Presentation to SMG 7 June 2011
Michele Shoebridge and Jonathan Barry
Principal aims and considerations of the review
 Foster a study ethos and greater sense of academic rigour particularly in
the First Year.
 Add value and content to the Summer Term
 Create opportunities to embed employability opportunities in the
curriculum of all students across the year
 Improve the student experience on all campuses
 Consider the impact on academic research time
 Ensure that we take advantage of the capital investment in our
campuses
Proposals
 Extend the AY from 30 weeks (11 + 12 + 7) to 31 weeks (12 + 12 + 7),
starting one week earlier and ending at the same time as under the current
structure.
 Move from a two semester module to three terms.
For the first year….
 Bring forward the assessment week to the last week before the Christmas
break (week 12) and add a feedback week straight after the break.
 The week immediately before assessment week (week 11) will be given over
to consolidation (i.e. there will be ‘no new learning’ in that week), which will
provide an opportunity for some structured revision before assessment.
Proposals
 Week 12 before Christmas to become a revision week for second and third
years.
 Shorten the exam period in the summer from 5 weeks to 4 weeks but retain
the current revision week at the beginning of the summer term.
 Introduce a new high profile, inspirational, mandatory academic and
employability skills programme in the last two weeks of the summer term
(while marking, moderation and exam boards are taking place) for all first
and second year students.
 The length of teaching periods will remain unchanged.
Student Feedback
The Guild’s has recently conducted a student questionnaire base on the key
proposals.
The response level was much higher than expected with approximately 2,500
students, across disciplines, years, Colleges and campuses taking part.
Support for the key proposals was encouragingly positive.
However, the final question on support for the changes to the calendar needed
in order to implement the proposals showed a clear split in views.
Negative comments were focused largely on
 the length of the first term
 the lack of a revision week before the summer exams.
The revised proposals take both of these concerns on board and have been
welcomed by the Vice President Academic Affairs.
Summer Academic Programme
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Reflects the new fees environment
Highlights our distinctiveness
Builds on our strengths
Compelling and inspirational
Good value for money
 Learning through Research events that relate to a bigger strategy around
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research led teaching
Employability offerings
Personal and professional development courses
Language courses
Taster courses
Arts, Culture and Sporting festivals
Summer Academic Programme
 A Working Group has been established to work with Colleges to pull together
options into a significant and co-ordinated programme.
 A Programme Manager will be appointed to take the initiative forward but it
will require support from Colleges.
 The programme will be mandatory.
 A pilot will be run in the summer of 2012.
Outstanding issues
 An additional week added to the academic year reduces time for research
activities and the Summer Academic Programme will require input from
academic staff
 December exams for the first year will require collation and checking of
exam papers by the end of October, and feedback at the beginning of
January will require marking to be completed over the Christmas break.
Added pressure for both academic and Professional Services staff
 We have not managed to synchronise all term dates with UCF
 We will still have to think about how assessment periods work for JYA and
other international exchanges
Current status
 A summary of the proposals and the revised academic year chart have been
posted on the T & F Group Dual Assurance web page.
 Academic staff have been invited to submit comments via College ADEs.
 Michele Shoebridge and Jonathan Barry are meeting with the ASA
Executive.
Timetable for consultation and approval
28 February
ADEs
21 March
VCEG ( initial)
22 March
PSMG
31 March
Student focus groups
26 April – 13 May
Online student survey
6 May
Student Experience CAT
26 May
T & F Group meeting: presentation of final report
31 May
VCEG (final)
1 & 2 June
Faculty Boards
June
ASA Executive/On line staff consultation
3 June
University Student Exchange
7 June
ADEs
7 June
SMG
1 July
Senate [deadline for 1st circulation: 17 June]
14 July
Council [deadline for 1st circulation: 1 July]