Year-on response to the Enhancement-led Institutional Review (ELIR)

Transcription

1 Robert Gordon University Year-on response to the Enhancement-led Institutional Review (ELIR) October 2013 Preface One year after publication of their ELIR report, QAA Scotland asks institutions to provide a year-on response to ELIR. These year-on responses are written in the institution's own words and are published on the QAA website. Guidance on the content and structure of the response is provided by QAA Scotland. The responses should focus on the action the institution has taken following the review and should include consideration of the effectiveness of that action. It is also recognised that ELIR reports highlight good practice and institutions are encouraged to comment on key areas of activity relating to good practice that they have prioritised since the ELIR. The year-on response provides a focus for the annual ELIR discussion that is held closest to the anniversary of the publication of the ELIR report. The responses also provide a key source of information to inform regular reporting to the Scottish Funding Council.

2 ENHANCEMENT-LED INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW (ELIR) YEAR ON RESPONSE 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Governing Body Endorsement Prior to submission to the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and the Scottish Funding Council, this report was endorsed by the Board of Governors at its meeting on 3 October ELIR 2012 Outcome The Enhancement-Led Institutional Review (ELIR) of Robert Gordon University conducted by Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) was undertaken in March April 2012 and the full and summary reports were formally published in August The findings of the university s ELIR Review indicated that there can be confidence in the university s current and likely future management of the academic standards of its awards and the quality of the student learning experience it offers. The university was pleased with the very positive report which provided a strong endorsement of the university s approach, practices and achievements in respect of academic standards and quality. In particular the ELIR report highlighted positive practice within the following thirteen areas:- Student Representation Student Engagement in Learning Leaning Environment Staff Development Institutional-Led Subject Review (ILSR) Business Information Systems Engagement with National Enhancement Themes Student Feedback Support for Learning Employability Annual Appraisal of Courses Review of Student-Facing Services Quality Enhancement Following the outcome of the ELIR, the university has maintained its commitment to the enhancement of teaching, learning and the student experience. This includes building on the identified strengths highlighted in the report. 1.3 Dissemination, Monitoring and Evaluation of the ELIR Report In view of the importance of the ELIR report, the summary report and references to the full report were widely disseminated to key governance committees within the university. This included consideration by the Board of Governors (27 September 2012), Academic Council (12 December 2012), the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee (10 October 2012), Learning Infrastructure Sub-Committee (6 November 2012), Teaching Learning and Assessment Sub-Committee (17 October 2012), Faculty Quality Enhancement Sub-Committee (Aberdeen Business School) (24 October 2012), Faculty Quality Enhancement Sub-Committee (Design and Technology) (15 October 2012), Faculty Quality Enhancement Sub-Committee (Health and Social Care) (24 October 2012). The key themes were also noted by the Research Degrees Committee on 16 May In addition, the reports were disseminated to the general university population via the electronic staff and student bulletin.

3 2 The Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee (QAEC) considered a draft response to the ELIR report prior to its submission to the Board of Governors. QAEC will monitor the implementation of the actions required to address areas for development identified by the ELIR Team. At the time of writing many actions have already been implemented, but it would be intended that the remainder should be implemented by the end of Session 2013/ RECENT UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENTS AND ELIR AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT 2.1 Recent University Developments Before commenting on actions taken in respect of the eight areas for development identified by the ELIR Team, an overview is provided of some recent key relevant developments at institutional level. These include:- A comprehensive review of the university s strategy has resulted in the production of a new strategic document entitled A Clear Future for a Leading University in a New Era. This strategic review also included the development of the strategic objectives for Teaching and Learning and the Student Experience [ As part of the university s strategic review, six externally-facing documents have been produced setting out the university s strategic aims in a number of key areas; these documents were approved by the Board of Governors at its meeting on 20 June The Strategic Statements relate to: Oil and Gas, Big Data, Employability of Graduates, RGU and its Region, Health and Wellbeing, and Arts and Creative Industries. The Strategic Statement relating to Employability of Graduates is particularly relevant in the context of this response. As part of its commitment to maintaining and enhancing the university s performance in respect of graduate employability, an initiative entitled Employability RGU was developed during Session 2012/13 and will be implemented over the next academic session. The strategy has been informed by a comprehensive review of existing practice, engagement with stakeholders and a review of current literature. It is the university s strategic intent to implement a range of enhancements to current practices. These will enable all graduates from RGU to: demonstrate the key knowledge, skills and attributes for their intended profession/career; have acquired work-related experience and/or participated in a study abroad programme; be aware and confident of their interpersonal skills and strengths, and be able to articulate these in a selection process; provide demonstrable evidence of reflection of their personal development acquired through extra-curricular engagement in, for example, volunteering, enterprise, leadership, cultural engagement, and clubs and societies. The key actions of the strategy will include: engagement with the SME sector to increase the number and range of work-related opportunities available, particularly for integration within taught postgraduate courses; significantly expanding formal and optional study abroad opportunities providing all students, at early stages of their courses, with the opportunity to assess their personal values, attributes and motivators; inspiring, motivating and supporting all students within their student experience at RGU to engage in enterprise, leadership, volunteering or cultural and sporting engagements, and to reflect on and record the associated personal development

4 3 acquired; with regard to the latter aspect the concept of an employability passport/profile will be developed; expanding the range and provision of careers education and support to include international employment opportunities, and equipping students with the skills to perform effectively in contemporary recruitment and selection procedures. The move of all academic provision from the city centre to new state of the art facilities at Garthdee. As well as the new building itself there are a number of actions and activities taking place to engender a vibrant campus community, particularly in a co-curricular sense. This will further enhance the student experience. The university produces a Strategic Implementation Plan each year which is monitored by the Strategic Planning and Resources Group. A key action that will be implemented during 2013/14 will be support for on-line learning. This includes a new approach, termed Learning Expectations, to informing students about how they will be able to learn in their course and modules. The aims are to promote student engagement and achievement, and to support staff to enhance learning, teaching and assessment, in particular, online approaches for distance and blended learning. As part of the university s continuing development of partnership between the Student Union and the university, a Strategic Partnership Agreement will be introduced during Session 2013/14. This will be based on the development materials produced by Student Participation in Quality Scotland (sparqs). 2.2 ELIR Areas for Development With regard to the eight areas of development identified by the ELIR Team, the following update is provided:- Student representation - continue to implement the relatively new student faculty officer role, in partnership with the Student Union, and in doing so strengthen the interaction between student class representatives, the Student Union, and the academic units in faculties. The university has continued to liaise closely with the Student Union in developing the new Student Faculty Officer role. There have also been meetings with the university, Student Union and sparqs in this respect. Some specific actions taken have included the production of a timeline and revised role description. Six Student Faculty Officers were appointed in 2012/13, and their continuation into Session 2013/14 will be encouraged wherever possible. There has been some particularly good practice developed in the Faculty of Design and Technology with one of the Student Faculty Officers leading a discussion item, following liaison with other student representatives, at the final meeting of the Faculty Quality Enhancement Sub-Committee. An initiative was also introduced whereby the Student Faculty Officers fulfilled the role of Institutional Associate Trainers with appropriate training/support provided by sparqs. This occurred with the university s course representative training in Semester 1 and has proven to be very successful and will continue. The university, Student Union and sparqs met to discuss the development of this scheme on 23 January There are planned routine meetings with the Dean of Faculty, Student President (Education and Welfare) and Student Faculty Officer. Support/meetings are also provided through the Projects and Quality Coordinator in Academic Affairs. The university and Student Union are intending to be early adopters of the Student Partnership Agreement (SPA). A Working Group has been established, a workshop held and it is intended that the final draft SPA will be submitted to the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee (QAEC) in October It is likely that one of the actions in the SPA will relate to the continued embedding of the Student Faculty Officer role.

5 4 Assessment feedback - communicate clearly to staff and students the university's guidelines on the timely return of assessment feedback to students. Academic Council has previously approved a minimum composition for Student Handbooks in part to seek uniformity/consistency in terms of the information provided to students. This minimum composition has been expanded to include specific mention of feedback timescales i.e. 20 working days which is in accordance with the Academic Council approved policy. This requirement to include feedback timescales specifically in Student Handbooks has been drawn to the attention of teaching staff. It is also intended that feedback and assessment will be a specific priority for action in the SPA mentioned above. Personal development planning (PDP) - continue to develop a range of approaches to PDP that meet the needs of all students. Personal development planning (PDP) is already embedded within a number of courses, particularly those with professional body accreditation. In support of this, the university has already developed an e-portfolio facility supported by the Department for the Enhancement of Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DELTA). An outcome from the current Employability RGU initiative (see Section 2.1 above) will be an increased emphasis on all students engaging in and recording personal development outwith their core curriculum. This will provide a means of enhancing their ability to differentiate themselves positively in securing employment. This approach is, therefore, anticipated to stimulate much more extensive use of PDP e-portfolios. Student placements - progress the university's intention to continue exploring ways in which placement opportunities for students can be enhanced and extended. Employability RGU initiative (see Section 2.1 above) has confirmed the high value which employers place on students having undertaken work placements. Whilst a high proportion of undergraduate courses already have integrated work placements, the university will be actively seeking to increase the number and range of work experience opportunities available with a particular focus on their adoption within taught postgraduate courses. As part of this initiative, the university will be engaging actively with the regional SME sector. A bid has been submitted to the Scottish Funding Council to establish an SME hub and this has had strong support from representatives of the local SME sector. Staff development - continue to support and encourage staff development in the use of technology-enhanced learning. Staff development to support effective use of technology-enhanced learning is, and continues to be a priority for DELTA. Current work includes: (1) an action from the university Strategic Implementation Plan to promote effective use by staff of online learning for both distance and on-campus learners (see Learning Expectations above); (2) development support to enable staff to make best use of the state of the art technologies in the new and refurbished teaching rooms created through the Campus Masterplan development. Disseminating good practice - take a proactive approach to raising staff awareness of the many examples of good and innovative practice that exists across the university. The university takes a proactive approach to disseminating good practice. This includes drawing good practice and innovations, identified in the Annual Appraisal process across the three Faculties, together in summary form and circulating this more widely across the university. The summary is received by, amongst others Faculty Quality Enhancement Sub-Committees (FQESCs), as well as Academic Council and the Board of Governors.

6 5 Efforts have continued in recent Institution-Led Subject Reviews (ILSRs) to highlight snapshots of good practice which in turn are promoted via the DELTA website. Guidance for the review events has been revised to place greater emphasis on snapshots of good practice and at the most recent ILSR, the Review Panel commended three particular aspects of good practice which were worthy of further dissemination. It is intended from Session 2013/14 to have a session on the programme for ILSR events, led by a Learning Enhancement Coordinator, on the snapshots of good practice. Deans reports to the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee (QAEC) are increasingly highlighting enhancement and staff development activities taking place within the Faculties; this element has continued to become more embedded/formalised. Deans and Faculty Quality Officers (FQOs) are reviewing agendas and minutes from the other FQESCs with a view to stimulating the greater sharing of good practice. When good practice is shared at a Sub-Committee meeting it will be captured in the format of a DELTA snapshot. The university is pleased with the increasingly proactive sharing of good practice taking place within these Sub-Committees. QAEC has determined that an annual Learning and Teaching Conference be introduced which will be thematic in nature. The first such conference will take place in May 2014 on the theme of Online Learning. Staff will be encouraged to bid for modest funding to support enhancement activities, with successful applicants presenting the project at the Conference. A Head of School will lead the initiative and the first Conference, supported by the Teaching Fellows, and with DELTA providing administrative, technical and funding support. School learning enhancement coordinators (LECs) - keep under review the LEC role, specifically the variation across the schools in the remit and time allocated for the role. Effectiveness of the LEC role across the Schools, and ways of improving support to LECs are currently being considered. The LEC role will also be included in the review and revision of the university's "HR/People Strategy". Internationalisation Strategy - progress implementation of the Strategy, which both sets institutional priorities and captures current practice in the faculties and schools, including developments in the curricula as well as learning and teaching practices. Good progress has been made to date with many actions leading to main-streaming with core processes/practices. Some aspects of the Strategy will now be delivered through university-wide initiatives, for example, Employability RGU. The remaining aspects of the Strategy will be overseen by the Equality and Diversity Advisory Group which reports to the Strategic Planning and Resources Group.

7 The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education 2013 The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education QAA Scotland 183 St Vincent Street Glasgow G2 5QD Tel Fax Registered charity numbers and SC037786