising from:

uneven access to electronic textbooks and the inconsistent provision of transcription and interpretation services

insufficient training and awareness for teaching staff about accessible approaches

patchy use of personal development plans (PDPs), which can be a particularly powerful support tool for disabled students when implemented effectively

5. Non-academic challenges arising from insufficiently accessible:

orientation processes

accommodation

social activities and opportunities

A more comprehensive overview of our discussions last year can be found in our 2008 report†. We outline below our suggestions for the ways in which universities can help to support disabled students, along with some examples of institutions who are already implementing excellent initiatives to do so.

Improving the experience of disabled students

*http://www.dius.gov.uk/~/media/publications/D/DIUS_RR_09_06

†http://www.dius.gov.uk/higher_education/students/student_listening_programme/national_student_forum


1. Improve IAG for prospective disabled students

actively promote the involvement of disabled students in all student ambassador schemes

include tailored information, advice and guidance on the specific provision for disabled students at individual universities


How can universities and disabled students?



To improve the experience of disabled students, we would like to see all universities and colleges:

26 raising awareness of disability

issues through awareness

weeks

The University of the Arts London is one of many universities

that raises awareness of disability issues through disability

awareness weeks. In March 2009, University of the Arts

London held its first Disability Week to raise awareness of art

informed by disability and the experiences of disabled artists

and students, as well as explore the access issues faced by

arts institutions. The week focused on raising awareness of

both visible and hidden disabilities such as mental health and

dyslexia and opened with a headline ‘Are the Arts inclusive?’

debate. It was followed by 17 events, including the screening

of films, artist talks, exhibitions, disability awareness training, a

student assembly, and consultation and careers development

for disabled students.

27 embedding disability awareness into CPD for

teaching and management staff

Example 1: The University of Liverpool offers disability awareness training for all staff

within the university, particularly those who have contact with students and those

with management responsibilities. It offers half day training in diversity and equality

practices as part of its continuing professional development programme. The course

is designed to enhance staff’s understanding and awareness of disability and the

responsibilities of the University and staff when working with students who are

disabled. See http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/equality/Tools_and_Good_Practice.htm for

more information.

Example 2: In 2004 the University of York obtained £14,000 from HEFCE to fund

and support nine departmental development projects which have integrated equality

and diversity (E&D) into curriculum and teaching and learning. Projects included:

• setting up a Staff Peer Appraisal Group in the biology department to monitor

issues concerning equality and diversity within the curriculum. The department has

produced a supervisor’s handbook to include information on E&D equality and

diversity training and guidance for individuals with a teaching or pastoral role.

• the development of an e-based learning tool for academic staff to support

disability awareness in the context of teaching and learning.

*Currently (September 09) Precept 7, section 3 of the QAA Code of Practice

2. Review and, where necessary, revise enrolment and induction procedures to ensure that they are inclusive and tailored to meet the needs of disabled students

work with current disabled students to evaluate how effectively current guidance* on enrolment and induction for disabled students is being implemented

3. Raise awareness of disability issues within universities and colleges amongst the wider student community

establish disability awareness activities within universities and colleges e.g. encourage halls of residences to run specific events26

embed equality and diversity training into the student curriculum and/or offer certificate short courses on equality and diversity

widely promote the benefits of using personal development plans (PDPs), especially for disabled students; ensure facilities and resources are available to support students to make PDPs when they choose to; and ensure new e-versions of PDPs are accessible for disabled students

4. Improve awareness of disability issues amongst academic staff

ensure staff with pastoral responsibilities are able to signpost students to relevant people and organisations

ensure all staff are trained in accessible approaches to teaching and learning as part of standard training and development processes27

5. Ensure that institutional feedback mechanisms capture data for disabled students, and use to improve future provision


Empowering and supporting disabled international students

The issues faced by disabled students can be particularly exacerbated for students from overseas, who are also dealing with cultural differences and a lack of knowledge of how the UK system works. It is important that these students feel that the university or college understands the particular issues they are facing (culturally, physically and emotionally) and that they can talk to other students who are in a similar situation.

We encourage individual institutions and/or sector organisations to consider how the needs of this student group might be met more effectively. For example:

setting up an association of disabled international students, or the equivalent mechanism, to meet the needs of this student group via peer support

promoting awareness in universities about the particular needs of disabled international students

tailoring information advice and guidance to this specific student group, perhaps through an extension of the NSF’s proposed IAG portal

colleges support


Recommendations for supporting disabled students


We have indicated what it would mean for students in our day to day lives if these recommendations were successfully

implemented, along with some potential indicators of success. As students we are not experts in the workings of the sector, and we both value and respect the sector’s autonomy. We therefore urge Government and/or national sector organisations as appropriate to consider how these recommendations might be taken forward most effectively – either individually or collaboratively. We invite stakeholders to view our work as an invitation to engage in an ongoing dialogue to bring about improvement for all students in future

What would this mean to students? How could we measure success?

4. Develop a national strategy to increase students’ access to academic texts through electronic means (also featured in Teaching and Learning, Chapter 1)

It is easy for me to access the academic texts I need, regardless of what type of student I am

E-books are in widespread use, particularly by distance learners and disabled students

Disabled students routinely have access to software that ensures academic texts are accessible

In the longer term, all texts are simultaneously published electronically at the time of initial hard copy publication

6. Identify ways in which university careers services can be better supported to meet the needs of particular student groups (e.g. disabled students) (also featured in Employability, Chapter 2)

I am satisfied that I have been able to access satisfactory specialist careers guidance

All university IAG services offer dedicated, tailored support for disabled students – and this is widely acknowledged to be the case by these students

12. Improve disability awareness training in universities and colleges

I am able to access course teaching and materials, regardless of my disability

I am confident my tutor can support me

I find my university/college experience inclusive and equal, and do not face active or inadvertent discrimination from my peers or university/college staff

Disability awareness training is standard in all initial lecturer training

Disability awareness events are standard at all universities and colleges (e.g. during induction weeks)

Lecturers tailor their teaching to ensure it is accessible by all students

Disabled students report consistently high levels of satisfaction with all aspects of their higher education experience


06

Student Accommodation

As a Forum, our criteria for developing our work programme includes a commitment to focusing on the areas which are of high importance to, and which are relatively widely experienced by, students but also on which we can potentially make the most impact. We are aware that, although accommodation issues can cause high levels of stress and anxiety for students, any discussion around improving the situation is necessarily complex, since so many factors that are external to the higher education system are involved e.g. the general cost of living, geographical variations and property market forces.

Nevertheless, because accommodation issues can impact so greatly upon a student’s experience of university, and therefore remain high up the student agenda, we were keen to lay out some of the widespread problems and challenges and identify any simple steps that could potentially be taken to improve matters.

We invited Universities UK (UUK), Unite (the largest provider of student accommodation in the UK), the National Union of Students (NUS) and the International Accommodation Officer at London Metropolitan University to join us to outline some examples of positive action already being undertaken – for example, a review of ‘Codes of Practice’ to set out clearer guidance for those working in the student accommodation field.

We learned that these organisations, along with the Accreditation Network UK (ANUK, a network

that promotes accreditation in private rented

residential accommodation), Unipol (who work to improve training, standards and professionalism in student housing) and CUBO (College and

University Business Officers who administer

the UUK Code of Practice and manage student

accommodation across the sector) are already working to:

develop, revise and join up existing accommodation Codes of Practice*

promote social integration intolocal communities

provide dedicated help at universitiesand colleges

We identified some of the key accommodation issues for students and then developed our ideal vision for a university that is tackling this problem as well as can be expected, given the complexity of the external factors.

We have not developed formal recommendations in this area, but rather invite stakeholders such as the NUS, UUK, Unipol, CUBO, ANUK, UKCISA, the Department for Communities and Local Government and accommodation providers, to view our initial work on this as an invitation to engage in an ongoing dialogue – with us, and with each other – to explore these issues in further detail. However, we urge university and college accommodation services, in particular, to consider the implications for their practice, and to make improvements as necessary.

*Current Codes of Practice include the UUK Code of Practice (which caters for predominantly university owned and administered accommodation) and the ANUK Code of Practice (which caters predominantly for privately provided student accommodation).

For UUK, see http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/PolicyAndResearch/Guidance/AccommodationCodeofPractice/Pages/default.aspx

For ANUK, see:

http://www.anuk.org.uk/LargeCode/Introduction.asp


When things go wrong with accommodation, it can affect every aspect of our life: we risk being less likely to succeed academically or losing control of our finances. Worse though, it can seriously affect our overall sense of wellbeing.(NSF Member)

Why focus on student accommodation?

NSF vision for student accommodation: where are we trying to get to?We have outlined our vision of where we are trying to get to – and invite sector organisations to engage with us in further dialogue to explore how we can get there.

If my living circumstances as a student

are ideal:


Students are treated and perceived as equal members of the community, and I make an effort to contribute towards this positive perception

I am consulted about issues that affect me, for example, I or my fellow students have had the opportunity to comment on planning applications for new student accommodation

I can see that building an inclusive community, where I feel comfortable regardless of my age, gender, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation, is a high priority for my university and the local community I feel protected by the law

I am confident of my rights and that I have made an informed choice

I feel there is someone to support me in my accommodation choices

I know how to lodge complaints and I am confident they will be followed up

I feel comfortable walking home in the evening because there is adequate lighting within the complex and its immediate vicinity

I feel I get reasonable value for money, given the general cost of housing in my local area

I am able to pay for my accommodation and my living expenses with the money I get from my student loans and a part-time job if I need to

I am able to study and get on with my work

I have access to the internet and other specialist facilities to meet my needs

I have the amount of space I need especially if I have a disability or dependents

I can choose who I live with

I feel like an included, valued and respected member of my

community because:

I feel safe because:

I feel financially secure because:

My living space is appropriate to my needs because:


Student accommodation: common issues and challenges

Increasing costs of accommodation, especially in relation to the size of student loans

Our accommodation costs continue to rise year on year and, although there are often vast regional variations in prices, there is no variation (beyond the additional London allowance) in student finance entitlements to take account of this. The NUS/Unipol Accommodation survey 2006/07 states:

London is, predictably, the most expensive area for living in student accommodation with an average rent of…£4,038 a year. Wales is the cheapest area for students with an average rent of…£2,581 a year. It is 56% more expensive to live in institutional accommodation in London than it is in Wales.*

Rents will inevitably have increased since this last survey, and indeed student accommodation in some areas, like London, Oxford and Birmingham, is now so expensive that our student loans barely cover the rental costs. Obviously, it is often cheaper for us to live further out of town, but the transport costs can sometimes wipe out the benefits.

We would like to see all Students’ Unions and/or accommodation services trying to negotiate:

a range of prices/types of accommodation to reflect the different needs and wants of a diverse student body

affordable accommodation for those students unable to pay high rents

more travel subsidy schemes for students at a local level28

We hope that forthcoming student finance reviews will take into account students’ increased cost of living.

Patchy relationships between students and the wider community

As students, we want to be a part of our communities and be supported to make informed choices about our housing. In some cities (e.g. London and Manchester) students are spread out all over the city and in these situations, it can be easier to integrate fully into the wider community if we make the effort to do so. In other situations, where we are living in purpose-built student accommodation or in areas of a city that are heavily inhabited by other students, this integration can be harder. Many of us enjoy the camaraderie and relative sense of ‘security’ that living amongst other students can bring, but everyone (from students to local government planning officers) should be aware of the artificial barriers it can potentially create between students and the rest of the population in the local area. In these situations, it can be harder to promote a sense of connection and, therefore, hopefully a mutual respect, between the student population and the wider community. Obviously we acknowledge that we are only likely to command this respect when we behave in a constructive way that does not reinforce negative stereotypes of student behaviour.

Students are rarely involved by local authorities in planning decisions that can affect us e.g. limits to the number of new build accommodation for students, and we would like to see more of this happening.

We would like to see:

more Students’ Unions and accommodation services working with local community associations to build relationships and improve perceptions of students within the wider community29

28 subsidising student

travel

Transport for London provides discounted

travel for all students studying at London

Universities on buses and tubes.

In addition, Cambridge provides discounted

travel for students commuting between

disparate university campuses on certain

bus lines.

29 pro-actively building

relationships with the wider

community

The University of Birmingham’s Guild of Students’

Community Wardens Scheme works with local

organisations like the council, police and fire service

to make Selly Oak (an area with a large student

population near to the University’s Edgbaston campus)

a cleaner, safer, more pleasant place to live. Student

Community Wardens are students from the University

of Birmingham who are trained in dealing with issues

within the community such as landlord queries, deposit

recovery, neighbour issues, antisocial behaviour and

safety and security at home.

*NUS, UUK, Accommodation Costs Survey 2006/07, p.6,


Student accommodation: common issues and challenges (Cont...)

more university accommodation services working with private landlords to encourage them to be more open to renting to students outside the ‘traditional’ student areas – and promoting these new areas to students, alongside the usual ones30

more universities and local authority planning services collaborating with students to explore the issues and co-design solutions31

Variable quality of accommodation

Of course we accept that, in a situation where much student accommodation is owned or managed by private companies or landlords and is therefore subject to wider market forces, the quality of accommodation is, to a large extent, going to be determined by what you can afford to pay as an individual. However, we don’t want to see a situation in which only wealthier students can afford reasonable quality accommodation.

One challenge is that we may all have a different interpretation of what counts as ‘reasonable quality’: aspects that some students may consider to be luxuries (or which would have been viewed as luxuries for students in the past e.g. en-suites), others may view as part of the basics of modern living. The criteria for what constitutes ‘quality’ are constantly shifting.

I think that things like broadband access should automatically be included in the package for university halls in this day and age.(NSF member)

During our discussions, we learned that there are supporting laws and guidance in place that set out the specific standards that rented accommodation must meet,* and the requirement to have a clear complaint system in place if it doesn’t. However, we are not sure that these are always particularly clearly communicated to, or understood by, students in general.

We want university accommodation services to increase awareness amongst students of the basics they should expect when looking for accommodation. We also want to be sure that every university has a clear policy in place for dealing with accommodation that doesn’t come up to scratch – and that students know what to do if they have concerns that these standards aren’t being met.32

Lack of sufficient accessible accommodation for certain groups of students

Those of us with access requirements often lack the same choices in accommodation as our non-disabled peers. Limited appropriate accommodation is also an issue for those of us with children† or those of us who are disabled and/or have caring responsibilities. Often, university-provided halls of residence are our only choice – and even these often have very limited numbers of accessible rooms, and too few options for student parents. Private landlords have little incentive to upgrade or adapt their properties to meet our needs.

30 diversifying the areas

in which students live

Unipol in Leeds makes a point of advertising

accommodation outside of the typical

‘student’ areas, which has seen students

starting to spread out into other areas.

32 Informing and empowering students about

accommodation issues

Sheffield Hallam University’s accommodation services offer comprehensive advice and guidance

for students wishing to find their accommodation in the private sector. They have an online

database of registered accommodation and a comprehensive website offering advice about rent,

tenancy deposit protection, and television licensing etc. In addition, their publication, A Rough

Guide to House hunting, includes

• how to find private sector accommodation

• the most convenient places to live

• legal requirements of signing a contract

• reasonable rents to pay for different types of accommodation in any given area

• dealing with repairs and other problems.

They also run a House hunting Week in the first week of September to give students the

opportunity to access advice and information while searching for accommodation on a university

minibus tour. Highlighted in the NUS Meet the Parents report

e

nt,

ere sisityty

31 involving students in the planning

processYork St John University worked closely with developers,

neighbours, students, and the city council in the planning of

their newest halls of residence. The accommodation was one of

four shortlisted schemes in the 2009 Times Higher Education

Award for National Outstanding New Residence because it

could demonstrate that it: won the approval of those for whom

the halls are home; improved energy efficiency; and provided

exceptional facilities for disabled students.

It has been a model of success – with local residents, the

students, community police teams, local councillors and the

developers all playing an integral part. (York St John University’s

director of facilities, Colin Parkin)

*e.g. the Housing Act 2004, the UUK and ANUK Codes of Practice

†Highlighted in the NUS Meet the Parents report


Student accommodation: common issues and challenges (Cont...)

We welcome Equality Challenge Unit’s forthcoming guidance on inclusive design, and would like to see Government introduce incentives for private landlords to adapt their properties to better accommodate disabled students and/or other student groups who may have additional accommodation requirements.

We would also like to see private providers of student halls (who are already legally required to provide appropriate accommodation under the DDA) to increase the number of rooms that are available and accessible for disabled students, for students with families – and for disabled students with families.

Insensitive allocation within halls of residence

There is often a lack of transparency about how rooms get allocated and against which criteria. Sometimes universities will place all international students together without asking them their preference first.

I didn’t come all the way from China to study in England just to be surrounded by other Chinese students all the time! I just wish they’d asked me what I’d prefer first. (Student juror)

Similarly, postgraduates and/or mature students can find themselves put in amongst younger undergraduates – some may prefer to be with those in a more similar situation, whereas others would enjoy being ‘part of the melting pot.’ There are also those who, for religious or cultural reasons, may not feel comfortable being with members of the opposite sex.

We would like to see all university accommodation services offering prospective students the chance to express a preference about types of accommodation; and all residential managers being flexible and accommodating people’s individual requests.

Contractual issues

Some of us have faced difficulties because we did not understand the full implications of the contracts we were signing; others because landlords are unfairly failing to return deposits when there are no basis on which to be withholding the money.

In addition, those of us renting shared properties with an annual joint rental of £25,000 or over lack the protection afforded by an assured shorthold tenancy (AST), such as the requirement that the landlord has to lodge our deposit in one of the deposit protection schemes.

We would like to see more accommodation services offering contract checking services.33 In addition, we lend our voice to the current NUS campaign to revise and raise the AST threshold.

Insufficient information provided by accommodation services

We sometimes struggle to access the information that we need from some university accommodation services. Many of us are still experiencing:

out of date accommodation lists for private landlords34

33 providing a contract

checking service

Many universities including Durham,

Nottingham, Birmingham and Birmingham

City universities provide free contract

checking services. At Nottingham, students

are able to sit down with trained advisors

who will explain clauses and jargon to make

sure students are happy with the agreement

before signing.

34 accrediting landlords

on an annual basis

Unipol update accredited lists of private

landlords in Leeds and Nottingham

annually. Private landlords ask to be

accredited by Unipol in order to fill their

houses because students want to live in

Unipol-accredited housing. Unipol also

has a contract checking service

for students.

35preventing ‘panic renting’

Some unscrupulous landlords encourage prospective tenants

to ‘panic rent’ at the end of the Christmas term, suggesting that

there will be nothing available by the spring – or that they will

have to pay higher than market value prices.

Durham Students’ Union runs an annual ‘Relax' campaign

urging students not to rush to sign up for accommodation

before the end of the Christmas term. Through presentations to

first year students in each college early each December, the SU:

• encourages students not to settle into household groups

before friendships are properly cemented

• informs students that in Durham there is often a surplus

of accommodation, so there is no need to pay over market

valued prices• distributes guides to house hunting and ‘living out’


Student accommodation: common issues and challenges (Cont…)

These should be updated annually – and if students have made substantiated complaints about any properties or landlords, they should be struck off the list if the issue hasn’t been resolved. (NSF member)

lack of awareness raising for students re contractual rights and responsibilities and ‘things to watch out for’ (e.g. lease flexibility)

For those of us renting for the first time, we don’t always know the pitfalls to look out for, or what is expected of us vs. the landlord. We need support in understanding the meaning behind the jargon of contracts – especially international students, who don’t always fully get the finer points of the complicated language that’s used. (NSF member)

lack of access to ‘virtual tours’of accommodation

Most estate agents have these now – it’s pretty basic technology, and really useful for disabled or international students, or even those with long distances to travel within the UK.(NSF member)

insufficient promotion of the full range of accommodation options

I know international students who weren’t told that they could have saved money by renting privately – they were only told about university halls. (NSF member)

We outline our suggestions for the service a university accommodation service should ideally provide below. In addition, we would like to see services promoting transparency about the priority that we should – or conversely needn’t – be placing upon finding accommodation, in our particular city or institution of study. We need to have a better understanding of when it’s urgent – and when we can afford to take our time.35


Service principles and ethosA service which is: impartial, and within which success is measured by finding the right accommodation for the student

inclusive and accessible to all students regardless of their age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation

honest in its advertising (it should not imply that its best accommodation is standard or that all accommodation provided by the university is like the one in the brochures or website if that isn’t the case)

committed to listening to and collaborating with students to help inform the service it provides

active in promoting a positive image of students to local communities to support better social cohesion

dedicated to promoting and providing high quality student accommodation, by ensuring that all student accommodation is registered with either the UUK or ANUK Codes of Practice* or the local authority

Staff Staff who are: culturally sensitive, honest, helpful – and sympathetic when things go wrong

factually aware of the entitlements of different types of students (e.g. disabled students)

knowledgeable about different welfare agencies and contacts

familiar with the area and transportation links and very knowledgeable about private landlords and properties

operating within the guidance laid out in the ECU Handbook for Student Accommodation Providers: Support and Guidance for Equality and Diversity (2009)

*For further information on these Codes of Practice, see UUK: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/PolicyAndResearch/Guidance/AccommodationCodeofPractice/Pages/default.aspx

Or ANUK:

http://www.anuk.org.uk/LargeCode/Introduction.asp

How can university or coll services best support stu



If a university accommodation service is working well, we would expect to see the following in place:


Service provisionService provision includes: comprehensive pre-arrival information to all students about the range of accommodation available and other related issues e.g.

– university owned and private accommodation options, including an up to date private landlord list

– costs (including overheads) – information on accessible accommodation – transport links in the local area (including

distances from key services, buildings of worship etc)

– a guide on ‘what to look out for’ when looking for accommodation (e.g. common pitfalls around contracts; unexpected costs; rent negotiation opportunities etc)

– information on contract-checking services – advice on how to complain if things go

wrong, both in private and university-owned accommodation

– information on how to express a preference for where you would like to be accommodated (e.g. mixed/single sex; with other international students/integrated etc)

– general information about the local community (e.g. councillors; local community groups etc)

a commitment to meeting individual student preferences for accommodation where possible – and to promoting the option for students to express this

increased availability of information, not just between 9am and 4pm during term time

excellent links and cross-departmental work between accommodation and student support services

360° virtual tours of all university-owned accommodation (not just the best rooms) to enable all students (including international and disabled students) to choose accommodation without having to visit the campus

excellent information for students wishing to rent privately including:

– annual lists of well maintained properties, ‘good’ landlords, and black listed landlords, in the private sector

• use this as leverage to encourage private landlords to adapt more accommodation to meet the needs of disabled students

– information on the right to negotiate on rent – a contract checking service for students

wishing to rent privately – information on the secure deposit scheme

and council tax systematic feedback mechanisms so that students can inform the provision of accommodation and accommodation services

– e.g. seek international students’ views on whether they would like their accommodation to be segregated, or integrated with home students

a commitment to providing/sourcing and promoting adequate affordable accommodation, and a range of types of accommodation to suit the range of student budgets

widespread promotion of the university’s policy for tackling accommodation that is not fit for purpose

an arbitration service for students who fall into conflict with their landlords

ege accommodation dents?

Appendix ANSF member biogs

Graham BatesI live in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. I completed my A-Levels in 2005 at Plantsbrook School. I had two years out of education working within the customer service sector of local government. I applied for University in 2007 as I felt I would like to go down the career path of being a primary school teacher. I was accepted at Newman University College to study BSc Geography and ICT. I joined the National Student Forum in June 2008. During my time on the Forum I have met some very interesting people and have made some great friends. I enjoy discussing issues with the Forum and creating recommendations.

Joel BraunoldI am a third year undergrad at the University of Bristol reading Philosophy. I am actively involved in student life having served as a Trustee of my Students Union and having been president of the Jewish Society in Bristol. I am a player in the largest university intramural 11 a side football league. I’m also a national officer in the National Union of Students and work on the faith and inclusion portfolio as well as being active in issues of housing and international justice. I head up the NUS anti-racism anti-Fascism campaign. Before attending Bristol, I spent two years in theological college in Jerusalem.

Lisa CarsonI have been a student with the Open University since 2002 and am working towards a BSc Open Degree studying a range of courses, predominantly in the Computing and Technology area. I have been involved with the Open University Students Association for most of my OU career becoming President in June 2007. This is a voluntary role which I manage alongside my employment as a Software Engineer and being a student.

Yee Xian ChoiI am a medical student from Malaysia currently studying at Newcastle University. Coming to the UK to further my studies three years ago was definitely a life-changing experience for me. Besides gaining knowledge from lecturers to clinical bedside teachings, I have now learned to become a learner, which is essential for my future career as a doctor. I am having a good time making friends and getting to know British culture. I hope the diversity created between different cultures can contribute towards a better outcome, especially in helping to improve the HE sector in the UK through the work of the NSF.

Phoebe Hoi Ki LauI am an undergraduate student at Durham University, pursuing Law. I was born in Hong Kong and I am an international student here in the UK. It will be my third year studying abroad and I continue to enjoy my time here. At the beginning, I experienced a bit of a cultural shock but have now successfully gotten over it. For this reason, I would like to be able to voice the thoughts and needs of an international student through the platform that this Forum offers. I am also now the President of the Durham University Hong Kong Society which is working with the aim to promote the Chinese and Hong Kong culture to the university and aid new students from Hong Kong in making as smooth a transition as possible. I am looking forward to the progress of the forum this year and hope that I can contribute in any way possible.y way possible.


Tshering LamaI was brought up in a very remote part of Nepal (Sermathang) and became involved in the health sector at the age of 13 as a volunteer health worker. I graduated from Northumbria University with a BSc Health Development Studies and with a Masters of Public Health. Since I arrived in the UK, I’ve been volunteering with several student projects within our university and with local Communities in Newcastle. I have been awarded with the first even Lord Glenamara International Scholarship in recognition of my efforts in improving public health and the environment through volunteering. I have also been named the North East’s International Student of the Year 2006. I was further honoured by our university by establishing 20 scholarships for Nepalese students under my name Tshering Lama Northumbria University Scholarships. It was the greatest honour for me from Northumbria University. Currently I am a PhD Research student and looking at the possibilities and limitations of telemedicine (telehealth) being applied in rural Nepal. I believe “do what you love doing and you will change the world while you’re doing it”.

Ismail MalikI have been involved in higher education since the early 90s, studied distance, on campus, undergraduate and graduate courses. I have also been active in the Student Movement, as Union President of two different institutions, UK Ambassador for SOCRATES, National Postgraduate Forum, University of London Union Exec, NUS, Council for International Students London Coordinator, Student with Disability Officer, Mature Students Union. My passion is cricket which I actively lobby to be an Olympic Sport. I believe in a more OpenCourseWare-led higher education system with great flexibility in examinations alongside more emphasis on Public Lectures and Learning. Current research proposal: Widening Participation through a multi modal OpenCourseWare and Public Lectures, University of London.

Aaron PorterI was re-elected with a landslide majority as the Vice-President (Higher Education) for the National Union of Students to serve a second term which is due to end in June 2010. In this post, I am responsible for leading representation and campaigns for students in UK higher education. Alongside this role, I am also a Non-Executive Board Director for the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), a Board member for the European Students’ Union (ESU) and an observer to the Board for the United Kingdom Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA). I am also on the Academic Council of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), the National Student Survey Steering Group, the Burgess Implementation Steering Group and the HEFCE Online Learning Task Force.

Prior to this, I graduated with a BA English from the University of Leicester in 2006, and then spent 2 years as a sabbatical officer and trustee of the Students’ Union. During this time I was the Deputy Chair (Communication) and a Board Member for NUS Services Ltd, the commercial arm of NUS. I also founded and was elected as the first Chair of Unions94 (the Student Unions of the 1994 Group of Universities) and chaired the Student Loans Company Student Consultative Group. As a student, I was editor of ‘The Ripple’ the student newspaper for the University of Leicester.

Rosemary Rimmer-ClayAs a student with a newly acquired label of ‘disability,’ my years as a student have been challenging, it has been disappointing to discover that higher education still has a long way to go to accommodate the right to educational equality for ‘non standard’ students. Without effective support students with disabilities continue to struggle with inflexible bureaucracies unwilling to adapt. But as a Quaker committed to promoting human rights and social justice I have found the National Student Forum a very worthwhile, lively and accessible Forum. I believe that higher education still offers the most potent solution to an unequal society: disabled social workers are also essential. Taking my didgeridoo, marimba and poetry, I went forth and stood on the Fourth Plinth to make the same point!


Samina SabirMy name is Samina Sabir and I am 21 years of age. I recently completed a degree in Education with Early Childhood Studies at Roehampton University and I am enrolled to undertake a PGCE this year at Anglia Ruskin University. Over my three years at Roehampton, I took an active role in working in the student union working on many campaigns as Welfare Officer, and Cultural and Diversity Officer. I was also a teacher of Roehampton Opportunity Accreditation Development whereby I taught key skills to other students, I was trained by NUS to do this. Furthermore, I was a student representative for Early Childhood Studies and a Sport and Wellbeing Ambassador. Due to my commitment and participation at Roehampton I was awarded the principal award which is given to one student every year. From these opportunities I have learnt many new things and gained valuable experiences.

Christopher SadlerI am a third year student at Birmingham City University studying Visual Communications (Photography) with the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. My interests and hobbies include a range of outdoor activities; walking, kayaking and climbing. I am also an active member of the scouting movement.

Maeve SherlockI am currently at Durham University doing research for my doctorate on the subject of the interface between Faith and the State in modern Britain. Until October 2006, I was Chief Executive of the Refugee Council and previous to this, spent three years as a member of the Council of Economic Advisers in the Treasury on issues including child poverty, labour markets and the Third Sector. During the 2007 Spending Review, I chaired an Advisory Panel advising ministers on the future role of the Third Sector in economic and social regeneration. Before moving to the Treasury, I was Chief Executive of the charity One Parent Families, director of UKCOSA (Council of International Education) and President of the National Union of Students.

Armineh SoorenianI am a disabled, postgraduate, mature international student, and have been in UK Higher Education for the last eight years. In this period, I have been interested in and campaigned for various issues relating to disabled, postgraduate and international students. My involvement in organizations such as the National Postgraduate Committee and the British Council has strengthened these efforts. The PhD research that I am conducting at present, investigates disabled international students’ experiences. Through this research, I hope to identify barriers faced by disabled international students, and recommend ways to address these difficulties, in order to strive towards an inclusive Higher Education system for ‘all’.

By participating in the National Students Forum, I endeavour to contribute towards and promote this inclusive educational structure further.

Wes StreetingI am President of the National Union of Students, an elected position responsible for representing the interests of more than seven million students in Further and Higher Education across the UK. Before taking up my current position in July 2007, I was NUS’ Vice-President for Education. Prior to joining the NUS, I served as President of Cambridge University Students’ Union, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in History from Selwyn College. I was a member of the Burgess Steering Group on Measuring and Recording Student Achievement and I am a member of the Delivery Partnership Steering Group on admissions. I am a non-executive director of the Higher Education Academy, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and Endsleigh Insurance Services. I have previously served as a non-executive director of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education and was a member of the government’s Youth Citizenship Commission, which published its report to the Prime Minister in June 2009.



Beth TimneyFor the past few years I have been at the University of Nottingham studying Archaeology, as both an undergraduate and a postgraduate student specialising Osteology and the Iron Age in Britain. Following this, I spent a year as a Sabbatical Officer at Nottingham’s Students’ Union where I was responsible for representing the needs and interests of a diverse and growing PG community. For the next two years I will, once again, be a student as I am starting a MSc in Occupational Therapy at Teesside University.

Steven ThomsonI am currently at Sheffield Hallam University studying towards a degree in Biomedical Science. I am 25 years old and have been a student at Sheffield Hallam University since 2001, having previously studied a BSc (hons) Sports Development with Coaching and BSc (hons) Computing Degree Routes. During my time at university I have taken an active role in university life. I was president of an extremely popular Students’ Union society (2001 – 2003); I have also been deputy chair of the Student Union’s governing council (URC); and faculty representative, representing students at the highest level within the university. As well as my active involvement at university I am also a football association referee, officiating semi-professional football.

I enjoy keeping fit, socialising, going to the cinema and other leisure activities.

Serena TrowbridgeI am a PhD student at Birmingham City University, having obtained a Masters from the University of Birmingham and a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Language from King’s College London. My thesis is entitled “Christina Rossetti’s Fractured Gothic” and considers the effect on the work of Rossetti of Gothic literature. I am also the editor of the Review of the Pre-Raphaelite Society, and I am currently undertaking some teaching at Birmingham City University. I am a school governor and take a strong interest in secondary and higher education. I have been involved with the NSF since its inception and am particularly interested in aspects of learning and teaching, and postgraduate issues.

Kate WicklowI have been the Academic Affairs officer Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union from Sept 07-09. While a student at Anglia Ruskin I studied drama with music on the Cambridge campus and was the president of the Anglia Theatre Society (ATS) in 2005-06. My love of theatre and music has meant that I have worked with lots of local theatre groups both in Cambridgeshire and in my home town of Luton and have performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. As well as representing the views of my own students, I am also heavily involved in the campaigning work of NUS including the higher education funding campaign and helping to strengthen student representation.

I am delighted to have been the Vice-Chair of the National Student Forum and have enjoyed working with such a diverse group of students. I am proud of our achievements to date.


Appendix B: update and review of progress from Year 1

The establishment of the Forum has been welcomed across the sector, and its profile and impact is gradually increasing. Since the NSF’s first report was published in October 2008:

Government responded to the Forum’s recommendations through its report, published in January 2009.*

stakeholder and partner organisations continue to participate in Forum meetings to help advise and inform its recommendations

the NSF engaged with Vice-Chancellors, UUK and other key higher education partners at a major seminar in May 2009

some individual institutions have begun to consider the implications of the first report’s recommendations for their practice36

Forum members have attended various sector events to discuss the Forum’s recommendations on particular topics in more detail, for example, members spoke on IAG at the National Conference for Teachers and Advisors and at The Career Development Organisation’s annual conference

Although the Forum has gone on to look at a number of new areas in its second year, for students, the themes from last year have continued to resonate and the Forum has worked to keep these high on the agenda of government, universities and higher education partner bodies. We outline below the progress on the key topics discussed by the Forum last year.

1. Information Advice and Guidance (IAG)

One of the Forum’s key recommendations last year was the development of an online IAG portal to bring coherence, consistency and ultimately customisation to the plethora of information that is already available online. Its recommendations on IAG, prior to entering higher education, have remained high on the agenda this year:

Government subsequently commissioned UCAS and NUS to undertake a review of on-line information and consider how it helped applicants to make well-informed choices. Forum members have been consulted during the course of the study and participated in the project steering group. BIS are now working with UCAS and Direct Government to see how they can improve sign-posting for prospective students. UCAS and NUS confirmed the Forum’s central finding – that the issue is navigation of information (not availability).

Vice-chancellors met with the Forum in May to discuss how universities could improve the information they provide to students prior to entry into higher education

Forum members were invited to further discuss the recommendations at conferences organised by CRAC: The Career Development Organisation, the National Council for Teachers and Advisors and the Higher Education Liaison Officers Association

Last year, the Forum committed to continuing its work on IAG by looking at the needs of mature, part-time and postgraduate students and this is covered in the relevant chapters in this report.


*The government’s full response can be accessed athttp://www.dius.gov.uk/higher_education/students/student_listening_programme/national_student_forum/~/media/publications/R/response_to_national_student_forum_report

36 considering the implications of

NSF recommendations

The Director of Student Services at Leeds Metropolitan

University presented a briefing paper to the Academic Board,

outlining the NSF recommendations, and giving consideration

to the university’s response.

The briefing paper identified that:

The report is relevant to... putting students at the centre of

our ways of working... the risk of the university not reviewing

the outcomes of the National Student Forum is that insights

and opportunities for becoming more student-centred may

be missed.

Source: Leeds Metropolitan Academic Board Briefing Paper,

February 2009


2. Student Finance

Student Finance was a key theme for the Forum last year, with one of its major areas of concern being improvement to the Student Loans Company’s (SLC) service, which it committed to monitoring. The SLC returned in May 2009 to update the Forum on their progress including:

the launch of the new Student Finance England service

the recruitment of new senior management responsible for customer experience

the implementation of a customerengagement strategy

The SLC also outlined the elements of the review that are still to come including:

the My Fact Find service – an online calculator providing information on financial entitlement and comparing bursaries from different HE institutions

the My Application and Offer programme – a simpler online application process which will work out from the student’s individual profile the steps they will need to take and remove the necessity to work through lengthy forms and guidance

The Forum was particularly pleased to hear that the SLC is now actively listening to and acting upon customer feedback. The Forum will continue to monitor these developments and the impact they have upon students.

3. Employability

Although not originally identified as a priority area, employability emerged as a recurring issue across the Forum’s first year discussions. Therefore, last year the Forum developed informal proposals, rather than formal recommendations in this area. Its continuing importance – especially in the current economic climate – led to it remaining a key priority for Forum members this year, and this report dedicates a chapter to exploring this in more detail.

4. Specific student groups: International, Disabled and Postgraduate students

Last year the Forum held subgroups to explore the concerns particular to Disabled Students, International Students and Postgraduate Students and published a series of draft proposals for further consideration by the full Forum this year.

With the limited time available to the Forum in mind, it was agreed to:

dedicate time to developing recommendations for improving the postgraduate experience as a priority (see chapter on Postgraduate students)

review and refine the disabled student draft proposals, and publish the updated recommendations (see update on Disabled Students). The Forum also agreed to continue to consider all core topics from the perspective of equality and diversity for all students and to keep a watching brief as to whether it might be appropriate to hold further discrete subgroups in future

review the international student draft proposals in the context of current developments in this arena, and identify any immediate implications for our work.

The Forum was joined by UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), who updated members on the new immigration laws (‘Tier 4’) that will potentially have a great impact upon international students. The laws are designed to make the visa application more transparent, ensure those students that do come into the country have sufficient means to live comfortably during their time here, and allow them to remain in the country to contribute to the UK economy for two years after the completion of their studies. However, there may be unintended consequences, and we therefore agreed to suspend our work in this area for this year, until the effect of these new laws has become known.

National Student ForumAnnual Report 09

Electronic copies can be downloaded from www.nationalstudentforum.com

Documents

National Student Forum's 2009 Report