Student Attendance Monitoring

Martina Daly23rd September, 2010

BackgroundUnited Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) charged with developing and implementing governmental immigration policy

Points based system (PBS)

International students (tier 4) subject to additional monitoring procedures prior to and during their time in the UK

Need for HEIs etc to monitor and, if necessary, report on interactions with students

PBS, Tier 4 & HEIsIntroduced in phases March ’09 to February ’10

To operate under Tier 4, all educational institutions must hold a UKBA sponsor licence

Compliance with UKBA defined sponsor duties is a condition of retaining the licence

PBS Project Group co-ordinating the implementation of immigration requirements

University responsibilitiesUKBA Sponsor Management System (SMS) went live on 22nd February, 2010

Students issued with a UKBA Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number

University must report CAS students to UKBA using the SMS for withdrawal, leave of absence, change of programme, transfer to other institutions and NON-ATTENDANCE

Attendance monitoringReport a series of unauthorised absences

Only CAS students will be reported to UKBA

Senate agreed to monitor attendance of all student groups in the interests of equality and student support

Support of the Students’ Union

Similar approach at peer institutions

Students are informed of immigration conditions when issued with a CAS number

What are we being asked to do?Departments are responsible for monitoring/recording attendance for their students

‘Home’ department responsible for liaising with Research Degree Support Team regarding any international PGR students who miss 10 ‘expected interactions’

Departments are NOT required to report international students to the UKBA themselves

Attendance data to be uploaded centrally three times per annum

Minimum Attendance Monitoring RequirementsEvery department should monitor attendance for a total of 12 expected interactions for every PGR student, at every level/year of study, over the full academic year

Option for light touch monitoring of small number of students – remote location, joint location, students on placements away from Sheffield

Monitoring InteractionsAt least 50% of required minimum 12 interactions should be face-to-face interactions with staff

Exceptions remote location students students on placements away from Sheffield students undertaking research away from the University

In these cases, interactions will necessarily need to be carried out remotely, online, email or telephone contact

Current monitoring system in the Medical School PGR students expected to have 6 recorded meetings with their supervisor and 2 with their personal tutor per annum

After each meeting, a form is completed that should then be returned to the PGR secretaries

Reports can/are useful in situations where disputes arise

Also effective tool for identifying any problems at an early stage and offering appropriate support

Problems with current system Meetings do not take place

Meetings take place but forms not completed

Meetings take place but forms not submitted

Report forms go “missing”

Monitoring system is very time consuming for PGR Secretaries

Inadequate records in some cases which would be a problem if a complaint were to be made

Monitoring from Oct 2010 Supervisors and Personal Tutors will be copied into emails requesting completion of the appropriate monitoring forms from students

PLEASE respond to all requests from the PGR Secretaries in a timely manner (prefer email submission)

Registers of attendance at seminars, workshops etc.

Dr Cyril Sanders appointed to co-ordinate attendance monitoring for Medical School

Supervisory meeting report

Personal tutor meeting report

RegistrationAnnual progress report

Registration9 supervisory meetings per annum2 personal tutor meetings per annumAnnual progress report

Oct MayAprMarFebJanDecNov SeptAugJulJun

Fixed Contact Points

Date Event attended

Details Confirmed

5th-6th July 2010

Annual Research Meeting

Presented a poster Attendance confirmed by administrator by viewing register of attendees

Oct 2010 Registration

May 2011 1st year presentation

July 2011 Annual research meeting

Sept 2011

Departmental meeting

Additional Contact Points

Future plans for monitoring Electronic system to record supervisory and personal tutoring meetings in development for PGR students - AUME

System will be held within Minerva and similar to the PATS already developed

Advantages Staff familiar with Minerva Possibility to expand for development of e-Portfolio Custom built Time saving Easier to identify potential problems

Supervisor StudentOn a scale of 1 to 6, where 1 is very poor and 6 is excellent, how would you rate the progress of the project since the last meeting? If appropriate, please comment below.

Achievements since last meeting and other comments (continue overleaf if necessary)

Supervisor Student

Yes No Yes NoHas the student made sufficient progress since the last meeting?

Are the supervisor and student clear about current objectives?

Have any specific problems associated with the work or the supervision been identified? If appropriate, please comment below.

Are the supervisor and student clear about the work to be done before the next meeting?

Goals for next 4-6 weeks and other comments (continue overleaf if necessary)

Supervisory Meeting Report

Research student ................................ Supervisor .....................................Date of last meeting ................................. Date of this meeting .....................................Duration of meeting .................................

Student signature ..........................................................................

Supervisor signature ....................................................................Copies of this report as a record of the student’s progress should be held by the student and supervisor. First year students are required to submit six completed reports prior to transfer of registration. Students should return the original form to:MPhilPhD: Jodie Burnham, LU116, L Floor, RHH. MPhil-MD: Carol Fidler, LU116, L Floor, RHHThis form will be available for download from the School Postgraduate Research website. www.shef.ac.uk/medicine/current/postgraduates/ongoing.html

Yes No• From discussions with the student, does he/she appear to

have a clear understanding of what their research project is about? If No, please elaborate below.

• Is the student making sufficient progress? If No, please elaborate below.

• Are you aware of any practical factors which are currently limiting, or could in the future limit, progress with the research project? If Yes, please elaborate below.

• Have you identified any specific training needs that should be addressed? If Yes, please elaborate below.

• Is the supervisor developing a satisfactory working relationship with the student? If No, please elaborate below.

• Is the supervisor giving adequate support and guidance on the project to the student? If No, please elaborate below.

• Has the student raised any other problems (e.g. finances, accommodation, health, personal issues) that may impact on their current or future progress? If appropriate, please comment below.

* Please elaborate

Additional Comments

Student signature ……………………………………………………………….Personal tutor signature(s) ………………………………………………………………..

Personal Tutoring Report

Research student ………………………………………………………………………….Personal Tutor(s) ………………………………………………………………………….Date of meeting ………………………………………………………………………….

http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/medicine/current/postgraduates

Important webpages!