Section 6 is complex and has required the most consideration. A sub-group considered the range
of issues to be addressed and ascertain what the University currently offers which would be
appropriate to include in section 6.1 e.g. academic prizes and their criteria. We have decided upon
a simple taxonomy as it had to align with the Gradintel system for recording wider student
achievement: a) Academic Awards, b) Co-curricular achievements and c) Extra-curricular
achievements.
In terms of academic awards, we undertook a fundamental review as criteria varied slightly. The
University has also very recently decided to introduce a Grade Point Average (GPA) degree
representation system from 2015-16 in conjunction with Honours classification which is extremely
helpful for HEAR and will permit consistency of academic prize criteria. In terms of co- and extracurricular awards, we have an excellent employability programme, the Principal’s Award 1which
has been very successful. The number of students taking part is still fairly small but increasing each
year. We are currently considering whether the Award could be developed into various progressive
categories such as bronze, silver, gold to ensure a higher number of students receive institutional
recognition for co- and extra-curricular achievements. We are also funding a project with our Law
Division looking at HEAR-verifiable “badges”. The student association has also been leading on
several new “significant student awards”. This is work in progress, hampered by changes in staff
at the Association and we are now recognising that the HEARs issued to students in July 2015 will
not be as developed as those in several years’ time.
Tip 3: The HEAR is a progressive and formative instrument for recognising student achievement.
Tip 4: Student engagement is critical in HEAR development and Student Association staff provide
key continuity between elected officers’ periods of office.
I feel that we are now past the most difficult, philosophical part of our HEAR journey and am fairly
happy that we have answered what is the HEAR for, what constitutes institutionally- verifiable
achievement, what are the main implications for policy and practice as we move towards
implementation. There is still a fair amount of work to be done around operationalisation of the
HEAR, particularly by colleagues in Registry and information Services.
We are now communicating the HEAR and it benefits more widely within the University through
written briefings and seminars and are developing a strategy for engaging employers. In terms of
employer engagement, we agonised over the purpose and benefits and would recommend that it
is key to establish why you are engaging them, knowing who the key employers of your graduates
are and then considering the best tactics for engagement. The biggest employers of our graduates
are local SMEs and the public sector rather than large multi-national blue chip companies so a
distinctive approach is required.
1
http://www.abertay.ac.uk/careers/currstud/planning/ppsaward/
THE CENTRE FOR RECORDING ACHIEVEMENT 104 -108 WALLGATE, WIGAN, WN3 4AB |
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