Learning, Teaching and Student Experience (LTSE) Strategy 2015 2024 1. Introduction This Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy will support the University in achieving the aims of the Strategic Plan 2015 to 2024 Challenging Horizons and developing into an inspiring University that is valuesbased, academically credible and financially sustainable. The Strategy relates to all aspects of the Student Experience at the University including the academic provision, the academic staff who deliver this provision, peers with whom students engage during their university education, and the wider community of professionals who ensure that the learning environment and support provided is appropriate to all students, whatever their individual backgrounds and needs. Partnership is a key aim of the University s Strategic Plan. This Strategy will support the development of a curriculum which makes links across and beyond the University and includes local, national and international learning experiences that will facilitate the development of social capital and social agency as students build networks with future employers and develop skills for their future lives. The creation of the LTSE Strategy has been a consultative, collective and democratic process. Led by the LTSE committee, all staff in academic and professional departments have been invited and encouraged to contribute to the development of the strategy and all staff are jointly responsible for the delivery and success of the strategy. Students have been consulted via the Marjon Students Union and student representation on the LTSE committee throughout the life of the Strategy will ensure that their voice remains prominent in the achievement of the Strategy s aims. aculties and Professional Departments will support the LTSE committee in completing actions aligned with strands of the action plan and by contributing expertise to University and aculty Task Groups to promote an ongoing culture of innovation. 2. Context Current Position: The creation of the new Strategic Plan follows the award of University title in 2013. The coincidence of this with a significant period of change in the higher education context underlines the timeliness of the comprehensive review of the University s Strategic Plan and supporting strategies and policies. The Higher Education market has been opened to new providers, the Student Number Control cap on expansion has been removed for publicly funded higher education institutions, fees for home students are averaging 9,000 per annum and a transition to student loan-based funding of teaching has taken place, all of which have increased the competitiveness of the sector and the expectations of the students of their HE experience. Externally, the Higher Education unding Council for England (HECE) has presented a new business plan for the period 2015-2020. The aims of this LTSE Strategy align well with HECE s proposals to support the sector in areas relating to the Student Experience which include: incentivising excellence in teaching and learning (education) stimulating innovation in teaching introducing new initiatives to measure students learning gain and measure increases in social capital and social agency evaluating, promoting and funding practices in the sector which best address the issues of social mobility, participation, retention, achievement and progression understanding retention, progression and completion and the impact of interventions which remove disparities in achievement between different POLAR (Participation of Local Areas) groupings. HECE s commitment to supporting participation of under-represented groups includes a call for innovative and collaborative provision that goes beyond the basic requirements of access agreements and supports progression 1
to postgraduate level. The latter will be enabled by the recent agreement by the government to enable postgraduate students to access student loans. Elsewhere in the sector, the Higher Education Academy (HEA) has identified Curriculum Design, Innovative Pedagogies, Student Transitions and Staff Transitions as key current workstreams with the Leadership oundation for Higher Education (LHE) providing additional support to institutions in their development of leadership capabilities. The Quality Assurance Agency for England (QAA) have introduced a new Quality Code in 2013 to replace the Academic Infrastructure previously in existence. The QAA is also undergoing a review by the funding councils to ensure that the design of any new quality assurance processes is carefully considered and the process of review fully engages all stakeholders. Student expectations of the quality, standards and outcomes of their education remain high. Nationally, the student voice continues to be represented by the NUS in both social and academic contexts. The Joint Information Services Committee (JISC) are supporting the development of digital learning by making pragmatic recommendations relating to IT infrastructures and promoting creative solutions which embed technology in the processes of teaching learning and assessment. Rapid advances in the uses of technology and new media are providing opportunities and challenges as new approaches to teaching and enrichment of the students learning experience are becoming available. Themes relating to partnership in learning between students and peers, academic tutors and stakeholders from communities across a local, national and international spectrum, are being facilitated by increasing use of learning in networked academic, social and employmentbased spaces. The importance of preparing students for future working environments where careers may be less constrained by an organizational focus and more characterized by the need for flexibility and adaptability to new working groupings and new technologies is becoming evident with skills such as novel and adaptive thinking, cross-cultural competencies and transdisciplinarity becoming essential elements of students programme-based studies. At the institutional level, the achievement of university status demands a concurrent increase in research activity within the University, providing a renewed opportunity to engage students with research-informed teaching. This will be supported by the implementation of the University s Research Strategy. A review of the portfolio of taught programmes has begun following the agreement of the Strategic Plan. The proposed creation of new programmes and the delivery of existing provision at Masters level, will necessitate comprehensive staff development programmes, careful management of the transition to the new portfolio and ongoing attention to the sustainability of the programmes on offer. Rigorous application of the curriculum model proposed in the strategic plan and adherence to proposed plans for increasing student numbers without sacrificing any quality in provision during the course of the Strategic Plan and this strategy will be essential. Current Performance: The University performs well when compared with similar institutions, regionally and nationally, in terms of the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) identified within the Strategic Plan which relate to learning, teaching and the student experience. National Student Survey (NSS) scores have positioned the university equal 9th overall (2013), however there are differences in performance between programmes with some programmes achieving very high scores and others low scores. The success of the university in the context of the widening participation agenda and high levels of employment and graduate level employment is reflected in its occupancy of the highest position in the Social Graduate Mobility Index 2014, but entry tariffs, percentage of good degrees and retention, progression and completion data are average and also show variability from programme to programme. The ability to follow the progress of POLAR groupings and to identify impacts of interventions are challenging with current data and further work is needed to remedy this and allow more sophisticated interrogation of data and effective dissemination of data to staff. Academic staff hold one of the highest percentages qualified to HEA ellowship level against the United Kingdom Professional Standards ramework (UKPS) for Higher Education. The percentage of staff with qualifications beyond Masters level is consistent with the sector average and there are opportunities to improve discipline-based research which would further inform the development of the 2
curriculum. The uptake of technology varies across the disciplines with some areas exemplifying high levels of digital innovation and others more basic levels of engagement with technological opportunities. Engagement with regional partners exists across all areas of provision. Partnerships with urther Education (E) colleges will be reviewed as the portfolio is renewed and more E colleges seek to deliver (and award) oundation degrees, requiring only top up opportunities. International collaborations have proved a challenge in their management and attempts are currently underway to streamline the university s international provision by reviewing the cost effectiveness and quality of its international partnerships. Information/Data: The University returns data sets relating to students and staff on an annual basis to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). HESA responds with summary reports to enable benchmarking of provision against the Key Performance Indicators detailed in the Strategic Plan. Specific indicators which will provide the measures of success for this Strategy at the end of its lifespan are detailed in Appendix 1. The creation of targeted data dashboards through which achievement against these indicators can be communicated effectively on an annual basis will be an important enabler of the success of this Strategy. In addition, the new HECE Business Plan emphasises the importance of HEI using data to clearly track and evaluate interventions to ensure parity of opportunity for all students. The securing of more granular data evidencing the success of activity to widen access and improve student success and the benchmarking of all data against equivalent HEI will also be key to the success of this strategy. Data is also available from student feedback on the quality of their experience, through internal University surveys and the NSS and Postgraduate Taught Student Experience Survey. The combination of this data and the module and programme based data which emerges at the end of the Annual Monitoring Cycle must be used to ensure evidence-based enhancements to university provision and the feedback loop to students which informs them of actions taken on the basis of their feedback must be effective. 3. Mission and Vision The Strategic Plan 2015 to 2024 confirms the university values and identifies a vision, mission and strategic goals, the achievement of which will ensure academic credibility and financial sustainability in the future. The values, outlined in the strategic plan reflect the University s historical development, past and present social reform agendas and the University s Church oundation. These values can be encapsulated within the concepts of Social Justice, Social Enterprise and Social Responsibility. They were reviewed during the development of the Strategic Plan in 2013 and commit the university to: Be an inclusive community that values sound learning, new discovery and the pursuit of wisdom for the good of all Value the diversity of our University and the wider community, respecting each person as a human being of equal value Challenge discrimination and injustice wherever it is found Support and encourage each member of the community to discover their full potential and to make a productive contribution to society Be good stewards of the University by ensuring the sustainability of its spiritual, intellectual, environmental and material assets Apply the highest ethical standards at all levels of decision making, especially taking into account how these decisions might affect others and the natural world Value the heritage of out University, respecting the beliefs of all faith traditions and none. Three strategic themes are identified which will serve as foci with which all staff, students and external stakeholders can engage with the Strategic Plan. These include: Digital engagement (Digital Innovation) Global engagement (Global Citizenship) Employer engagement (Employer Partnership) Three enabling tasks are also identified as enablers of the achievement of the Vision and strategic goals: Building socially responsible partnerships (enabler of relationships) 3
Developing a sustainable academic and financial strategy (enabler of resources) Creating a strong and coherent institutional identity (enabler of reputation) 4. Key Aims and Objectives Success in achieving the aims of this LTSE Strategy will support the Strategic Plan in securing the University s reputation as an inspiring, values-based, academically credible and financially sustainable University. We will have supported students from all backgrounds to participate and succeed in higher education, progressing their careers and postgraduate studies and effectively demonstrating our commitment and contribution to social mobility. We will have enhanced the quality of our provision and our income. We will also have clearly benefited the local region by providing programmes which contribute to the economic development priorities of our Local Heart of the South West Enterprise Partnership (LEP), shaping these programmes in a way that addresses the demand for postgraduates with the advanced skills and knowledge needed in the future. Overarching Goals: Graduates will be equipped with the skills and social intelligence to enable them to adapt to rapidly changing working environments, and the ability to reflect and further develop these skills as they face new challenges in the future. Provision will be highly distinctive and values-based, enabling a diverse body of students to achieve their full potential at graduate and post-graduate levels. They will become confident, reflective members of society able to make an impact in their future lives and careers. Our Community of learners, academics and stakeholders will draw on innovative pedagogy, discipline-based research and practice-based experience. The curriculum will be enriched by local, regional and international partnerships providing opportunities for the development of novel and adaptive thinking, trans-disciplinarity and cross-cultural competencies. Strategic Aims: Students S1 Our students prospects will be transformed by their university careers. Students will become responsible partners in their learning and co-creators of knowledge within a values-based, inclusive and diverse university context. To achieve this, our objectives will be to: Ensure the match between student expectations of their university education and their experience by engagement with outreach and the presentation of a clear and consistent university message about our portfolio. Maintain diverse communities of students and staff by ensuring that access schemes and recruitment policies are appropriate and inspire prospective students from all backgrounds to progress their education. Ensure early engagement by students through effective and innovative approaches to pre induction and induction that support the identification of personal developmental goals for their university careers. Review and embed Personal/Academic Tutor roles and Peer Tutoring roles in the context of the new curriculum model. Secure effective student representation at University decision-making committees and embed effective channels for responding to all student feedback. Provide developmental training for students acting as representatives, including support in the production of a new annual, themed Student Written Submission. S2 The student experience will be challenging, encouraging aspiration through opportunities to develop a confident, culturally aware, ethical, entrepreneurial and enterprising outlook. To achieve this, our objectives will be to: Engage with MSU to review the Student Charter (Learning Contract with the University) and students understanding of the attributes of a graduate. Promote the development of dynamic learning communities between students, staff and external stakeholders. 4
Embed learning in the contexts of cross-cutting themes (Digital Innovation, Global Citizenship, Employability, Research, Sustainability) across all curricula via standard and negotiated or equivalent modules. Complement or embed development of employability and skills for future work with schemes involving alumni, local businesses and external organisations to support the development of attributes, opportunities and networks. Complement or embed learning in the contexts of Global Citizenship via international placements, exchanges and internships. Complement or embed learning in the context of Digital Innovation with opportunities to engage with innovative projects, placements, exchanges and internships. Embed the development of Lifelong Learning skills in all programmes and create links with Alumni to promote their further engagement with the University. Portfolio P1 The portfolio will be financially sustainable, responsibly managed and feature Smart Specialist and current, discipline-informed, nationally and internationally relevant programmes. All staff will be expected to be aware of discipline-based market trends. To achieve this, our objectives will be to: Ensure aculty and Departmental adherence of programmes to the agreed curriculum model to maintain sustainability of provision. Support the engagement of staff with discipline-based Professional and Statutory Bodies (PSRB) and other professional organisations (HEA) via annual allocations of staff development funding. oster links between aculty-based staff and the University s Marketing department to ensure that new programme development is informed by up to date Market Intelligence. This will be facilitated by the implementation of the University s Marketing Strategy. Undertake the ongoing identification, review and interpretation of policies and frameworks impacting upon the implementation of the new curriculum model and the student experience to ensure their currency, relevance and quality. P2 Academic Staff will be responsible for creating curricula which support the delivery of the University s three strategic themes, Digital Innovation, Global Citizenship and Employability and will accommodate sector-wide expectations (it will be research-informed and feature sustainability-related and ethical dimensions). To achieve this, our objectives will be to: Maintain responsive and well-designed curricula that meet the needs of individual students, society and professions in the context of our 3 strategic themes. Ensure that assessment strategies are challenging and inclusive, designed for learning and able to effectively measure achievement. Include opportunities for the clear development of research skills and practice within all curricula and via association of students with research-active staff. This will be facilitated by the implementation of the University s Research Strategy. Include opportunity for reflection on sustainability in terms of the interdependences of economic prosperity and the environment in all programmes. Ensure that all students develop their understanding of and ability to reflect on professional conduct and ethical behaviours and issues. Resources R1 Learning will be encountered within high quality, supportive and flexible academic and social spaces - virtual and real. To achieve this, our objectives will be to ensure that: All staff will be supported in their engagement with CPD relating to teaching, learning and assessment and the achievement of ellowship, Senior ellowship and Principal ellowship of the HEA, including by involvement with an effective Professional Developmental Review process. 5
Recognition and reward for excellence and innovation in teaching will occur through annual LTSE Awards and Dissemination through the Annual LTSE Conference. The implementation of the University s Digital Strategy will enable all staff to be supported in achieving levels of Digital expertise sufficient for them to be able to develop contemporary digital learning spaces and resources. The implementation of the University s International Strategy will enable the university to be part of an international learning community which provides diverse perspectives in the contexts of learning, teaching, assessment and research. Models of good practice in Peer mentoring and group working will be developed and disseminated. The university will continue to promote the recognition of co and extra-curricular work to enrich the students experience and Curriculum Vitae. R2 Accessibility of all resources will be of paramount importance and academic and professional staff will ensure that students, including those on partners courses, have access to a comprehensive range of learning and student support resources in a variety of media. To achieve this, our objectives will be to: Ensure variety in approaches to teaching, learning and assessment which will accommodate diverse backgrounds and student experiences. Ensure appropriateness and clear signposting of learning and study skills support and information, advice and guidance. Ensure the Health and Wellbeing of Students via appropriate policy and framework developments to create a supportive learning environment. Design a new StudentSpace to WorkPlace one-stop-shop for student-facing services will support all students from pre-inquiry to graduation and beyond. Ensure that the Physical Environment of the campus will continue to provide outstanding and accessible sport and recreational facilities. Data D1 Data will be used to inform staff and students of progress in achieving personal and university-level goals, to support efficient management of resources, to target supportive interventions and to track non-assessed components of the student experience. To achieve this, our objectives will be to: Ensure that appropriate Dashboards are available to inform students, academic staff, professional staff and managers of individual, cohorts, department and faculty progress against KPI. Include consideration of the performance of diverse groups of all student groups including POLAR. Measure success of interventions in support of Retention, Progression and Completion for all student groups including POLAR. Investigate the use of Learning Analytics as a measure of success in student engagement and achievement with their programmes. 5. Monitoring and Evaluation The Strategy will be implemented over the same time-scale as the Strategic Plan, between 2015 and 2024. LTSE, informed by progress against KPI and feedback and suggestions from aculties and Professional Staff will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating achievement against the aims of the Strategy and the formulation of action plans for subsequent years. This may include the identification of additional KPI to inform the Strategy s effectiveness in relation to its aims. 6. Communication and Reporting LTSE will be responsible for ensuring that progress against the aims of the Strategy, including innovative practice, is disseminated widely across the institution and beyond. 7. Document Control 6
Appendix 1. Quality Measures and Performance Indicators All programmes are reviewed annually and periodically. Student achievement, graduate achievement, the results of student feedback, feedback from External Examiners and Professional Body representatives and the expectations placed on the university by the QAA Quality code will all inform the process of review. Staff development is supported by the Annual Professional Development Reviews where developmental opportunities are identified and addressed. Measures of the quality of the University s provision reflect: Acknowledgement of the student investment in their education (their financial and time commitment) via rigorous review of provision and implementation of effective student feedback cycles. Acknowledgement of individual responsibility for learning via student adherence to a Statement of Attributes (Expectations) of St Mark & St John students Acknowledgement of the diversity of graduates Acknowledgement of the qualities of graduates by external stakeholders including employers and alumni Value for Money and Value Added (enhancing Social Mobility) Rigorous Policies, Performance Indicators and awareness of risks KPI Performance Indicators against which progress with the LTSE Strategy will be measured over its duration follow those identified in the Strategic Plan as Super KPI. These include: 1 Super KPI (with data source) Average value by 2024 Position nationally by 2024 1 Entry tariffs (HESA) 300 88/121 2 Retention (all T Undergraduate Y1 students 92% 50/121 moving to Y2) 3 Completion (all T Undergraduate completing 90% 50/121 their degree within 3 yrs) 4 Employability (HESA/DLHE) 95% 5 Graduate Employability (HESA/DLHE) 68% 6 NSS overall satisfaction (NSS) 88% Top 10% Additional measures of success are indicated below. These relate specifically to the work strands within the strategy and will be the responsibility of the University (U) or the aculties (). These are mapped onto the strategic aims of the LTSE Strategy and targets will be agreed at SMG on an annual basis. Strategic Aim Performance Indicator (specific values reflecting improvement (or maintenance) of the status quo will be agreed annually and will relate to workstreams during lifetime of strategy) U S1 & S2 Position in Social Mobility Index 7 Ofsted 8 Access (Young T 1 st Degree students by NS-SEC (4-7)) 9 SEQ Overall Satisfaction (benchmarked data to be sought) 10 Degree Classification (percentage good degrees improving from 58% (2015)) International Recruitment Targets Student engagement with systematic method of recording extra-curricular activity P1 & P2 Alignment at aculty level of all new programmes with the new (revised) curriculum model PSRB recognition or accreditation at programme or department level 13 % of staff qualified against the UKPS (AHEA, HEA, SHEA, PHEA level) Staff achieving external recognition (Prizes, Grants, Publications) in the context of Higher Education Research and Practice Indicators of Internationalisation of curriculum U R1 & R2 Enhancement of teaching spaces to accommodate the best academic and social learning practices, including appropriate use of technologies U D1 Development of Data Dashboards to support clear communication of MIS and innovative applications of data to pedagogy (learning analytics) 1 Numbers reflect annual KPI at aculty level. reflects non quantifiable indicators (all negotiated prior to the start of the Academic Year and reported via Annual Monitoring), U represents University-level indicator. 7
8