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ACADEMIC BOARD

QAA INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW – MID-CYCLE REVIEW

Background

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) is responsible for safeguarding standards and improving the quality of higher education. Institutional Review is the process by which the QAA judges standards and quality, across all provision, in universities in England and Northern Ireland. The University of Lincoln underwent Institutional Review in November 2012.

In the four areas where formal judgments are given, the QAA review team formed the following judgements about the higher education provision at the University of Lincoln. • Academic standards at the University meet UK expectations for threshold

standards. • The quality of student learning opportunities at the University meets UK

expectations. • Information about learning opportunities produced by the University meets UK

expectations. • The enhancement of student learning opportunities at the University is

commended. The QAA review team identified the following features of good practice at the University of Lincoln.

• The systematic engagement of students at all levels across a wide range of

quality assurance and enhancement processes. • The 'Getting Started' information pack and associated processes for new

students. • The use of the 'Lincoln Award' in recognising a range of extra-curricular activities

undertaken by a significant and increasing number of students. • The impact of the 'Student as Producer' initiative on the enhancement of student

engagement at all levels and on learning and teaching practice across the University.

Recommendations

As is usual in Institutional Review, the team also made recommendations for the University to formally respond to.

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The Institutional Review process required the University to agree an immediate Action Plan to address the recommendations and affirmation, and give any plans to capitalise on the identified good practice. After approval at relevant University committees, the Action Plan was submitted to the QAA on 26 April 2013. Subsequently, the University has similarly approved updated Action Plans on an annual basis and submitted these to the QAA in March 2014 and February 2015. Mid-Cycle Review Three years after the review, we are required to report to the QAA on any areas of the action plan where it has not been possible to meet the specified objectives. The QAA will review the report to ensure that its recommendations are being addressed. The University can confirm that all recommendations made by the Review Team have been completed. Attached is a copy of the approved ‘Year 2 Update’ Action Plan. This document details how all recommendations were completed by February 2015, and includes an associated update on the identified affirmation and areas of good practice. For the purpose of the Mid-Cycle Review, an evidence base has been compiled to support the commentary in response to the recommendations. We are not asked to provide this accompanying documentation in the first instance, but the QAA may choose to follow up some of the evidence links provided in the footnotes. Academic Affairs Committee (09 December 2015), Education and Student Life Committee (21 January 2016) and Academic Board (27 January 2016) are asked to approve this report prior to submission to the QAA. Linsey Woodcock Head of Academic Quality December 2015

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University of Lincoln QAA Institutional Review 2012, Updated Action Plan, Year 2, February 2015 Recommendations The QAA Review Team made the following recommendations to the University of Lincoln: Recommendation Report

Paragraph Year 1 Action/Commentary, March 2014 Owner Year 2 Update, February 2015

R1. Put in place plans for the accelerated roll-out of a system to address academic integrity issues in relation to student work and ensure appropriate institutional oversight of assessment offences

1.8 1.7 details

Completed The move to consistent and standardised use of electronic submission of assessments continues, with an increasing shift toward Turnitin submission as the preferred mode. The move has been supported and promoted through staff in the Centre for Educational Research and Development (CERD). Excellent progress has already been made toward the adoption of electronic submission, indicating that the University is likely to be slightly ahead of its target for 2013/14. University guidelines on the use of Turnitin, as part of a coherent strategy to deter plagiarism, have been developed by CERD, through consultation with colleagues across the University and in the Students’ Union.1 A paper entitled

Director of Educational Development and Enhancement (EDEU)

Completed The policy on ‘Promoting Academic Integrity’5 was approved by Academic Board in March 2014 and is progressively being implemented across the University. Progress continues to be made toward the adoption of electronic submission, with 60% of modules using it for paper-based assignments in 2013/14 – ahead of the institutional target of 50%. As recommended in the policy, the proportion of assignments being submitted through Turnitin, rather than Blackboard’s own tool, has increased significantly. The number of Turnitin assignment submissions increased by 57% during 2013/14.

1 Example University Guidelines on the use of Turnitin. Video at http://edeu.lincoln.ac.uk/educational-development/assessment-feedback/ 5 Policy - Promoting Academic Integrity, March 2014

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‘Promoting Academic Integrity’ was discussed and approved by Education Committee, with a recommendation that the principles be formally adopted as institutional policy by Academic Board (19 March 2014).2 The policy recommends the development of School-based guidelines on the local implementation of the policy.3 All the recommendations are included in the proposed policy, available on the University’s website: http://secretariat.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/academic-policies-2/ A second annual report concerning academic offences will be presented to Academic Board at the end of the academic year.4

University Secretary

A report concerning academic offences is presented as a standing, annual item to Academic Board.6

R2. Ensure that appropriate training and support is provided and promoted to all postgraduate research students/graduate teaching assistants who teach and/or

2.3

A paper entitled ‘University Policy on Teacher Education for Postgraduate Research Students Who Teach’ was produced and discussed at meetings of the Graduate Committee, Academic Affairs Committee and Academic Board.7 The Graduate School has rewritten its training provision for PGR students who teach.8 This includes a two-day course covering the essential aspects of teaching at HE level e.g. planning and

Director of Educational Development and Enhancement (EDEU)

Completed EDEU have taken responsibility for ensuring that appropriate training and support is provided to all PGR students/GTAs who teach and/or assess students at Lincoln. The two-day programme13 has been further revised to ensure it remains current and valuable. It has also been mapped to the University of Lincoln Professional Standards Framework14 so that participants are supported and encouraged to

2 Paper on Promoting Academic Integrity (minutes - Education Committee 25 September 2013 and 30 October 2013, Academic Board 19 March 2014) 3 Example School-based Guidelines 4 Annual Reports on Academic Offences (minutes - Academic Board 24 June 2014 and 26 June 2015) 6 Annual Reports on Academic Offences (minutes - Academic Board 24 June 2014 and 26 June 2015) 7 Papers and Policy – Framework on Teacher Education for Postgraduate Research Students Who Teach (minutes - Academic Affairs Committee 24 April 2013, Graduate Committee 09 May 2013, Academic Board 11 June 2013) 8 Graduate Teacher Education – 1415 Training Programme Outline and Resources

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assess

delivering effective teaching, assessment and feedback, research-engaged teaching (Student as Producer) and the HE policy context. Students have the opportunity to engage in Action Learning sets which provide ongoing support. Feedback from students and staff about the course has been very positive.9 PGRs who teach continue to study on the University’s Initial Teaching Award.10 Feedback from participants suggests that they find the experience and learning from the course very useful. PGRs can continue to the next module (Assessment and Learning) should they be involved in the marking of undergraduate student work. This is also badged as a Short Course and can lead to D1/Associate Fellow.11 All academic Colleges were asked to produce processes for supporting PGR students/GTAs by the end of academic year 2013/14.12

apply for recognition and Associate Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy, as appropriate to their level of development and experience. The two-day programme is very well received and is offered as often as is needed, according to the numbers of staff who book a place for the next programme.15 Additionally, PGR students who teach and GTAs continue to enrol on the University’s Initial Teaching Award.16 This award is also currently being revised and updated; it will remain a short course leading to Associate Fellowship of the HEA, but will be an integral part of a pathway of modules that together will build to an MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.17 The University policy was updated in July 2015 to respond to the increase in programmes offered by EDEU.18

13 Graduate Teacher Education – 1516 Training Programme Outline and Resources 14 http://edeu.lincoln.ac.uk/ulpsf/ 9 Graduate Teacher Education – September 2014 Cohort Feedback 10 University of Lincoln Initial Teaching Award Short Course and Module Specifications 11 University of Lincoln Teaching and Assessing Award Short Course and Module Specifications 12 Example subject specific training and support provided by Colleges/Schools 15 Graduate Teacher Education – September 2015 Cohort Feedback 16 University of Lincoln Initial Teaching Award Short Course and Module Specifications 17 MA Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Programme and Module Specifications 18 Policy - Framework on Teacher Education for Postgraduate Research Students Who Teach, July 2015 update

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R3. Revise processes for the consideration at institutional level of management information about the performance and attainment of students

2.10

The University considers a variety of management information reports concerning the performance and attainment of students. This year, these include thematic discussions at Academic Board on areas such as Improving Good Honours19 and Graduate Employability.20 The Annual Programme Monitoring Reports which provide a breakdown of attainment status by age, gender, disability and ethnicity have been enhanced to include analysis by Home or Overseas status.21 Academic Affairs Committee considers and approves School Overview Reports on Annual Monitoring and refers to the Annual Monitoring Oversight Group scrutiny of individual programme Action Plans covering the evaluation of student performance and attainment.22

University Registrar

Completed The University continues to produce a suite of management information reports on an annual basis, for consideration at institutional level committees. These include Attendance Monitoring,23 Good Honours,24 Progression and Retention,25 Widening Participation26 and Graduate Destinations.27 Annual Programme Monitoring continues to be considered, at institutional level, through Academic Affairs Committee.28 Further work has been undertaken to improve the quality and accessibility of the management information and reports available to support the Annual Programme Monitoring processes, including a dedicated portal page for all required information.29

R4. Make the regulations for the interruption of

2.11 And 2.25

Completed A paper proposing changes to the Research

University Secretary

Completed

19 Paper and Data on Improving Good Honours (minute - Academic Board 15 January 2014) 20 Presentation and Data on Graduate Employability (minute - Academic Board 19 March 2015) 21 Quality Assurance Manual - Annual Programme Monitoring, Report Templates, example Data Evaluation and Benchmarking 22 Example School Overview Reports and AMOG Minutes (minute – Academic Affairs Committee 11 December 2013) 23 Paper and Data on Attendance Monitoring (minute – Academic Board 14 January 2015) 24 Papers and Data on Good Honours (minutes – Academic Board 14 January 2015 and Education and Student Life Committee 29 January 2015) 25 Papers and Data on Progression and Retention (minutes – Education and Student Life Committee 29 January 2015 and 20 May 2015) 26 Paper and Data on Widening Participation (minute – Academic Board 14 January 2015) 27 Paper and Data on Graduate Destinations (minute – Academic Board 16 June 2015) 28 Minute – Academic Affairs Committee 10 December 2014 29 Quality Assurance Manual - Annual Programme Monitoring, Report Templates, Portal Page Screenshot

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postgraduate research study more explicit and ensure that the specific regulations regarding the maximum period of registration are consistently applied

Degrees Regulations, including enrolment periods, was submitted to, and approved by, Graduate Committee, the Standing Regulations Oversight Group, Academic Affairs Committee and Academic Board.30 31 The Research Degrees Handbook has been updated to highlight these changes and also includes a copy of the Regulations.32 Students are monitored by Colleges and the Research Degrees Boards where progression data is currently held.33

R5. Make information on the appeals procedures more readily accessible to students both on campus and studying through partner organisations

2.13 And 3.4

Completed Secretariat has set up a WordPress site,34 accessible to all via Google or other search routes, containing reader-friendly information about all ‘student contention’ procedures (including contact details for named Academic Appeals Officers). Entering the key words in the University home-page ‘Search’ facility will bring up links to the formal regulations on the website, and to the Secretariat WordPress site.

University Secretary

Completed

30 Papers – PGR Interruption of Studies/Maximum Period of Study, PGR Regulations – Changes and Amendments, PGR Awards - Changes to Enrolment Periods (minutes - Graduate Committee 09 May 2013, SROG 16 May 2013, Academic Affairs Committee 29 May 2013, Academic Board 11 June 2013) 31 Research Degree Regulations - http://secretariat.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/university-regulations/ 32 Research Degree Handbooks 33 Example College Research Degree Boards minutes 34 http://secretariat.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/ , http://secretariat.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/student-contention/academic-reviews-and-appeals/

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Secretariat have written to all partner institutions to ensure that information for students available locally is accessible and clear about the appeals procedure and sources of advice on it.35 Partial completion On-campus students have been advised about the availability of assessment results.36 These notifications include information about accessing the appeals procedure and sources of advice on it. Technical obstacles in relation to students at partners. Action – University Secretary to ask Link Tutors to arrange with partner colleagues to act as conduit for the information and to confirm that the students have been briefed on how to access the Review and Appeals processes. Development of Programme Handbooks, through liaison with the University Directors of Academic Affairs and the Link Tutors for partner organisations, to ensure that information in Programme Handbooks and other relevant literature about appeals and other ‘student contention’ regulations and procedures is clear,

Completed Secretariat have arranged for the exact text of the notification emails sent to our on-campus students to be sent also, either directly or via Link Tutors and their opposite numbers, to students on University validated programmes at partner institutions.37 Completed Sampling of Programme/Module Handbooks suggested various other areas where consistency could be improved, and the University will need to ensure compliance also with recent guidance from the Competition and Marketing Authority, so this has

35 Example letters to partner institutions 36 Example of notification email to Students 37 Example of notification communication to Students at Partner Institutions

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accurate and up-to-date.

become part of a larger exercise. Secretariat has however produced uniform text covering appeals and other ‘student contention’ regulations and procedures38 and made this available to Heads of Schools and to ‘delivery’ partner institutions.

R6. Revise course approval, validation and review processes to ensure that there is always demonstrable consideration of inclusivity issues for all student groups

2.18

Completed Issues of inclusivity and diversity were considered as part of programme and module approval processes. However, the University acknowledged that this could be more explicit and systematic. The Academic Affairs Committee (24 April 2013) approved an update to the Programme Approval Quality Assurance Manual39 to include explicit consideration of all student groups. The institutional module specification template, and associated development guidance, has been updated to include a specific section on the inclusivity of each module to all student groups.40 This will ensure there is a pro-active approach to inclusivity and diversity, including the needs of disabled students, and a systematic, explicit discussion of these issues in all (re)approval processes. The Academic Affairs Committee (24 April 2013) also approved an update to the Periodic

Head of Academic Quality

Completed

38 Standard Text for Programme Handbooks 39 Quality Assurance Manual – Programme Approval (minute - Academic Affairs Committee 24 April 2013) 40 Quality Assurance Manual – Programme Development Guidance and Templates (minute – Academic Affairs Committee 24 April 2013)

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Academic Review (PAR) Quality Assurance Manual41 to include explicit consideration of all student groups, including disabled students, during the creation of the Self-Evaluation Document, and evaluation of the quality of learning opportunities, by programme teams. This will allow clearer, consistent exploration of inclusivity issues by the PAR Panel. Consideration of the diverse needs of students was already explicit within the process. In addition to approved updates to both the Programme Approval and Periodic Academic Review processes, a more explicit clause has been added into Partner College academic partnership agreements in order to make explicit the expectations regarding disability and pastoral support.42 The Quality Assurance Manuals are available on the University’s website: http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/abouttheuniversity/supportdepartments/qualityoffice/

R7. Make more explicit the requirement that Chairs of Centre Approval panels are fully

2.28

Completed The Academic Affairs Committee (24 April 2013) approved an update to the Academic Partnerships Quality Assurance Manual43 to include explicit reference to the need for Centre Approval panel

Head of Academic Quality

Completed

41 Quality Assurance Manual – Periodic Academic Review (minute - Academic Affairs Committee 24 October 2013) 42 Example Academic Partnership Agreement – clause 3.1.16 refers 43 Quality Assurance Manual – Academic Partnerships (minute - Academic Affairs Committee 24 October 2013)

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independent of the subject areas to be associated with delivery

compositions to be led by an independent Chair, ‘not from the College in which the provision resides’. Since the Institutional Review, all Centre Approval/Approval to Deliver events have been conducted in this way. The Quality Assurance Manuals are available on the University’s website: http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/abouttheuniversity/supportdepartments/qualityoffice/

R8. Reconsider the use of the term ‘associate college’ in order to remove any potential for confusion about the nature of the status of partner organisations

2.29

Completed Notwithstanding any meaning within the sector, the term ‘Associate College’ holds no formal designation within the University of Lincoln. It confers no special status and all partner organisations are subject to the same University quality assurance processes and scrutiny. The University acknowledges that the use of the term at one partner could be misleading and, on 18 March 2013, wrote to North Lindsey College, Scunthorpe to instruct the removal of all references to ‘Associate College’ from their website and related materials, by the end of the academic year 2013/14.44 North Lindsey College have confirmed removal of all references to ‘Associate College’ from their

DVC - Teaching Quality and The Student Experience

Completed

44 University of Lincoln letter to North Lindsey College, March 2013

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website, hard copy publicity materials and other published information such as handbooks.45

Affirmations Affirmation Report

Paragraph Year 1 Action/Commentary, March 2014 Owner Year 2 Update, February 2015

A1. The University’s progress towards the full implementation of a comprehensive system for the collection and analysis of programme management information

2.10

The APMS Development Project was officially closed in May 2013, and full roll out of system functionality began. The primary objective of the project – to have a central, single source of academic information contained in an appropriate management system with automated version control and associated historical records for all programme and modules – was achieved. This information is now used by various academic and professional service areas across the University. At this time, APMS has facilitated two full cycles of External Examiner reporting, and supported the approval and modification of multiple programmes. It has automated the production of diploma supplements and supplies definitive programme information to the University website. A formal APMS Post Implementation Review will commence in Spring 2014. The dashboard has been developed and is

Head of Academic Quality University

The Academic Programme Management System (APMS) continues to be the definitive source of programme information in the University. APMS is used to hold programme information, and produce definitive programme and module specifications, further to validation, modification and revalidation. APMS supplies programme information to the University website, and continues to be used to produce diploma supplements. APMS is used to process the University’s External Examiner reports, and has been updated for 2014/15 with an enhanced report template. The University dashboard is fully functional and

45 Confirmation emails from North Lindsey College, April and December 2013

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currently in test. It will be released by the end of academic year 2013/14.

Registrar

available to all members of staff.

Work to Capitalise on Identified Good Practice Good Practice Highlighted

Report Paragraph

Year 1 Action/Commentary, March 2014 Owner Year 2 Update, February 2015

GP1. The systematic engagement of students at all levels across a wide range of quality assurance and enhancement processes

2.8

The University has made significant progress in implementing the Student Engagement Strategy. Since the Institutional Review a great deal of emphasis has been placed on bringing academic Schools and professional service departments on board with the Strategy through the nomination of Student Engagement Champions to provide leadership, and through development of local departmental Student Engagement Plans to articulate priorities. There are now 37 Champions across 33 areas, supported by three College Directors of Education and Students, the Student Engagement Team and the SU Student Voice and Representation Team. A considerable amount of staff time and expertise is now invested in thinking through the best approaches to engaging students in quality enhancement and implementing those approaches. This is complemented by the input of School and College level Student Reps, with the support of the Students’ Union, who are now proactively seeking to influence departmental approaches to student engagement and practically supporting the implementation of Student Engagement Plans.

Director of Educational Development and Enhancement (EDEU) Student Engagement Manager

There has been further investment in support for developing student engagement in quality assurance and enhancement through the formation of EDEU and the transition of the University’s Student Engagement Team into this unit. As part of this, the work stemming from the Student Engagement Strategy on developing partnership working has been brought together with the management of student evaluations, action planning, personal tutoring and peer support in a larger Student Engagement Section of EDEU. This presents an opportunity to systematically encourage students to engage, through their personal tutors and peer mentors/ PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) Leaders, and to join up the mechanical approaches to student feedback (e.g. surveys) with the more innovative emerging practice that is focused on working with students to improve quality. As part of EDEU, all of this work sits together with the University’s educational development, technology enhanced learning and teacher education teams, enabling more efficient and tailored CPD and project support for staff based on what we’re hearing and analysing through our student engagement work.

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All programme validation, revalidation and Periodic Academic Review (PAR) panels now have a full student member as standard. The University will continue to develop student engagement in quality assurance processes, for example by considering the concept of ‘student submissions’ to PARs and by supporting staff involved in programme (re)validation to involve students in curriculum design. Similarly, all relevant University vacancies, including all teaching posts, now have a student on the interview panel as standard. Within departmental Student Engagement Plans, every academic School and professional service department are asked to consider how they will ‘report back to students and staff on the impact of student engagement with tangible and meaningful examples of change’. The University will capture good practice in this area through an online bank of case studies currently being developed. Detail on the progress recently made against the Student Engagement Strategy is available online: http://studentengagement.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/progress-report-jan-2014/

Key developments to build on our good practice over the last year include: ● Supporting Schools to evolve their Subject

Committees into more productive, interactive forums where student reps and staff can focus on actively improving quality rather than saving up and listing concerns. Concurrently, our Heads of School and Student Engagement Champions are largely meeting more regularly and more informally with School Reps to resolve small issues swiftly.

● Our Students’ Union has introduced a refreshed approach to Postgraduate Representation and our Graduate School has developed a Postgraduate Student Advisory Group. These are further strengthening the role of PG students in quality assurance and enhancement.

● We have paid more attention to our systems for collecting and acting on student evaluations of their experience. We have and will continue to rationalise and focus our use of student surveys and have redesigned our institutional approach to action planning to place more emphasis on using a range of feedback and developing the plans together with students.

● We are piloting the use of student written submissions in Periodic Academic Reviews. These will accompany self-evaluation documents in the evidence base considered by the review panel.

● Our Colleges, Schools and Professional Services are developing innovative practice that is then shared internally and externally, such as: ○ The School of Fine and Performing Arts has

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worked with students to review and redesign our BA (Hons) Drama programme.

○ The School of Psychology is using innovation funding from EDEU to pilot a study of student expectations of their engagement at the beginning of the year and again at the end of the first year.

○ The Library developed a Student Advisory Group model to steer its development and has since supported the development of this with the Careers and Employability Team, the Graduate School and Student Services.

These are just some of the highlights of this work and more information can be found online at www.lincoln.ac.uk/studentengagement

GP2. The ‘Getting Started’ information pack and associated processes for new students

2.12

The University’s Getting Started Working Group has met with representation from across the University, and significant progress has been made in completing their terms of reference: A Coordinator’s Handbook has been produced containing University wide minimum standards of required and recommended content - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bydsw49GUwI5X3g0RG9neG1VNjA/edit?usp=sharing A list of named Getting Started Coordinators per programme has been developed - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bydsw49GUwI5cjZ3Qm9nTTZGYmc/edit?usp=sharing An annual Getting Started Timeline of events has also been established - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aidsw49GUwI5dGs3TEtpckluemtKQ1ZVS1B1cERS

Director of Educational Development and Enhancement (EDEU) University Librarian

Getting Started has now become embedded in the annual cycle of the teaching and learning at the University and across administrative systems involved in admissions, enrolment and ICT. We have built on lessons learned over the first few years of running Getting Started to deliver a more developed iteration for students arriving in September 2014. This has been underpinned throughout by student evaluations of Getting Started shortly after they arrive which allow us to monitor the impact of the changes we make. The establishment of EDEU, which in the lead Getting Started colleague is a member, has allowed the University to more clearly articulate responsibilities for supporting teaching, learning and the wider student experience. Going forward, EDEU

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TVE&usp=sharing A set of videos made by international students talking about their own experiences of coming to the Lincoln and studying at the University has been produced – https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bydsw49GUwI5QTV4ZkFGSmEwWDg&usp=sharing In developing Getting Started 2013, an additional site for international students is being created to enhance their transition experience. Pre-sessional students attending the University’s English Language Centre will have an independent early access site to support them arriving in Lincoln and developing their language skills. The Graduate School has a separate Getting Started area for postgraduate taught and postgraduate research students; this is managed from within the Graduate School and supported by staff in ICT and CERD. Increased links between Getting Started and the Student Engagement Team have proved invaluable over the past year and have resulted in greater staff involvement. Staff involved in leading the Getting Started project are also involved in the implementation of the University’s VLE Procurement and Digital Education Plan, so are well placed to ensure the student experience begins prior to arrival and is managed seamlessly between the years taking full advantage of the available technology and through engagement with the experiences of existing students.

will focus on supporting staff to deliver a great learning experience to students within their own schools and The Library will assume a more prominent role in supporting student transition as part of their centralised learning development provision. This means that overall responsibility for coordinating and developing Getting Started has transferred to the University Librarian and his team, while EDEU’s role will be focused on supporting academic staff to design effective transitions for students and using Getting Started as part of this.

The role of the Getting Started Coordinators has been formally identified with a set number of hours allocated per year. The Coordinators Handbook and the Getting Started blog are available at http://gettingstarted.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/

The English Language Centre has ownership of Getting Started for International Students and the Graduate School manage Getting Started for postgraduate students. In 2014 the School of Life Sciences piloted Getting Started for Level 2 students. Ownership of the Getting Started Working Group has recently moved to the Library, who will be managing the learning development and administration of the project in 2015. EDEU will continue to work with Getting Started Coordinators to develop the programme sites for new students. The Library plans to develop Getting Started into a facility for students which will support them from confirmation of their place, through their first term of study, and then be ‘re-activated’ to continue to provide support as students’ progress between each level of their programmes (this will build on the

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The Getting Started Blog is available at http://gettingstarted.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/ A Transition and Induction Review Group has been set up to continue the work of Getting Started and develop an action plan for enhancing induction and supporting transition for Year 2 and 3. Research into the student experience of transition and induction is being carried out by the Student Engagement Team.

aforementioned School of Life Sciences pilot).

GP3. The use of the ’Lincoln Award’ in recognising a range of extra-curricular activities undertaken by a significant and increasing number of students

2.15

The Lincoln Award has continued to be an integral mechanism of the Careers and Employability Team’s activities. It is now recognised by academic colleagues and students as a mean by which to link curriculum led, extra curricular and central opportunities to students’ future prospects and employability. The development and use of the Lincoln Award to encourage student engagement and offer an enhanced student experience is demonstrated by the inclusion of Lincoln Award development actions as a compulsory part of academic School Employability Action Plans, which are negotiated and agreed by the Head of School and Head of Careers and Employability. Levels of engagement continue to vary from School to School, but an example of good practice is illustrated by the School of Sport and Exercise Science. They have offered an employability module for several years, working in partnership with the Careers and Employability Team in its

Head of Careers and Employability

The Lincoln Award continues to grow and forms an integral employability framework to engage students with their career planning activities, whilst also enabling them to recognise the significance of, and achievement in, extra-curricular activity. Academic colleagues increasingly utilise the Award to ensure students are engaged with employability modules and co-curricular sessions. As a result, engagement and completion of the Award has seen another increase during the last academic year, with 1193 students registered on the Award at the end of the 2013/14 academic year, an increase of 43% on the previous year. As a result, the Careers and Employability Team is one year ahead of their target to attract 1000 participants on to the Award. Furthermore, there was an increase in the number of students completing the Award, which totalled 250 in the 2013/14 academic year (the other participants will roll their Award into their next year of study). The increased demand for the Lincoln Award has meant that the Careers and Employability Team have had to adapt their approach to delivery and this has

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delivery and development. This year, they have taken all participating students through the Lincoln Award, ensuring all students were registered and taken through the structure. The School saw a total of 145 students registered in the 2012/13 academic year. Of those, 80 students completed the Lincoln Award which converts to a 55% completion rate, significantly above the average of 25%. The Careers and Employability Team have continued to offer a wide range of Career Wednesday presentations and workshops which have significantly enhanced the experience of students on the Lincoln Award. Workshops and presentations such as mock assessment centres, first-aid certificated and mental health workshops, CV workshops, job search techniques, in combination with externally led employer presentations, have all ensured that the offering of the Award is diverse, yet robust, with opportunities to engage all interests in the development of key employability skills. The structure of the Lincoln Award, which is encapsulated with an appointment with a Careers and Employability Adviser at the start and the end of a student journey, ensures that the students engage with the activities which will develop and enhance the skills that they feel they need, whilst facilitating a means by which these skills can be identified and recognised. The diversity of such activity is a significant improvement in the development of the Award, which began with a smaller range of central workshops delivered solely by the Careers and Employability Team. As

resulted in a new delivery model being adopted and implemented. This includes two new members of staff in a new role, the ‘Employment Skills Adviser’. This has enabled the team to streamline the process and allow for more Pathway appointments for new participants, whilst maintaining a consistent number of Careers Coaching appointments for completers. Engagement from the Schools continues to fluctuate, but the Lincoln Award continues to form a core component of the School Careers and Employability Agreements, in which Heads of School and the Head of Careers and Employability can include aspirational engagement numbers on the Award, as well as developing and introducing ‘value added’ subject specific activities branded and funded by the Lincoln Award. It is positive to note a high number of students engaging with the Award at Level 2, which indicates students starting to engage with their career planning earlier in their University studies. Career Wednesday activities have continued to increase as a result of the popularity of the Lincoln Award, with a much broader range of employer partners delivering workshops and presentations. This has also included a diversification of some of the activities offered by employers, to include more specific skills-focused sessions linked to the Award. Furthermore, the new structure within the Careers and Employability Team has also allowed for an increase in ‘core’ presentations, to include sessions on assessment centres, subject specific CV writing, graduate training programmes, and a 5-week intensive careers education programme called ‘Kick Start’. All of these activities and more are eligible to contribute towards the Lincoln Award, and are

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such the student now has a much enhanced student experience as they work through the Award. The enhanced experience and structure offered by the Careers and Employability Team’s development of the Lincoln Award, has ensured that in a period of one academic year, students registered on the award rose from 333 to 835. This was a significant achievement, and in order to continue with the enhanced student experience, the Team offered a much larger celebration event, to give students due recognition for their achievement, whilst also offering the Award the kudos and recognition that it needed to ensure its credibility. This was offered in the form of an awards ceremony in the Lincoln Performing Arts Centre, at which we saw 208 students awarded for their achievements, an increase from 84 in the previous year.

attributable to the increased engagement levels of students on the Award. Employer/External engagement with the ‘mock interviews’ element of the Award is integral for the quality of the student experience, offering them a ‘real’ experience and contact with an employer. This year has seen an increase in the number of external organisations and individuals involved in this element. In previous years this was conducted by Enterprise-Rent-A-Car and our own Careers and Employability Team. The 2013/14 academic year saw the inclusion of Siemens, Lincolnshire Co-Operative, Emphasis on Skills, and our own University departments (Finance, Admissions, and Marketing) with this fundamental aspect. In addition, the Careers and Employability Team has offered more student careers visits than ever before; funding student visits to: The National Engineering Show The National Law Fair The National Graduate Recruitment Fair Again, all of these activities are aligned to the Award and the need for the Careers and Employability Team to evolve and develop the service ‘offering’ as a result of the increased popularity of the Award and engagement with Career Planning.

GP4. The impact of the ‘Student as Producer’ initiative on the

4.1

Student as Producer is currently subject to an applied evaluation, with the corresponding report sent to the HEA in February 2014. The report will be used to develop and enhance ongoing work.

Director of Educational Development and

EDEU now lead on the continuing work to further develop and embed the Student as Producer initiative at Lincoln. The HEA funded National Teaching Fellow project closed in 2014 and the end-

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enhancement of student engagement at all levels and on learning and teaching practice across the University

Key recommendations include: enhanced training and education with University staff on practices and principles of Student as Producer, further work with students to promote awareness and engagement with Student as Producer, and a review of the quality assurance processes that currently support the implementation of Student as Producer across the University. The University hosted a very successful international conference on Student as Producer on 26 and 27 June 2013: http://saspconf13.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/ Guidance for Higher Education providers for university-wide curriculum development is being written as part of final evaluation report on Student as Producer to be submitted to the HEA. Associated national and international networks have expanded to include universities in the UK, USA and Canada who are all using Student as Producer as a key principle for supporting student learning and teaching. Student as Producer was a founding member of the British Conference for Undergraduate Research and remains a member of the steering committee. Student as Producer has been invited to run workshops for the HEA PVC Network and other HEA events at Middlesex and Westminster Universities. Following the end of the HEA funded project in July 2013, the Student as Producer Working Group has been dissolved into the University’s main Education Committee where it is a regular agenda item.

Enhancement (EDEU)

of-project report was completed and submitted to the HEA accordingly. The HEA have produced a case study based on the work at Lincoln – https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/resources/detail/aboutus/case-studies/studnet_producer_lincoln Since EDEU were formed in September 2014, the team have been planning for taking the initiative forward, taking account of the recommendations in the final project report. Accordingly, a University-wide event is to be held in March 2015 to showcase existing work, promote and consult on continuing developments. Furthermore, EDEU are working to explore ways of making the concept more directly and clearly related to the detail of teaching, learning and assessment practices across the University. As a consequence, Student as Producer has been conceptualised as occurring through three key contexts of practice; a) Students as producers within the curriculum; b) Students as producers of the University and of

the curriculum; c) Students as producers beyond the University.

Acknowledging that there has been considerable success in the first two of these contexts, the latter is now an area of particular focus during this next phase of Student as Producer. Further to this, as EDEU work to revise and update the Student as Producer User Guide, we are also working with academics and students to refine the

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The University is continuing to promote Student as Producer across the University. Recent work to note includes the Staff Student Conference, managed by the Students’ Union, and the establishment of the Transition and Induction Task & Finish Group. A key area of activity for this group with be promoting and raising awareness of Student as Producer with students as they move through the University. Student as Producer is continuing to work closely with the Student Engagement Team, ensuring the connections between these activities are clear and coherent. Student as Producer is also fully integrated in the University’s Digital Education Strategy. The University is working closely with professional service colleagues to embed Student as Producer within their working practices, for example with the Estates and Facilities department when designing teaching and learning spaces. University colleagues involved with Student as Producer are regularly asked to run workshops and give keynote lectures at teaching and learning conferences at other Universities, and continue to publish book chapters and peer-reviewed publications on matters relating to Student as Producer. Student research is being supported by new funding awarded to students as part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Scheme at the University.

concept to four key principles of practice; these are discovery mode learning, collaboration, production, and engagement. These principles are underpinned by key enabling features; 1. Discovery (pedagogy/curriculum) 2. Technology in Teaching: Digital Scholarship

(Technology) 3. Space and Spatiality: Learning Landscapes

(Space) 4. Assessment (Assessment) 5. Research and Evaluation (Skills) 6. Student Voice (Citizenship) 7. Expert engagement with information resources

(Resources) 8. Creating the future: employability, enterprise …

(Employability) University colleagues continue to disseminate their practice in relation to this initiative as previously noted. Furthermore, for 2014/15 the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Scheme is being offered as before.

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