The Students’ Union at UWE
STUDENT SUBMISSION Prepared for the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Higher Education Review 2015
July 2015
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Section 1: Preface This Student Submission has been written by the Students’ Union at UWE, on behalf of the student body, for the purpose of the University of the West of England’s Higher Education Review. The Students’ Union is a registered charity which exists to represent and support students studying at the University of the West of England. It is run by a Board of Trustees who are responsible for both the strategic development and management of the organisation, supported by a team of 80 dedicated and professional staff. Although the Students’ Union is independent of the University, it works in partnership, providing the recognised representative channel of the student voice. Therefore, the Students’ Union welcomes the opportunity to offer feedback and opinion on the University and the practices which affect the student experience. The Students’ Union is pleased to have been invited to continue this practice with this Student Written Submission to the 2015 Quality Assurance Agency Higher Education Review. The Students’ Union would like to thank Gail Wilson and the University’s Higher Education Review Team for working in partnership to seek student opinion for the Self Evaluation Document throughout the writing process. The Students’ Union involvement in Review preparation and in the Self Evaluation Document has been wide ranging, from students being involved in chapter specific workshops, scrutiny of early draft documents through Board meetings to inclusion in groups set up for specific work streams. This inclusion is testament to the true partnership that operates between the University and the Students’ Union.
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Section 2: Executive Summary This Student Submission contains the Students’ Union’s main points for consideration during the Quality Assurance Agency’s Review. The following executive summary sets these out with the main recommendations and references to the relevant page numbers in the Submission. Recommendation 1 (p11): The University and Students’ Union to continue to work in partnership to further evaluate ways in which student voice can be heard and ensure the University is sector leading in this area of work Recommendation 2 (pp 11-12): The University and Students’ Union to continue to work in partnership to improve long term engagement of students in the Student Representation system. This can be achieved by: • Standardisation of induction talks about Student Representation across all faculties, as well as utilising the 'Rep Election Guidance' documentation, in order to best inform students about feedback opportunities • Working with Student Representatives to ensure full use of communication channels to close the feedback loop and inform students of changes in response to their feedback Recommendation 3 (p12): The University and Students’ Union to continue to work in partnership to improve Student Rep engagement. This can be achieved by: • Re-evaluating the number and format of meetings Student Representatives are expected to attend • Reviewing Student Representative training to include personal effectiveness, especially in communications with staff • Jointly agreeing a set of performance indicators to track Student Representative engagement Recommendation 4 (p12): The University and Students’ Union to continue to work in partnership to improve academic staff engagement with the student representation system. This can be achieved by: • Identification of Student Voice Advocates/Champions in each Department • Developing and expanding the training offered to staff about student voice Recommendation 5 (pp14 -15): The University review their guidance to staff surrounding minimum requirements for assessment feedback. The Students’ Union believes the University can do this by: • Continuing work to promote availability of individual time with staff for students both before assessment deadlines and afterwards in order to maximise feedback opportunities • Including detailed comments on any coursework submissions which clarify where students could have improved and therefore where learning outcomes were not met, as well as where students have performed well, in particular throughout an assignment rather than in a summative paragraph • The 20 day marking turnaround to be strictly adhered to by all staff, unless there are exceptional circumstances which must be communicated to students within the 20 days
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Recommendation 6 (p15): The University moves all possible assessments to online submission in order to enable more rapid turnaround of marks and feedback Recommendation 7 (p16): The University to ensure all module handbooks provide clear guidance to students around expectations of assessment components Recommendation 8 (p17): The University review the communications to students in preparation for placements by: - Communicating about the availability of placements - Communicating about placement allocation - Managing students’ expectations of the reality of being on placement Recommendation 9 (p17): The University provide clarification/minimum standards on their relationship with students on placement. This process of definition should include consideration of the following: - Promotion of support students on placement are entitled to receive - The differences between the experiences of students completing professional practice placements and those undertaking other placements - The differences between students with prior experience of the workplace (which in turn may or may not be within an industry related to their degree) and students without this Recommendation 10 (p17): The University to agree a metric for measuring student satisfaction with placement experiences, including the experience of students’ relationship with UWE whilst on placement Recommendation 11 (p20): The University to continue its commitment to work on Hidden Costs by publication of additional costs online through the courses database Recommendation 12 (p20): The University reviews its offering of virtual support and looks to introduce more real time offerings utilising technology Recommendation 13 (p20): The University and Students’ Union work in partnership to create agreed measures of service review to ensure they meet students’ expectations Recommendation 14 (p23): The University to continue to review the effectiveness of Start of the Year Communications by gathering comprehensive student feedback with support from the Students’ Union Recommendation 15 (p23): The University to continue work on the timely release of timetables to meet students’ expectations Recommendation 16 (p23): The University to continue reviewing the accessibility and navigability of UWE web pages and internal search engines, seeking student feedback to do this The recommendations have been agreed and signed off by officers of the Students’ Union, who are elected by the student body.
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Section 3: Methodology 1. This Student Submission was compiled during the 2014/15 academic year using student feedback from a range of sources. The use of existing evidence and sources include: • • • • •
The National Student Survey 2012-2014 The Student Experience Survey 2014 & 2015 The Students’ Union Survey 2014 The Students’ Union Forum Minutes 2013-2015 (comprising over 1200 individual items of feedback) The Student Representative Committee Minutes 2013-2015
2. Whilst the focus of the Student Submission was based around the secondary sources, specific knowledge gaps were filled using the following primary sources, including: • • •
Face to face engagement with students about email communications Social Media gathered feedback The Students’ Union Student Council April 2015
3. The data used within the Student Submission was gathered from a large number of students from a diverse range of backgrounds and awards. The Students’ Union considers the information used within these sources to be extremely valuable evidence of the quality of the student experience. As a result of the evidence, the Students’ Union is able to confidently base the Student Submission on student opinion from the previous few years. 4. Alongside this evidence and analysis, the Students’ Union’s Student Council informed recommendations through workshops where each section was analysed and critiqued. Student Council is made up of just over 50 students from a range of backgrounds who are elected by their peers to represent their views. Final endorsement and approval on the entire Student Submission has been given from the Student Representative Committee. 5. The Students’ Union has focussed the Student Submission around five areas which have been identified as where students feel their academic experiences can be improved. These are; Student Voice Developments, Assessment and Feedback, Student Support Services, Placements and Student Communications. Section 3.1: Limitations to the Methodology 6. While the data and evidence collected to compile this Submission was gathered from a wide range of sources and students, the Students’ Union acknowledge that it does have limitations. Views from postgraduate, disabled or part time students, beyond input which they have given as part of their feedback in to Students’ Union forums, surveys and online forums, have not explicitly been sought. With further resources, information could have been compiled which encompassed students from the University’s franchise and validation colleges and voices directly from global partners. It is noted that the Students’ Union has representation on the University’s Collaborative Provision Committee which gives a broad understanding of the experiences of these students. As the Students’ Union did not collect
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission information specifically on these areas, the recommendations made have not focussed on them as separate groups. The Students’ Union has planned extra work during the 2015/16 Academic Year to examine further the needs of particular elements of the student community recognising that they form an important part of the student body. 7. Hartpury College, an associate faculty of the University, has applied for Taught Degree Award Powers and is currently undergoing scrutiny by the QAA. As part of this transitional process Hartpury College have set up Hartpury Students’ Union, we are working closely in partnership with Hartpury Students' Union helping mentor aspects of representation and student opportunities as they take on these functions. The provision at Hartpury College has recently been positively reviewed by the QAA, as such we do not make explicit comments in this document on the Hartpury provision. Section 4: Relationship with the University 8. The Students’ Union has a well-developed and strong partnership with the University. This relationship is formalised and is overseen by Partnership Board 1 which was introduced in 2014 to create synergy in activity as well as provide strategic oversight of core work streams. Students’ Union Officers are included in a myriad of University groups around particular work streams and regularly contribute student opinion into the development of projects. Recent projects have included; ‘Start of the Year’ activities, a revised version of the UWE Charter, development of an Academic Survival Guide and a review of Academic Personal Tutoring, to name a few. Students’ Union Officers have also been included in appointment of senior University members of staff as well as development of the 2020 Strategy. 0F
9. The University also demonstrates its commitment to student voice by inclusion of student members on the majority of committees in the formal governance structures, including the Board of Governors, Academic Board and its sub committees. The Students’ Union submits a report to each Academic Board, reporting on student feedback gathered from Students’ Union Forums. These reports are considered and enacted upon, ensuring relevant action is taken. 10. This long standing and developed partnership should not be underestimated, it is important to highlight that it is not reliant on formal meetings. Productive, open and honest relationships with key university staff result in the Students’ Union Officers being able to seek early resolution to matters affecting the student body and a quick closing of the feedback loop in many cases. 11. The Students’ Union is proud that the Quality Assurance Agency’s 2009 Institutional Audit 2 highlighted the University’s commitment to student representation as a feature of good practice. The student voice is a fundamental part of the University and Students’ Union and both organisations work in partnership to ensure this is delivered on an annual basis, through a well-developed Student Rep System. Responsibility for the coordination and operation of the Student Rep System is shared between the Students’ Union, the 1F
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0330 UWE Bristol and UWE SU Partnership Board Terms of Reference 0929 QAA UWE 2009 Institutional Audit Report
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission University’s Professional Services and Academic Staff. The Students’ Union work to support Student Reps through ongoing training, briefings and continuous support as well as administrating many of the reward elements of the scheme, such as payment and certification. Student Voice Working Group comprising of both University and Students’ Union staff and representatives oversees activities related to Student Representation, including assigning responsibilities, refinement of activity and ensuring effectiveness of the system. The Students’ Union plays a significant role in Student Voice Working Group and regularly contributes to the agenda. 12. The Student Reps are asked to proactively seek out and identify students’ views on matters relating to their academic experience. These views are then captured through the two meetings that Student Reps attend; Student Rep Staff Forums (SRSFs) and Students’ Union Forums. As outlined in the University’s Self Evaluation Document, ‘SRSFs are a formal component of the University’s academic governance structure and are the University’s primary vehicle for supporting student informed enhancement at both modular and programme level. Every programme of study is linked to an SRSF’. 3 Students’ Union Forums bring together Student Reps from each department to provide feedback that is less programme specific, such as university facilities and library provision. These forums also seek to highlight and share good practice across programmes as well as seek topical feedback to inform the Students’ Union Officers’ views. Students are elected from these forums to form the student membership of University Committees, such as Faculty Academic Standard and Quality Committees. 2F
13. The Students’ Union 2013- 2017 Strategy 4 seeks to be nationally recognised for student voice activities. The University have been fully supportive of this ambition and both organisations are working in collaboration to achieve this. 3F
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0072 Academic Board Committee and Groups Structure 0331 UWESU Strategic Plan 2013 to 2017
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Section 5: Progress of recommendations made by UWE Students’ Union at the last Student Submission 14. The Students’ Union made 21 recommendations in its 2009 Student Written Submission. Some of the recommendations have been addressed and some are no longer relevant or are no longer an issue due to institutional changes or the changing needs of students at the University. Examples of recommendations that have been addressed include: • • • • •
The implementation of a centralised timetabling system Ensuring that promptness of feedback is a key priority Students being given access to module resources from past and future modules in order to aid their learning University offering longer opening hours for the smaller campus libraries Ensuring student feedback in incorporation into the development of learning spaces
15. The Students’ Union authored a report to the University’s’ Academic Board in June 2014 on the progress that has been made on recommendations since the 2009 Submission 5. The Students’ Union welcomes the update provided which indicates progress on many of these recommendations 6. 4F
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16. Constructive and ongoing dialogue between the Students’ Union and University has ensured student feedback is taken seriously and continuously enacted upon as it arises. This Student Submission has been developed with a new set of recommendations.
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0930 SU Submission to Academic Board June 2014 0931 UWESU Actions Academic Board Update April 2015
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Section 6: Student Voice 17. In order for the Students’ Union and the University to be able to continually improve as well as drive and enhance great student experience, students’ voices are important. 18. The previously noted partnership between the Students’ Union and the University incorporates many work streams, one of which enables students to provide Student Voice at all levels. The Students’ Union echo the pride which the university takes in the Student Representation system and are pleased to play a vital part in supporting Student Reps. The work on the joint ‘You Said, UWE Did’ initiative has defined and clear impact, with research 7 showing a 71% of students surveyed are aware of the ‘You Said UWE Did’ campaign. As part of this research, the Students’ Union sought feedback from students to highlight gaps in awareness of the initiative and look forward to working with the University to further embed ‘You Said UWE Did’ in student life. 6F
19. The effectiveness of student feedback methods across the University are regularly reviewed. The 2015 Student Feedback Task and Finish Group 8 seeks to jointly review current feedback methods as well as streamline them for future years. The Students’ Union has played a key role in representing the student voice, ensuring that future feedback methods for students are accessible, coherent as well as responsive to their feedback. The Students’ Union looks forward to working with the University to see the proposed changes in action and the increased effectiveness of the student voice. 7F
20. Student Reps are key to providing student voice on academic matters. The Students’ Union is encouraged that the Representation system is enabling them do this effectively. A recent survey 9 of Student Rep experiences indicate that 75% of Student Reps felt that they made a difference and 85% indicated that staff have engaged with them during their time as a Student Rep. It is encouraging that the comments from long term (i.e. 2 year plus in post) Student Reps this year centre on the improvements which they have seen in training and contact in their time in their role. The Students’ Union believe that this a reflection of the strong partnership work which has ensured a continual commitment to and improvement of the student voice through Student Reps. 8F
21. Whilst the students’ Union is encouraged by the high levels of perceived staff engagement with Student Reps, it is evident that students feel more could be done to prepare them for meeting with staff. Therefore the Students’ Union is committed to ensure that improvements to training address this. Additionally, where interactions with staff haven’t gone smoothly or been a pleasant experience, Student Reps are more likely to feel unprepared. This reported lack of preparation could be mitigated by improving staff preparation for meeting with Student Reps. The Students’ Union encourage the university to outline to staff the expectations of interactions with Student Reps and to implement training to aid this. To aid this it would be beneficial that staff members identified as approachable and engaged by Student Reps be approached to be Student Voice Champions.
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0510 You Said UWE Did Feedback 0476 The Future of Student Feedback Update from the Student Voice Working Group 17 03 15 9 0932 Student Rep Survey Results 2014 15 8
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission
22. Regarding the wider student body’s involvement in Student Voice; The Students’ Union is confident that by continuing to work in partnership as part of the Student Feedback Task & Finish Group, engagement strategies which will benefit all students will be developed. This is important as despite the University providing sufficient opportunities for students to feedback on their course, students do not feel that it is clear how comments on their course are acted upon and fed back to them (only 54% agree 10). The Students’ Union believes it is essential that students are engaged with the notion of student voice early in their first year at the University, if not before they arrive. The Students’ Union and the University should work in partnership with a goal to standardise inductions for new students about student voice and why feedback is critical to its success. This should aim to motivate students to be involved in student voice activity which in turn may address frustrations from Student Reps who often report that they have difficulty engaging with the wider student body. The Students’ Union is committed aiming to alleviate this by further emphasising the need for Student Reps to highlight the positive impact they have had. The Students’ Union works to support staff to engage students with Student Representative Elections and for 14/15 a ‘Rep Election Guidance’ document was written to highlight different ways staff could run Student Representative Elections. This was organised to reflect different cohort situations, and discussed ways to engage distance learners, large cohorts and those who require anonymous elections. It primarily focused on operational and logistical support, along with suggested methods of face-to-face and online engagement. 9F
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The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Recommendation 1: The University and Students’ Union to continue to work in partnership to further evaluate ways in which student voice can be heard and ensure the University is sector leading in this area of work Recommendation 2: The University and Students’ Union to continue to work in partnership to improve long term engagement of students in the Student Representation system. This can be achieved by: • Standardisation of induction talks about Student Representation across all faculties, as well as utilising the 'Rep Election Guidance' documentation, in order to best inform students about feedback opportunities • Working with Student Representatives to ensure full use of communication channels to close the feedback loop and inform students of changes in response to their feedback Recommendation 3: The University and Students’ Union to continue to work in partnership to improve Student Rep engagement. This can be achieved by: • Re-evaluating the number and format of meetings Student Representatives are expected to attend • Reviewing Student Representative training to include personal effectiveness, especially in communications with staff • Jointly agreeing a set of performance indicators to track Student Representative engagement Recommendation 4: The University and Students’ Union to continue to work in partnership to improve academic staff engagement with the student representation system. This can be achieved by: • Identification of Student Voice Advocates/Champions in each Department • Developing and expanding the training offered to staff about student voice
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Section 7: Assessment and Feedback 23. The Students’ Union believes that assessment and feedback is a key component of a students’ learning journey. The Students’ Union and University regularly seek the views of students about their experiences of assessment and feedback to ensure policies and practices remain relevant to the student body and take action where necessary. The University, Students’ Union and student body have worked in partnership to ensure that students are assessed fairly in a range of ways and receive timely feedback on assessed work. This partnership is underpinned by policies, developed jointly, such as the Assessment Cycle Policy 11 and the Online Assessment Policy 12, which are brought together more broadly under the UWE Charter 13 . 10 F
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24. Students regularly give feedback on assessment and feedback, the majority of this feedback focusses on the quality and timeliness of feedback received on assessments rather than commenting on assessments as a whole. The Students’ Union and University have worked together to make progress on student satisfaction on all areas of assessment from the setting of assessments right up to feedback on those assessments. Since the introduction of a standard template for Module Handbooks, students have been able to consistently find assessment details for each module which includes; format, due date and any other submission requirements. These module handbooks are available online from the start of a module and remain a reference source for students throughout their studies. 25. In recent years the bunching of assessments has been a common source of student feedback, with many deadlines falling closely together towards the end of term, however active student engagement, data sharing and careful planning by programme teams has resulted in varying deadlines in the majority of programmes to avoid excessive bunching. The creation of the Coursework Hub on each campus, along with the changes created by One University Administration, has resulted in a greater visibility of the timing and nature of assessments as well as consistency in hand-in for students. The introduction of online submission has also gone some way to increase the quality of students’ experiences of coursework submission, especially for those students away from campus. Students welcome the instant receipts when submitting work as well as the ease of using the system 14. There are still a number of subject areas where students have said they would benefit for their work to be submitted online 15. 13F
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26. Students’ receiving feedback on their work is an essential part of the learning process, allowing students the chance to reflect on their work and develop for the future. The National Student Survey and Student Experience Survey annual assesses students’ opinions on the feedback that they have received, through the question “Feedback on my work has helped my clarify things I did not understand”. The 2015 results from the Student Experience Survey 16 showed a 58% satisfaction, down 2% from 2014. The National Student Survey results from 2014 17 echo this, with 60% satisfaction being reported. This continues to be the lowest area of satisfaction for students when using measures such as crossuniversity/institutional surveys. The Students’ Union has been and continues to be involved in a number of work streams to address students’ expectations in this area, identify and share best practice and ensure that student satisfaction is in line with the sector. The 1 5F
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0100 Assessment Cycle Policy 0035 Online Assessment Policy 13 0324 UWE Charter 14 0933 SU Forum Minutes Education 17 02 14 Item 023 04 15 0934 SU Forum Master Action Chart Cell G 1822 16 0309 SES Results 2013 15 17 0292 NSS Results 2010 14 12
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Students’ Union also continues to include an award for Assessment Feedback as part of the annual Student Led Teaching Awards to ensure that students are encouraged to recognise good practice. 27. In response to student feedback, the University have continued work to keep to their commitment of 20 working days for feedback on assessments, including publishing dates for the return of work. Where the 20 days has not been possible, in most cases, students are now kept up to date with reasons for the delay as well as an expected date for feedback. The Students’ Union are glad to reflect that these cases are minimal and in many cases unavoidable. With this in mind, student satisfaction from the National Student Survey on the question, “Feedback on my work has been prompt” was 60% in 2014 18 and 63% in the Student Experience Survey 2015 19. In response to student feedback, the University have agreed to publish unconfirmed marks to students in advance of Field and Award Boards enabling students to have a clearer idea of their success much earlier. 17 F
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28. The Students’ Union acknowledges that Assessment and Feedback is a key work stream of Learning and Research 2020 20 and will be working in partnership to ensure student informed actions are developed as part of the creation of the detail. 19F
29. As the University are consistently responding to student feedback in this area, recommendations have been developed that encompass some existing work as well as look to future developments. Recommendation 5: The University review their guidance to staff surrounding minimum requirements for assessment feedback. The Students’ Union believes the University can do this by: • Continuing work to promote availability of individual time with staff for students both before assessment deadlines and afterwards in order to maximise feedback opportunities • Including detailed comments on any coursework submissions which clarify where students could have improved and therefore where learning outcomes were not met, as well as where students have performed well, in particular throughout an assignment rather than in a summative paragraph • The 20 day marking turnaround to be strictly adhered to by all staff, unless there are exceptional circumstances which must be communicated to students within the 20 days Recommendation 6: The University moves all possible assessments to online submission in order to enable more rapid turnaround of marks and feedback Recommendation 7: The University to ensure all module handbooks provide clear guidance to students around expectations of assessment components
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0292 NSS Results 2010 14 0309 SES Results 2013 15 20 0020 UWE Bristol Strategy 2020 19
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Section 8: Placements 30. The Students’ Union recognises that for many students a placement forms a core part of the learning experience. With students’ expectations on employability high, a placement is an important way to get experience and practice learning creating ready and able graduates, a key aim in the University’s 2020 Strategy. As well as this, for students studying courses with a professional practice element, placements can be a determining factor in their student experience and resulting satisfaction. The Students’ Union believes that for those students choosing to take a period of time away from studying, to take up other placement activity, it is important that their experiences are captured to inform future thinking. 31. Professional practice placements, for some students, form up to half of their programme of study particularly for students in the Departments of Education, Allied Health Professionals and Nursing and Midwifery. Placement feedback, capturing the experiences of these students, is prevalent during meetings such as SU Forums and Student Rep Staff Forums as students returning off placements throughout the year are keen to share their experiences. 32. Student feedback from professional practice placements broadly fits into the areas of; placement allocation, notice of placements, financial implications of placements and the variety of placements. Some students have reported a lack of transparency in how placements allocations are made, leading to confusion and in some cases a perception of unfair practice. Closely linked to this is the notice given to students about where they are going on placement. Students have reported being aware of placement dates in advance but are not always made aware of particular locations until sometimes the week before, not leaving enough time to make arrangements such as accommodation and travel. Many of the students recognise some factors out of the University’s control but would welcome increased clarity in the decision making process in order to understand the reasons why. 33. Although not a part of the Quality Assurance Agency’s Higher Education Review, during the research for the Student Submission, NHS funded students reported money to be a larger concern than non-NHS funded students; particularly with travel costs. The Students’ Union and University will be working in partnership to ensure targeted promotion of support services such as the Money and Funds Service to these students. Students on NHS funded placements reported varied levels of feeling prepared by the level of information available before their placement. Student feedback from NSS 2014 21 reported satisfaction ranging from 61% to 95%, depending on the students’ programme of study. 20F
34. Although the Students’ Union recognises that professional placements are controlled by Health Education South, in partnership with the University, some students have reported a lack of variety in the placements being offered. For students there is a perceived negativity on their future employability if they have not had the opportunity to complete a variety of placements meeting their expectations and creating gaps in their personal development 22. 35. The Students’ Union also sought the views of students undertaking other placements such as sandwich years. The Students’ Union recognises there are a number of challenges when trying to engage students who are away from the University for extended periods of time. Students on sandwich placements have fed back that their expectations of contact whilst away from the University have not been met 23, suggesting that they were expecting a greater level of interaction. There is a general awareness amongst students that they should 21F
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0292 NSS Results 2010 14 0935 SU Forum Master Action Chart Cell G1511 23 0936 Sandwich Placement Feedback Report 2013 14 22
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission expect a minimum of one visit by a member of University staff however there is a feeling that in some cases this does not always happen 24. 23F
36. Over recent years the University have responded to student feedback and introduced a number of measures to gauge student opinion of their placement experiences such as the Student and Partnership Services’ Sandwich Placement Questionnaire 25. 24F
Recommendation 8: The University review the communications to students in preparation for placements by: - Communicating about the availability of placements - Communicating about placement allocation - Managing students’ expectations of the reality of being on placement Recommendation 9: The University provide clarification/minimum standards on their relationship with students on placement. This process of definition should include consideration of the following: - Promotion of support students on placement are entitled to receive - The differences between the experiences of students completing professional practice placements and those undertaking other placements - The differences between students with prior experience of the workplace (which in turn may or may not be within an industry related to their degree) and students without this Recommendation 10: The University to agree a metric for measuring student satisfaction with placement experiences, including the experience of students’ relationship with UWE whilst on placement
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0937 SU Forum Master Action Chart Cell G120 7 0938 Sandwich Placement Feedback Survey
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Section 9: Student Support Services 37. The Students’ Union recognises that appropriate student support is vital in order to aide retention, progression and to ensure student success. The University currently provides a number of different support mechanisms for students to access, including proactive as well as preventative and remedial. 38. The Students’ Union conducted a survey to gather feedback on students’ perspectives of student support during December 2014 26. Student feedback indicated that some students were not aware of the full offer of student support, whilst others found barriers to accessing the support and gaps in support offered. The results of the survey were presented in a report to the University in February 2015 and following on from this a number of actions have been taken in response to this feedback. Actions include a full communications plan to increase the visibility of student support services, increased ease of access for support services as well as an increased offering in their programme of support. These positive changes are welcomed by students and the Students’ Union will be gathering feedback on their effectiveness during the 2015/16 academic year. 25F
39. Over a number of years, students at the University became increasingly concerned and vocal about the high unexpected costs involved in completing their courses. As a result of this, the Students’ Union launched a Hidden Costs Campaign. Student feedback was sought through an online course calculator 27 and a giant piggy bank was created to engage students. Through Students’ Union focus groups and further research that the University carried out with Programme Leaders, two joint papers were written in partnership. The first paper 28 contained recommendations for Vice Chancellor’s Advisory Board, and the second 29, a paper for consideration at the University’s Finance and Resources Executive. This formed one of the Students’ Union’s and University’s flagship moments of partnership. The University took a strong stance on hidden additional costs and as a result all undergraduate students received £15.00 printing credit per year from September 2014. Undergraduate students studying creative art based degrees received £75.00 for materials. The Students’ Union are pleased that the University have committed to including postgraduate students from September 2015 with £15.00 printing credit per year and for arts based degrees receiving £75.00 for materials. 26F
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40. One of the main sources of support for students is provided through University InfoPoints, situated on all campuses. InfoPoints provide a one stop shop for students to be able to ask a range of questions, seek guidance and be signposted to other services. Student feedback on InfoPoints has indicated that students are satisfied with the range of services provided as well as the ability to seek resolution to a wide range of queries 30. Over recent years, the University have sought to enhance student support by replicating the physical InfoPoints with an online presence. The creation of the student landing page has 29F
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0939 UWESU Student Support Survey Screenshot 0940 UWE SU Hidden Costs Campaign 28 0941 Paper on Additional Costs 29 0942 FARE Paper on Additional Costs 30 0943 Student Council Log of Written Comment Items 27
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission resulted in an online presence for InfoPoints 31 to try and emulate the ease of access. Through the categorisation of queries online, students may be able to find the answer to their query quickly, however students report that the system is not very interactive nor personalised to their exact needs 32. Students are consistent in their praise for the “Ask a Librarian” platform currently provided by the University Library 33 so a responsive, virtual helpdesk would be an excellent way to improve virtual presence of Infopoint. 30F
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41. There is a library situated on every campus of the University. The largest of these is the Bolland library on Frenchay Campus. Recent re-developments of both Frenchay and Bower Ashton libraries have led to improved facilities for students. Frenchay library is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year which goes a long way to improving students’ study opportunities. The library consistently scores high on student satisfaction measures such as the National Student Survey (90% in 2014) and Student Experience Survey (87% in 2015). The Students’ Union commends the library for the increasing satisfaction scores it has received in the National Student Survey, a 4% rise over 3 years, from 86% satisfaction in 2012, 89% satisfaction in 2013 to 90% in 2014. Over recent years the introduction of services such as ‘Ask a Librarian’ and the increased digitisation of books have enhanced the student experience. Student feedback through the Students’ Union’s Hidden Costs Campaign noted that textbooks were an increasing cost year on year. When feedback was delivered to the library, it was outlined in their overall library strategy 34 that they would work to create and increase e-collections, working with programme design teams to make sure core books for programmes were easily accessible for students. The library’s work on study skills for students has also meant an increase in student support in their academic studies, though there is still some work to be done on the visibility of these study skills sessions for students 35. 33F
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42. The University and Students’ Union have jointly initiated a review of Academic Personal Tutoring during the 2014/15 academic year. Student satisfaction in the 2015 Student Experience Survey 36 showed that 60% of students found engagement with their Academic Personal Tutor to be beneficial, student feedback 37 collected through SU Forums indicated fragmented practice across the University. This review has incorporated the views of students and staff, reflecting on the system since its introduction in 2012. The outcomes of this review are due to be reported to the University’s Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Committee in June 2015. Student feedback has formed a core part of the review, setting clear future expectations for students and staff as well as ensuring a consistent level of Academic Personal Tutoring across the University. 35 F
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43. The Students’ Union and University have worked together to create an Academic Survival Guide for students 38, detailing critical information with a greater student focus. This partnership work has been informed by questions frequently asked by students across 37F
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0944 Infopoint Online Screenshot 0945 SU Forum Master Action Chart 2014 15 Cell G92 33 0946 SU Forum Master Action Chart 2014 15 Cell G15 48 34 0947 Library Services Strategic Directions 2010 15 35 0947 Library Services Strategic Directions 2010 15 36 0309 SES Results 2013 15 37 0948 SU Forum Master Action Chart 2014 Cell G675 38 0322 Academic Survival Guide 32
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission University InfoPoints. The Students’ Union and University will be working together to develop clear promotion of this guide to students during the 2015/16 academic year to ensure its effectiveness as a communication tool. Recommendation 11: The University to continue its commitment to work on Hidden Costs by publication of additional costs online through the courses database Recommendation 12: The University reviews its offering of virtual support and looks to introduce more real time offerings utilising technology Recommendation 13: The University and Students’ Union work in partnership to create agreed measures of service review to ensure they meet students’ expectations
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Section 10: Student Communications 44. In order for students to be kept up to date and to succeed, effective communications are an essential part of a students’ journey. The University and Students’ Union both have a key role play to ensuring students have the correct information, in a timely manner and know where they are able to access further information as and when they need it. 45. Over a number of years the Students’ Union and University have worked in partnership to address student feedback in this area and ensure there is collaboration in the communications circulated. This partnership is clearly visible by joint work such as ‘You Said UWE Did’ 39, The UWE Charter 40 and Student Surveys 41 promotions. 38F
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46. Before students are arriving at the University, they are also increasingly using social media to contact the University and the Students’ Union with more general queries through Twitter and Facebook Groups. The Students’ Union’s creation of specific Facebook Groups, such as the UWE Freshers’ 2014-15 Group 42 have created a UWE community where students have been able to seek quick answers to queries from the Students’ Union Officers, staff and some University staff throughout their student journey. 41F
47. On arrival to the University students are provided with a university email address as well as access to essential communications portals and course content such as myUWE and BlackBoard. From September 2015 students will also receive essential pre-arrival information in printed form which has been jointly created through the University’s Start of the Year Group 43. Due to the relatively recent emergence of a plethora of media platforms, students have a multitude of ways in which they are able to communicate with university staff, both in person and through digital means. 42F
48. The recently established University Student Communications Team has begun to organise student communications so that there is more of a coherent approach. Student feedback from SES 2015 indicates that 72% students feel that it is clear which matters are important when the University communicates with them. Student feedback collected by the Students’ Union specifically about communications indicated that many students feel bombarded with emails and many go unread as a result. There is mixed opinion amongst students about the use of their UWE email account, with many suggesting they would prefer the University to communicate with them via their personal account, some students setting up auto forward into an account of their choice, and other students who welcome a University email address. The Students’ Union believes there is further research needed in this area to establish a longer term plan for the use of email as a communication tool. Amongst many successes, the Students’ Union believes that by organising communications and therefore allowing bespoke messages to be sent to students is a positive step forward. The Students’ Union work closely with this team and have fed into projects such as a new,
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0509 You Said UWE Did Campaign 0324 UWE Charter 41 0949 Student Surveys Promotion Screenshot 42 0950 UWE Freshers 2014 15 Facebook Group Screenshot 43 0341 Start of the Year Project Group Terms of Reference 40
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission more prominent, student landing page on login 44, the student newsletter ‘YourUWE’ 45 which gets reviewed by the Students’ Union Officers before being emailed to students and targeted segments if required. The Students’ Union has representation on the Student Communications Group. 43F
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49. Over a number of years, student feedback has indicated that students are not wholly satisfied with the timing of timetable release at the start of the year 46, with some students reporting that they have missed induction activity as a consequence. Student parents and students who commute from far away expressed particular difficulty this has caused them. The University and Students’ Union have worked in partnership, through the Timetable Enhancement Group 47 to gather student feedback in this area as well as to implement a longer term solution for earlier timetable release closer aligned to students’ expectations. The University is addressing this by working with the Students’ Union to conduct a review of timetabling processes and earlier release will come into effect in September 2015, which will see students receiving their timetables over a week before the start of term. The Students’ Union will continue to work with the University during the next academic year to establish the feasibility of timely release of timetables, in line with students’ expectations. 45F
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50. The University have responded to recent student feedback and instigated a programme of work to ensure academic staff publicise their office hours to students. Many staff have incorporated the use of social media into their programmes, creating Facebook Groups 48, Google Hangouts and Twitter Handles 49. Student feedback has indicated that students regularly communicate with academic staff via email, however their feedback also indicates inconsistency in reply times 50, with some Faculties having a communications policy, others not. Student feedback indicates that students expect replies within 5 working days as a minimum expectation 51. 47F
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51. Student communications are underpinned by UWE Charter. The 2014 review of the UWE Charter ensured that partnership between students, the Students’ Union and University was brought to the forefront in a document jointly approved by the student body through the Students’ Union Student Council 52 as well as through the University’s Academic Board 53. The Students’ Union and University have worked jointly to promote the UWE Charter to students and recognise that there is still progress to be made to ensure all students are aware of the commitments and expectations detailed within it. The University have already made plans to communicate the UWE Charter to all applicants as well as form a key part of the pre-arrival information sent to students as outlined above. 51 F
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0951 Student Landing Page Login Screenshot 0952 Student Newsletter YourUWE Screenshot 46 0953 UWESU Report to SOTY 01 10 14 47 0392 Timetable Enhancement Group Terms of Reference 48 0954 Facebook Group Example Screenshot 49 0980 UWE Twitter Handles Screenshot 50 0981 SU Forum Master Action Chart 2014 15 Filter Column E by Timetabling Release 51 0982 SRC Minutes June 2015 item 034 01 52 0983 UWESU Student Council Minutes 18 02 14 SC1314 03a 53 0012b Academic Board Minutes 120314 AB14 3 20 to 21 45
The Students’ Union at UWE Student Submission Recommendation 14: The University to continue to review the effectiveness of Start of the Year Communications by gathering comprehensive student feedback with support from the Students’ Union Recommendation 15: The University to continue work on the timely release of timetables to meet students’ expectations Recommendation 16: The University to continue reviewing the accessibility and navigability of UWE web pages and internal search engines, seeking student feedback to do this