External Examiners’ Conference Context

Professor Richard StephensonDeputy Vice-Chancellor

14th May 2015

Institutional Context• Legacy going back to 1862 and the School of Navigation

• Mission to transform lives through education and research

• Vision to be the Enterprise University

• Top 300 universities (THE World University Rankings)

• Top 40 global universities under 50 years old/ranked 4th in the UK

• Ranked number 1 in People and Planet Green League

• c: 25,000 students and 2,500 staff

• Faculties: – Faculty of Arts and Humanities– Faculty of Business– Faculty of Health and Human Sciences– Faculty of Science and Engineering– Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of

Medicine and Dentistry

• Academic Partnerships

Institutional Context

• Commitment to excellence in teaching and learning – ‘transforming lives through knowledge’

• Clusters of world-leading research

• Research-led teaching, with a focus on practical ‘real world’ learning

• REF 2014– almost 2/3 of submissions graded world-leading or internationally

excellent– top for output in Clinical Medicine

• Enterprise and Employability:– placements, internships and volunteering– 12,000 students in placements– student enterprise – Tectona Business Challenge

Institutional Context

• Students as Partners

– students involved at every level, including in quality assurance and enhancement

• Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Strategy

– aim to ‘provide an excellent learning and stimulating student experience, where students are at the heart of all our considerations’

• New Assessment Policy 2014-20

– external examiners comment on whether assessment policy is realised in programmes

Institutional Context

Curriculum Enhancement Project (CEP)

• University wide, whole institutional change

• Promoting Active learning

• Opportunities for students as researchers

• Making placements more possible

• Revitalising the curriculum

Academic Year • 2 semesters across 30 weeks

– with some exceptions: two Year Degrees, Education, Nursing, Medicine & Dentistry, Healthcare Sciences

• Induction week is equivalent to week 0 • Teaching weeks will be 1-13 and 16-28 inclusive

– may include off campus learning opportunities, reading weeks, placements, field work & appropriate class based assessment activities

• Weeks 14-15 and 29-30 to be used for assessments and personal development/tutorials. – terminal examinations in weeks 14 and 15, and 29 and 30 – co-curricula offer runs throughout the year and does not have to be campus

based

Programme Structure

• Modules delivered in minimum 20 credit blocks in one semester • Modules to be completed in a semester

– some exceptions recognised, eg. professional body requirements and languages)

• Level 4, Semester 1: – Weeks 1-4: An immersive introductory programme (whether single

honours, joint, or major/minor) module, not assessed by examination – The other 40 credits run in sequence or in parallel Weeks 5-13

• Level 4, Semester 2: – Weeks 16-19: Plymouth Plus intensive module – the other 40 credits run in sequence or in parallel Weeks 20-28

Module Design • Teaching delivered in minimum two-hour timetable blocks, and maximum four

hour blocks (unless longer provision already established)

• Modules should not involve more timetabled teaching contact than currently offered in 2013/14

• While learning will take place in each week, some weeks should involve student led/student determined activities, self-led study, submission preparation, and/or group preparation for group assignments

• For a 20 credit module the normal expectation is for a maximum of 50 University timetabled hours of learning, supported by students’ personal learning activities

Bridging Session • Programmes will provide ‘bridging sessions’ at the end of Stages 1 and 2

– to introduce material that will be taught in the following academic year, inviting Partner College and PUIC students as part of their university induction

Plymouth Plus • Opportunity to introduce more breadth into the curriculum and to encourage

interdisciplinary working

• Plymouth Plus modules must integrate students from at least two disciplines / subject areas, and not be assessed by test / examination

• Activities and assignments set that involve “students as researchers”

– students undertaking group research Problem-Based Learning activities with focus on big picture issues in the disciplines involved or in society

Assessments & Feedback • Ensure the Teach-Assess-Feedback/Feed Forward principle is

maximised for all modules

• Formative learning activities with appropriate formative assessment

• Normally no more than 2 summative assessments per 20 credit module

• All Level 4 programmes should incorporate summative assessment from each module, and make feedback available, before Christmas

• Approval of all module and programme changes use normal Plymouth University processes