Recognising achievement beyond the curriculum:

a survey of sector practice

26 March 2014Harriet Barnes

h.barnes@qaa.ac.uk

Skills Award Task Group

B4: Enabling student development and achievementExpectation

Higher education providers have in place, monitor and evaluate arrangements and resources which enable students to develop their academic, personal and professional potential.

Survey of sector practice

Available July – August 2013 85 responses from 69 higher

education providers

Eligibility for award schemes

All award schemes currently running are open to undergraduate students

Nearly three-quarters are open to taught postgraduate students

Just over half to postgraduate research students

Almost one-third of awards are targeted at particular groups of students, such as those in student representative roles.

Who is responsible for coordinating the award?

careers service (61% of responses) students' union (11% of responses) learning and teaching unit (or equivalent) (8%

of responses) academic department (3% of responses) other central services department (3% of

responses) careers service and students' union (9% of

responses)

Does the students’ union have involvement in coordinating the

award? responsible for coordinating

the scheme work in partnership with the

provider to deliver the award run union scheme alongside

that offered by the provider identifying activities which

count towards the awards and verifying participation

promoting the scheme to students

NoYes

What activities are recognised?

Is there a reflective element?

YesNo

learning journal

portfolio/webfolio

development record

interview and/or application form

reflective statement or essay

skills audit and action plan

How is achievement recognised?

Presentation of award certificates at a specific ceremony (73%)

Included on student’s HEAR (47%)

Included on degree certificate/transcript (not carrying credit) (35%)

List of award winners in graduation programme (14%)

Carries academic credit (6%)

Quality assurance and evaluation

• Two-thirds of awards are overseen by a steering group • 57% have some form of quality assurance procedures• Two-thirds of awards have been evaluated, in order to:

• inform future development• collect feedback from students, staff and senior

management• measure whether the award had achieved its aims• find out whether student behaviour had changed as a

result of participation in the award.

The future of awards: prospects and challenges

•more students

•more technology

•more routes and options

•more links to curriculum

•more employers

•more verification

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