that’s quality! universities

@sparqs_Scotland#sparqsTQU21

That’s Quality! Universities

12th and 13th July 2021

- Day 1


Your sparqs team today

Eve Lewis – Director

Simon Varwell – Senior Development Consultant

Justin Walker - Development Consultant

Megan Brown - Development Consultant

Rachel Hinde, Clare Hunter & Vincent Waters – Associate Trainers

Sarah Davidson and Ali McDade – Central Support Team


Welcome and Housekeeping

• Emergencies – Rachel (07825 739205)

• Online module

• Evaluation form


Twitter

• Twitter – tweet throughout the two days @sparqs_scotlandand individual accounts (@sparqs_name)

• Individual accounts:– sparqs_Simon

– sparqs_Justin

– Sparqs_Megan

• Twitter hashtag #sparqsTQU21


Zoom Etiquette

• We have captioning enabled: instructions on how to turn this off are in the chat box.

• If you are having any tech issues, post a comment in the chat.

• Please change your display name to your own name.

• When you go on breaks, please don’t disconnect from the session.


Zoom Etiquette

• You can use your audio or the chat box to speak.

• Mute your microphone when not talking.

• Type * in the chat window if you would like to speak.

• We understand there may be other distractions – let us know if there’s anything we can do to support you during the event.


AGENDA: DAY 1

09:30 – 09:45 Welcome and Introductions

09:45 – 10:30 Getting to Know You (Tutor Groups)

10:30 – 10:45 Break

10:45 – 11:30 What is Quality?


AGENDA: DAY 1

11:30 – 12:15 Partnership in Action (Tutor Groups)

12:15 – 13:15 Lunch

13:15 – 14:15 Meet the Agencies

14:15 – 14:30 Reflections on Day 1


Objectives for That’s Quality

To gain an understanding of:

• The latest quality developments in the sector and how you can engage with these to improve your students’ learning experience.

• Student partnership and why it is important.• The role of national agencies and how they support

your work.• An understanding of how COVID-19 has impacted

the university landscape and quality sector.


Tutor GroupsSIMON EVE MEG JUSTIN

Aaron Wappler Amy McLuckie CJ Baird Aasiyah Patankar

Alasdair Roache Adil Rahoo John Craig Calum Brown

Cia Jackson Cara Sangster Kevin Miguim Damilola Adesanya

Jamie Gallacher Josephine Kay Ogunsola Lucy Marshall Giang Nguyen

Janne Bruhns Lauren Macgregor Olivia Hall Hannah Copeland

Leilani Rabemananjara Louise Donnelly Priscilla Otuagoma Ondrej Kucerak

Leonie Malin Mike Kurtyka Sabina Lawrie Robyn Thiel

Matthew Akinpelu Roz Asli Stuart Lamont Rosamund Vickers

Mia Clarke Samantha McElhinney Tara Gold Savvina Kritharidou

Rory O’Neill Tabitha Nyariki Zechariah Laari


Getting to Know You


• Name

• Institution

• Newly elected or returning office

Introduce yourself to the group with:

Post one key manifesto aim in the chat.


Group communication

• WhatsApp

• Zoom chat


EVALUATION

Please complete the evaluation form assessing your pre-course knowledge and experience:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TQU21Day1



Tutor group ground rules

This is our shared understanding of how we will work together as a tutor group:

• We will listen to each other.

• We have different perspectives and may not always agree – that is ok.

• We will respect each other, and seek to learn from each other’s views.

• We will work together and support each other’s learning.

• This is a safe space to share our hopes and fears.

• We will treat information carefully, and will not share private or sensitive information outside of this group.


Discussion

How has Covid-19 impacted your personal student experience?


What does an Education Officer do during COVID-19?

Questions:

• What is your biggest hope for your year ahead?

• What are you most worried about for the coming year?

• What do you hope to gain from attending TQU?


What is your biggest hope for your year ahead?


What are you most worried about for the coming year?


What do you hope to gain from attending TQU?


Break

Please be back by 10.45am


What is Quality?

Megan Brown, Development Consultant

Eve Lewis, Director


What is Quality?

• 'Quality assurance' is the process of ensuring that universities and colleges are meeting a certain set of standards and delivering qualifications to students which are of value.

• Quality enhancement is ultimately about improving things and making the institution better.

What you do every day as officers is part of the quality process.


Quality Enhancement Framework


What are the fundamental principles that underpin Scotland’s quality system?

That’s the what, but why…


Why do I need to know this?

• Quality systems are going to change

• As officers this year, you may be asked for your views on the future of quality systems. To be prepared for this, you need to understand:

– The fundamental principles that underpin Scotland’s quality system – why is it the way it is?

– The context of COVID-19 and how this has affected the ways in which students, staff and the sector view quality.


Key Principles

In 2007, the funding arrangements for colleges and universities were brought together by the SFC and the sector agreed a joint approach to quality.

Although approaches to internal and external reviews are distinct between colleges and universities, the sector agreed on three key principles that would underpin quality arrangements across the sector.

▪ High quality learning▪ Student engagement▪ Quality culture

There is a distinctive Scottish approach to quality which is has been recognised and replicated internationally.


In addition, our quality system is successful because of:

• self-reflection

• openness and honesty

• external peer review

• an enhancement approach


Assurance vs Enhancement


An enhancement approach

AssuranceQuality assurance is the process for checking that the standards and quality of higher education provision meet agreed expectations.

EnhancementTaking deliberate steps to bring about improvement in the effectiveness of the learning experiences of students. (QAA Scotland, ELIR 4 Handbook 2017).

https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaas/reviewing-he-in-scotland/elir4-handbook-2017.pdf


Impact of COVID-19 on the quality of the Student Learning Experience


What students are saying

Head to the Google Slides link we’ve posted in the chat.

Pick a card that speaks to you!

1. What are the implications of the statement(s) on your slide for quality assurance and enhancement?

2. What are the challenges of the statement(s) on your slide for you as an officer?

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1x_7kf7xAxVNAVFM-3jnadT9ymKtoHshgB4nrJ64oz74/edit?usp=sharing


COVID-19 & the Quality of the Student Experience

• Standards have been maintained but the student experience has been affected (both positively and negatively).

• Students have different perspectives on the quality of their experience during COVID.

• As an officer, your role will be to bring together these viewpoints and represent this to the institution.

• You are part of the quality assurance and enhancement process. There’s an opportunity for you to be part of creating something better.


Partnership in Action


Objectives

By the end of this session you will • Be able to describe some of the factors important for a

partnership approach• Explain 2 theories that help explore partnership -

Arnstein’s ladder of citizen participation and the Cadogan Matrix

• Have considered different approaches to partnership and be able to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses

• Have considered your role as a leader, expert and representative


Partnership


Cadogan Matrix of Institutional andStudents’ Union Relationships


Consider the following statements

• ‘Students are experts in their own learning’

• ‘Students only know what they want, not what they need’


The role of a student officer

Leader

Expert Representative


Objectives

• By the end of this session you will • Be able to describe some of the factors

important for a partnership approach• Explain 2 theories that help explore partnership

- Arnstein’s ladder of citizen participation and the Cadogan Matrix

• Have considered different approaches to partnership and be able to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses

• Have considered your role as a leader, expert and representative


Lunch

Please be back by 1.15pm


Meet the agencies

Kathryn O'Loan, Assistant Director, Learning and Quality, Scottish Funding Council.Catriona Bell, Head of Membership (Scotland) and Senior Advisor (Learning and Teaching), Advance HE.Amy Eberlin, Quality Enhancement Specialist, QAA Scotland.Tina Harrison, Assistant Principal, Academic Standards and Quality Assurance, Edinburgh University and Chair of sparqs’ University Advisory Group.Aoife Keenan, Senior Policy Officer, Universities Scotland.Matt Crilly, President, National Union of Students (Scotland).


Reflections on Day 1


Feedback

Click on the Google Slides link in the chat box and fill in two post-it notes.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Qu8wcznjLnEULJ0K1PiDsbyWkw3tghRYZvB4WWDwDa4/edit?usp=sharing


SESN

Thurs 14th SeptemberThurs 4th NovemberTues 7th December

NEON

Thurs 30th SeptemberThurs 11th NovemberThurs 9th December

SESN and NEON


NEON and SESN jiscmail

• Following requests from officers about setting up a NEON mailing list – this is now LIVE and you can sign up here!

• You can sign up to the SESN mailing list here.• Both members and sparqs can email around all those on

the list to ask questions, share experiences or seek support• Optional – you sign up• Useful to have one easy, accessible space to speak to all

Education officers/student engagement staff.• The mailing is not over-used, so semi-regular contact but

not overwhelming.

http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/sparqsneon

https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=SPARQSSESN


We’ll see you tomorrow!

9.30am, same link as you used today


That’s Quality! Universities

12th and 13th July 2021

- Day 2


AGENDA: DAY 1

09:30 – 09:45 Introduction to Day 2

09:45 – 11:00 Understanding the Student Body and the Learning Environment (Tutor Groups)

11:00 – 11:15 Break

11:15 – 12:00 Engaging with the Enhancement Theme


AGENDA: DAY 1

12:00 – 13:00 Lunch

13:00 – 13:30 SFC Review Update

13:30 – 14:15 Self-Reflection & Change Management (Tutor Groups)

14:15 – 14:30 Reflections on Day 2


Feedback – what you liked

• Breakout groups.

• The panel discussion.

• Balance of listening, interacting and breaks.

• Meeting officers from other institutions.


Feedback – things to improve

• Engaging with officers outside of tutor groups.

• Handout with notes/key contacts.

– Online module

– Presentation slides after

• Scenarios.


Understanding the Student Body and the Learning Environment

Megan Brown, Development Consultant


What this session will cover

• An understanding that the student body is diverse and that students may experience university differently than one another.

• How you can find out information about your student body.

• The importance of data.


Who are you representing?


What are the protected characteristics?

• age

• disability

• gender identity

• marriage and civil partnership

• race

• religion or belief

• pregnancy and maternity

• sex

• sexual orientation


Who else?

• Student parents

• Student carers

• Part-time students

• Students working alongside studying

• Postgraduate students

• Mature students

• Students whose first language is not English

• Widening participation students

• International students

• Commuter students

• Students studying in a rural location


There is no such thing as the student experience.


The wider context: educational environment

• Around a quarter of students from an ethnic minority background (24%) said they had experienced racial harassment since starting their course.

Equality and Human Rights Commission, Tackling Racial Harassment Report (2019)

• Three in five trans students (60 per cent) and more than one in five lesbian, gay and bi students who aren't trans (22 per cent) have been the target of negative comments or conduct from other students.

Stonewall, LGBT in Britain University Report (2018)


The wider context: attainment

• In 2020, 81.4% of white students received a first/2:1 compared

with 68.0% of BAME students, representing a BAME degree

awarding gap of 13.3 percentage points.

Advance HE, Students Statistical Report (2020)

• Students with a disability who receive Disabled Students’ Allowance

(DSA) are more likely to receive a 1st or a 2:1 than students with a

disability who do not receive DSA.Advance HE, Students Statistical Report (2020)


The wider context: access

• In AY 2019-20, 16.4% of Scottish-domiciled full-time, first-degree entrants to universities were students from the 20% most deprived areas, equating to around 1000 more students from these disadvantaged areas than four years ago.Scottish Funding Council, Coherent Provision and Sustainability Report (2021)


Intersectionality

“the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups.”

Merriam-Webster Dictionary


Why is data important for me?

• As an officer, you will want to make changes to the experiences of students.

• To do this, you need EVIDENCE.

– Evidence of how things ARE

– Evidence of what students would like to CHANGE


Quantitative vs

QualitativeData


What information can you access about student demographics & the student

learning experience?


Public Sector Equality Duty

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination

• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not

• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.


What do universities have to do?

• publish equality information at least once a year to show how they’ve complied with the equality duty

• prepare and publish equality objectives at least every 4 years

• will be published on the universities’ website (usually called something like Equality Outcomes Progress Report or Equality Mainstreaming Report)


Other E&D sources of data:

• Gender Action Plans

• BSL Plans

• Athena SWAN Charter

• Race Equality Charter

• SA E&D Reporting e.g. elections

• Monitoring the Diversity of Course Reps


Surveys and Student Feedback

Early/Initial Experience Survey

September / October

End of module/unit survey

Semester 1 November / January

Student Satisfaction & Engagement Survey

March / April

End of module/unit

survey

Semester 2 April / June

Student Rep Feedback

Student Focus Groups/consultations

All year

National Student Survey

UK Performance Indicators

Higher Education Students and Qualifiers at

Scottish Institutions

Higher Education

Student Data

Institutional data – internal surveys, student rep feedback,

internal statistics…

QAA Scotland Thematic Reports

QAA ELIR reviews Advance HE

Equality in higher

education: Statistical report

Advance HE-HEPI Student

Academic Experience

Survey

PRES /PTESNUS Scotland

surveys & reports


Tutor Group Session


What is it we want you to take away from this session?

1. To consider the ways that you as an officer can make your practice as accessible and inclusive as possible.

2. To consider how you can most effectively use data to make change at your institution.


Scenario 1

Your institution has identified that they need to extend the teaching week, in order to have enough time to deliver in-person, socially-distanced teaching to everyone. Potential proposals are:

• Extending the teaching day to run from 8am-8pm.• Running classes on Saturdays.

You are asked to feedback on which of these options would work best.

• Which groups of students could be impacted by these changes, and in what ways?

• What sources of evidence could you use to support your position?• Are there alternatives/solutions that you could propose?


Who is affected – some suggestions

• Student parents – particularly those that need to take their children to school/nursery in the morning.

• Student carers.

• Students who work on evenings and at weekends.

• Jewish students (Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath when work should not be done).


What alternatives can be proposed?

• Offering multiple sessions covering the same content, and giving students a choice as to when they attend.

• Asking your institution if they have considered offering more asynchronous content that students can access any time.


Scenario 2

You run a survey with students to find out where they would most like student council to be hosted for the next year. There are 10 options and students put a tick in the box next to their preferred venue option. Your plan is to collate the feedback and choose the venue that the majority of the respondents prefer.

• Are there any issues with this approach?• Are there alternatives you would suggest?


Challenges

• By only expressing the views of the majority, you run the risk of ‘tyranny of the majority’, where only those objectives important to the largest group are heard, and the very real issues experienced by minority groups are ignored or go unnoticed.


Challenges

• Your survey only gathers quantitative feedback. You don’t know why a student may prefer a particular viewpoint e.g. access reasons.

• Although it is important to understand the most popular viewpoint, often depth of feeling is as important as breadth of feeling.

• Something that is deeply felt by just one or two people is as important to consider as something that is widely felt (but perhaps not strongly) by most.


Alternatives

• Where possible, consider offering only accessible options in the first place when designing your survey. Or consider whether this needs to be a survey at all?

• You should be actively seeking out the views of students from diverse demographics and groups –this may involve asking specific questions that ensure these views are captured.

• Communicate why you make the choices that you do – students will tend to understand as long as you share with them the rationale.


Scenario 3

A group of international students come to you to raise the issue of releasing the exam timetable earlier so that the students can book flights home ASAP, before travel costs get significantly more expensive.

As you begin to work on this issue, another student contacts you to explain that timetables cannot begin to be created until after the two-week period that students have to change courses. This is in part to account for disabled students’ needs by giving them enough time to declare their disabilities before schedules are set.

How do you manage this conversation?

What do you do when students have conflicting needs and opinions?


How do you manage this conversation?

• Ensure that everyone has a chance to have their voice heard.

• Reassure the reps that differing perspectives are expected in diverse groups – it’s not always that someone is ‘right’ and someone is ‘wrong’.


What do you do when students have conflicting needs?

• Remember to represent all views, not just the majority view.

• Encourage the students to work together with their cohort on finding solutions that will work for everyone.

• Sometimes, something just isn’t possible to change. If so, make sure the student who raises the issue knows why something can’t be changed.


Scenario 4

In your manifesto, you have said that you will introduce institution-wide lecture recordings. You set up an initial meeting with staff members at your institution and there is some resistance. They say that lecture recordings will lead to poor attendance and poorer understanding of the material.

What evidence can you collate to argue your case? Where can this evidence be found?

The institution approaches you as they want to make a decision about how to approach the delivery of blended learning from September. Should they deliver more content online or in person? How much should be pre-recorded and how much should be ‘live’? They ask you what the students want their learning and teaching to look like going forward.

How is this situation different to the one above? How will you provide evidence to the institution in order to answer their question?


How can you gather evidence?

• Existing survey results e.g. many institutions and students’ associations will have run COVID-related surveys over the past year.

• National level data – are there existing studies you can point to e.g. research on the benefits of lecture recordings? Academic studies may be particularly useful if you want to ‘speak the language’ of the university.

• Gathering qualitative feedback from diverse student groups, through focus groups or surveys.


How can you make your case?

• ‘Casework to campaign’ approach. Tell a story.

• Procatalepsis aka prebuttal!

• In the case of the second scenario, remember that evidence on online learning and teaching is evolving and we’re all learning together – you may not have all the answers. You don’t need to have a ‘position’ but you do need to have a commitment to working on the issue.


Top Tips

• Sometimes the evidence you need is already out there. Don’t run a survey for the sake of it.

• Make friends with your quality team. They can give you a great deal of the data you may need!

• Data is only as good as the questions you ask.

• Not all students will have the same experience.


'Although we are all weathering the same storm, we are not all in the same boat’

Helen Barnard, Joseph Rowntree Foundation


Break

Please be back by 11.15am


Engaging with the Enhancement Theme

Caroline Turnbull and Debra Macfarlane, QAA Scotland

Quality Enhancement in Scottish higher

education

Caroline Turnbull (Quality Enhancement Manager)

Debra Macfarlane (Quality Enhancement Manager and QAA

Scotland Enhancement Theme project lead)

• Introductions

• Overview of UK quality arrangements and the Scottish Quality Enhancement Framework

• Overview of QAA Scotland’s Enhancement Theme work

• Introduction to the current Theme: Resilient Learning Communities

• Overview of the Student-led project – session 2020-21

• Explore how students can get involved in Themes work

• Reporting back and session conclusion.

Agenda

Quality arrangements across the UK

QAA are the UK’s independent quality assurance body, supporting different approaches in different UK nations

• Scotland: Enhancement-led approach via ELIR (reviews on a five year cycle)

• England: Risk-based approach (regulated by the Office for Students)

• Wales: New Quality Enhancement Review (reviews at least every six years)

• Northern Ireland: To be confirmed

Enhancement in Scottish

higher education

• Aims to enhance the student learning

experience and encourage student

engagement and participation in learning

and in quality processes

• Emphasis is the quality of the student

experience of learning rather than on QA

systems and processes themselves

Deliberate steps to bring about improvement in the effectiveness of the learning experiences of students

The QEF was established in 2003 to evaluate the quality of

learning & teaching through an enhancement-led

approach. A partnership approach is taken to the QEF

which includes the following sector organisations:

Enhancement-Led

Institutional Review

Enhancement Themes

Student engagement

Public information

Institution-Led Review

Scotland’s Quality Enhancement Framework

Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student Experience

The Enhancement Themes – 20 Years (by 2023)18 Years of Enhancement Themes

• Assessment and Integrative assessment (2003-04)

• Responding to student needs (2003-04)

• Employability (2004-06)

• Flexible delivery (2004-06)

• First year: engagement & empowerment (2005-08)

• Research-teaching linkages: enhancing graduate

attributes (2006-08)

• Graduates for the 21st century (2008-11)

• Developing and supporting the curriculum (2011-

14)

• Student Transitions (2014-17)

• Evidence for Enhancement: Improving the Student

Experience (2017-20)

• Resilient Learning

Communities (2021-23)

What makes a good Theme?

• Relevance to students and staff at all levels

• Inspires people to make a real difference

• Timely response to major issues in HE

• Resonates across the UK and beyond

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities

• What will our learning communities look like by 2023? What can we do now to prepare for them?

• Who are our current and future students and how will they want to learn? How can we gain a clear understanding of their needs? What information do we need to enable us to best support their learning?

• How can we capitalise as a sector on the attributes students bring?

• How do we ensure we are able to support our diverse learning communities? What might this mean for our staff and our infrastructure?

• How should we anticipate, influence and respond to the changing external environment? How can we engage with our stakeholders and ensure we are influencing strategy and policy both in Scotland and beyond?

Key Questions

Resilient Learning Communities - Theme priorities

Equality and diversity

Community and belonging

Supporting staff and student success

Flexible accessible learning

Resilient Learning Communities – Theme structure

3 key interlinked areas:

Sector-wide projects

Collaborative Clusters

Institutional Work

All work together to contribute to

the success of the Theme.

Resilient Learning Communities

▪ Decolonising the Curriculum in the Time of

Pandemic

▪ Student Mental Wellbeing within our BAME and

LGBTQ+ Learner Communities

▪ Personalised Approaches to Resilience and

Community (PARC)

▪ Reimagining Resilience for Taught Postgraduate

Students

▪ Exploring the Potential of Micro-credentials and

Digital Badging

▪ Programme Leadership: Strengthening

Resilience, Supporting Learning Communities

▪ Resilient Academic Leadership: an exploration

within the Principal Fellows Network Scotland

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/collaborative-clusters/decolonising-the-curriculum-in-the-time-of-pandemic

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/collaborative-clusters/student-mental-wellbeing-within-our-bame-and-lgbtq-learner-communities

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/collaborative-clusters/personalised-approaches-to-resilience-and-community

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/collaborative-clusters/re-imagining-resilience-for-taught-postgraduate-students

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/collaborative-clusters/exploring-the-potential-of-micro-credentials-and-digital-badging

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/collaborative-clusters/programme-leadership-strengthening-resilience-supporting-learning-communities

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/collaborative-clusters/resilient-academic-leadership-an-exploration-within-the-principal-fellows-network-scotland

Resilient Learning Communities (RLC)

▪ Higher Education: More than a

Degree – QAAS and sparqs

▪ Anti-Racist Curriculum

▪ Supporting student transitions in

2021- 22

▪ Addressing the Digital Divide

▪ Scottish sector learning from COVID

- 19

▪ Recognition of Prior Learning

▪ QAA Back Catalogue Review

▪ Enhancement Theme Evaluation

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/sector-wide-projects/higher-education-more-than-a-degree

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/sector-wide-projects/anti-racist-curriculum-project

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/sector-wide-projects/supporting-student-transitions-in-2021-22

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/sector-wide-projects/addressing-the-digital-divide

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/sector-wide-projects/scottish-sector-learning-from-covid-19

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/sector-wide-projects/recognition-of-prior-learning

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/sector-wide-projects/qaa-back-catalogue-review-and-web-redevelopment

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/evaluation-of-the-enhancement-themes


▪ building on previous

themes

▪ building on good

practice

▪ partnership working

▪ accessible and inclusive

▪ evidence-based

▪ discipline-specific

Our students

▪ Enhancement Themes are a

student-driven, enhancement-led

approach:

▪ Scottish Higher Education

Enhancement Council (SHEEC)

▪ Theme Leaders Team (TLT)

▪ Theme Leaders Group (TLG)

▪ Student-Led Project (SLP)

▪ Collaborative Clusters

▪ Institutional Teams

▪ Student engagement is paramount

to success

• Higher Education: More than a Degree – QAAS and sparqs

• 2020-21 project explored how HE institutions and students’ associations/unions have recreated student communities in an online environment.

• Considering enablers and barriers

• Providing the opportunity to showcase and share examples of practice

• Held our Innovation in Digital Communities event in May 2021

• Work is supported by a Steering Group – currently recruiting new members and a student led.

Student-led project

https://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/resilient-learning-communities/sector-wide-projects/higher-education-more-than-a-degree

• Current engagement opportunities:

• Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Council (SHEEC)

• Theme Leaders Team (TLT)

• Theme Leaders Group (TLG)

• Student-Led Project (SLP)

• Collaborative Clusters

• Institutional Teams

• QAA Scotland and sparqs are keen to get greater and broader student involvement

• How can we support students to actually lead and the delivery of projects?

• How do we get engagement beyond sabbatical officers?

How can students get

more involved?

• Group work

• How can Themes work support you with the delivery of your manifesto?

• What topic are important to you which support and resonate with the current Enhancement Theme?

• What topics/projects would you like the student-led project to take forward next session (these need to link to the Theme)

• How can we support more students to become involved in Enhancement Themes work?

• Would you like to volunteer to be a member of the Steering Group for the student-led project?

• Are there other aspects of current Theme work which you are interested in participating in?

• Using the padlet at the following link: https://padlet.com/cturnbull21/fntfp0epz9jrdob1

How can students get

more involved?

https://padlet.com/cturnbull21/fntfp0epz9jrdob1

• Three key points from the discussions in each of the groups

• Next steps

• Any questions or final points?

Breakout group feedback

© The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education 2020Registered charity numbers 1062746 and SC037786www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk

www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk

[email protected]

+44 (0) 1415 723420

Thank you. Any questions please contact us on:


Lunch

Please be back by 1.00pm


SFC Review

Eve Lewis, Director, sparqs

Fiona Burns, Assistant Director, SFC


Coherence and Sustainability: a Review of Tertiary Education and Research-objectives

• To consider how best to achieve coherence and sustainability in the delivery of further and higher education during the COVID-19 crisis, EU exit transition, and beyond, while maintaining and enhancing quality.

• To ensure the sectors can address the outcomes we need to achieve in Scotland.

• To propose changes needed to SFC’s funding, operations, and accountability frameworks in order to respond effectively to new challenges and opportunities.

• To provide advice, where appropriate, to Scottish Ministers on relevant changes to policy, funding and accountability frameworks for tertiary education and research in Scotland.


Coherence and Sustainability: a Review of Tertiary Education and Research -timeframe

• Launch – call for evidence July 2020

• Phase 1 report 2020

• Progress update March 21

• Third stage report June 21


Coherence and Sustainability – a review of tertiary education and research -now

• Stage 3 report - published 29th June 21

• Not an endpoint – outlines and choices to be made challenges and complexities

• Deeper partnerships and collaborations to effect change

• Intension to ensure students are part of that process.

• Ministerial response – end of Sept


Student Engagement

• Summer NEON and That’s Quality briefing• Continued information and briefings• SFC facilitated discussions at NEON and NUS officer

networks• Student Engagement Advisory group – for NUS, sparqs and

SFC to discuss and plan how to engage students• Membership of reference groups• Full commitment to engage with students although

timescales have sometimes hindered this – not just a student issue

• Continued commitment to genuinely engage with students


Student Engagement

• To date – scope wide and difficult to grasp what and how to influence

• This year – some clearer engagement priorities but still wide range of issues to consider


Additionally

Student experience both in terms of the current experience but also in terms of what an optimal experience might be should be central to activities and in particular to how SFC conducts its business Student engagement will be key to that but it is not the only thing that can inform it


Headlines

1. Surviving and Thriving with Commitment and Impact2. Towards a Responsive Coherent Education and Skills

System3. Protecting and Promoting Student interests 4. Sustaining research & enhancing knowledge

exchange5. International6. Sustainability and Collaboration7. Frameworks for the Future


1. Surviving and Thriving with Commitment and Impact

• Now – flexibility and funding to allow the sector

to respond to ongoing issues of pandemic, e.g

one year intervention to support graduating

students

• The Future- more strategic: government set

clearer vision, multi year funding assumptions,

National Impact Framework


1. Surviving and Thriving with commitment and impact – National Impact Framework

• Students clearly identified as key partner

• Links to Scotland National Performance Framework AND United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

• Outcomes for students, research impact, economic and social renewal, and leadership for the climate emergency, equalities and fair work.

• Context for a more targeted Outcome Agreement negotiation between SFC and institutions.


2. Towards a Responsive Coherent Education and Skills System – Tertiary Provision Pathfinders

• Regional planning

• SFC convened

• Balances needs of students, employers and broader economic and social drivers

• Maintain focus on Widening participation, diversity and inclusion and need to tackle climate emergency

• We need to think carefully about how students can be involved in this


2. Towards a Responsive Coherent Education and Skills System – other aspects

• Stronger relationship with NHS to improve health and social care training planning and provision

• Employer and Industry Advisory Group

• Micro credentials and shorter courses – associated issues of funding and student experience

• University and College estate – including low carbon estate projects

• Fairwork first


3. Protecting and Promoting Student Interests- School/College/University pathways

• Senior phase students studying in college (and university)

• Higher, Advanced Higher, HNC/D entry levels to university

• Enhanced pathways/efficient routes- reduce unnecessary levels of study

• National Schools Programme for Tertiary Education

• Representing school level students?


3. Protecting and Promoting student interests- Widening access

• Widening Access Commissioner’s Blueprint for Fairness - achieved interim target: students from the most deprived communities represent at least 16% of full-time first degree entrants

• Take further

• Refreshed set of institutional expectations on fair access pathways, with students and institutions


3. Protecting and Promoting student interests- Digital

• Investment in digital skills of educators

• Digital consultancy for seniors leaders(JiSC) –to inform decisions and investment priorities - what about student leaders?

• Recommend to government, provision of equitable digital connectivity on and off campus

• National level standard for on – line and blended learning


3. Protecting and Promoting student interests- Quality

• Single Framework for Quality for Colleges and Universities• Scotland the best place to be a student within a college or

university and sharing good practice across tertiary education

• Remember current principles on which our current frameworks are built – including student engagement

• Interacts with recent recommendations related to SQA and EdS

• Students already network across colleges and universities –potential for wider consideration of learner journeys and sharing of practice across the sector


4. Sustaining research & enhancing knowledge exchange

• Creates knowledge of immense social, economic and cultural value - Continue to protect excellence

• Mission-orientated research and knowledge exchange themes and funding – coalesce around particularly knotty societal problems

• Establishing a positive research culture – promoting diversity and inclusion

• Better support postgraduate research student experience -national graduate schools

• Recommission Research Pools, focus on collaboration, leveraging funding & fostering early career researchers


4. Sustaining research & enhancing knowledge exchange

• Relaunch flagship knowledge exchange investments (Interface and Innovation Centres)

• Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Fund• Entrepreneurial Campus

• To date we have struggled to input into research strand but much of this is important to postgraduates, potential postgraduates and students with a desire to address wider societal issues etc.


5.International

• Universities and Colleges as assets’ –International education is an export, contributes to financial sustainability but also enriches the experience and cultural environment for students

• An international strategy that positions Scotland as a primary destination for international students and recognises the international education delivered by universities and colleges as an intrinsic part of Scotland’s economic and social recovery strategy

• Considerations include - maximising connections and collaboration across alumni networks, within international missions, through exchange and mobility schemes, and government overseas engagements.

• Need for strong marketing Strategy for Scottish tertiary brand emphasises Scotland as a safe, welcoming, supportive, socially progressive, environmentally aware destination


6. Sustainability and Collaboration

• Intensify collaborative and integrated working, consolidation, and shared support services

• Provide additional year-end flexibility to assist financial management in colleges

• Consider the classification of colleges• Consider the recommendations relating to multi-college

regions set out in our Phase One Report• Strategic oversight of replacement European funds from the

UK Government that affect the delivery of programmes in colleges and universities


7. Frameworks for the Future

• Revised approach to Outcome Agreements

• Enhance data, analytics and evidence sharing

• Develop a fairer model of distribution of teaching investment across the college sector

• Establish Tertiary Provision Pathfinders to explore a more integrated tertiary funding model

• Review premiums as policy incentives and develop our approach to performance-based funding


Some Engagement Priorities

• Support for graduating students• National Impact Framework• Tertiary Provision pathfinders• Micro credentials• Enhanced pathways/Senior phase links• Institutional expectations on fair access pathways• National level standard for on-line and blended learning • Single Quality Framework• Better support for PGR experience• Outcome agreements


Some Engagement Priorities

And

Shape the way SFC does its business to ensure Student experience is central.


Student Engagement Priorities

• But read the report!

• Talk to each other and NUS

• Talk to your institution – some aspects will be more important to different institutions

• Talk to your students

• And we’ll be talking to you all year


Self-reflection and change management


What we will cover

• Thinking about your role as a student leader.

• The importance of self-reflection.

• Leading (and being impacted by) change.


Your year as a student officer

Beginning Middle End

Our induction support

Your internal induction

Committee cycles

Democratic process

National policy

Ongoing support

Networking

Accreditation: AFHEA?

“Outduction”

Handover to successor

Your future career


Who can support you?

Your SA staff

Institutional staff

sparqs NEON

NUS

Sector agencies

Training & qualifications

AFHEAYour sabb team

Each other!

Mentor

Yourself!


Leading and experiencing change


Leading and experiencing change

I will

lead

th

is c

han

geI w

ill experien

ce this ch

ange

Increasing control


What we have covered

• Thinking about your role as a student leader.

• The importance of self-reflection.

• Leading (and being impacted by) change.


Reflections on Day 2 and Closing Remarks


What does an Education Officer do during COVID-19?

Reflect back on what you hoped to gain by attending TQU.

What questions do you still have?


SESN

Thurs 14th SeptemberThurs 4th NovemberTues 7th December

NEON

Thurs 30th SeptemberThurs 11th NovemberThurs 9th December

SESN and NEON


NEON and SESN jiscmail

• Following requests from officers about setting up a NEON mailing list – this is now LIVE and you can sign up here!

• You can sign up to the SESN mailing list here.• Both members and sparqs can email around all those on

the list to ask questions, share experiences or seek support• Optional – you sign up• Useful to have one easy, accessible space to speak to all

Education officers/student engagement staff.• The mailing is not over-used, so semi-regular contact but

not overwhelming.

http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/sparqsneon

https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=SPARQSSESN


Evaluation form

Please fill in the evaluation form which can be found at this link:




Thank you!

Keep in touch and look out for future sparqs events throughout the year.

www.sparqs.ac.uk

http://www.sparqs.ac.uk/

that’s quality! universities

Documents