Liz Williams, Higher Education Policy Assistant, NUSHEAR Conference 2010

Student engagement with HEAR

Aaron Porter, President, National Union of Students (NUS), said:

"It is clear that the current degree classification system is no longer fit for purpose; students deserve a more detailed acknowledgement of their overall achievement from their time in higher education. NUS welcomes the HEAR trial as an important step towards all students in the UK receiving a comprehensive report at the end of their degree course. We are actively supporting all institutions and students' unions which are taking part in this trial, and we look forward to a wider discussion about how the report can be implemented nationally in the future."

Background

NUS involvement in development of HEAR

Students’ unions key roleActivity groups, volunteering, sports

clubs etc

NUS Policy Passed 2009

1. To continue to support the reform of degree classification and cooperate with the HEAR trials across the UK

2. To play an active role in the dissemination of feedback from the HEAR trial

3. To support the roll-out of the HEAR across the higher education sector. To lobby to ensure any new system of recording achievement is easily understood and accessible for students

NUS Policy Passed 2010

NUS Believes: 1.The HEAR provides students, employers and institutions

broader information about students’ experiences and learning than the degree classification alone.

2. The HEAR should be adopted by all UK institutions.3. The implementation of the HEAR should recognise the ever

diversifying nature of the student population.4. The HEAR has potential to further the gap between those who

can afford, both financially, and with their time, to take part in extra curricular activites.

5. That the HEAR will create more barriers for those with currently the most barriers, those who find it difficult to afford their basic costs so work part time, those with caring commitments, distance learners who may not find it easy to access extra-curricular activities.

NUS Policy Passed 2010

NUS Resolves: Support the national roll-out of the Higher Education

Achievement Record (HEAR). Ensure that students’ union activities and non-formal learning

is recognized by the HEAR. Lobby the Burgess Group to recognize the work of course reps

and other academic representation activities such as involvement in periodic reviews, on the HEAR.

Support students’ unions in the trial institutions to communicate the changes to students and work with their institutions to ensure a smooth implementation.

Lobby the Burgess Group to ensure that the HEAR is a force for social mobility

NUS Policy Passed 2010

To safeguard the interests of students and meet their demands over those of employers, and institutions in any way of showcasing attainment.

To lobby employers to create more thorough admissions and assessments of candidates in order to move away from a 'box ticking' system in the future.

To ensure that the money spent on quality assurance of students' HEAR will not result in less, but more resources being put into opening up more opportunities for all, and more direct investments in students' own abilities to articulate and reflect upon their experiences.

To ensure that there is a way to acknowledge an individuals achievements who may not wish to register details of a particular activity, such as involvement in a political campaign or a liberation issue which they may not wish to disclose to all potential employers, and which may be less tangible such as overcoming personal circumstances or juggling particular commitments in order to study.

Guidance to students’ unions on HEAR

Brief guide for students’ unions Skeleton for students’ union to adapt Highlighting wider achievements: what worked/

what didn’t How to get involved Event in Spring 2011

Case Study: University of Derby

Good practice: The books Having a seat on the university HEAR group since

the beginning – gave the Union a clear understanding of what HEAR is

A university that understands the Union’s processes and barriers

Case Study: University of Derby

Worked well: Technical support from the university – creating the

database that links directly to HEAR - means we have to do very little administration

Support and want from the students – if there is no appetite then students won’t do the work for it

It helped in setting up “real” manageable processes and procedures for our volunteers

Case Study: University of Derby

Been better: No support from anyone externally – a template or

guidance would have been helpful – did the project blindly and just hoping it works out

Understanding from Union staff about the project – might have had more support from staff if they understood the project

Finance to support the project

Case Study: University of Derby

Guidance: Unions having to sort out HEAR will be crying out for

support from NUS – we had a blank canvas and no one to help us so the task was rather daunting

NUS to update unions on the project at a national level – we heard a lot from the university about the national picture but nothing from NUS and how they are supporting the project and their vision

The university support is key – if a union has a bad relationship with there institution then they will struggle to implement the project as it’s the University that need to do it

Case Study: Anglia Ruskin

Non-trial institution Course rep accreditation VLE module created Lead tutor