Blog | Student-centric regulations and beyond

Reflecting back

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, the concept of student-centred learning, and the broader pursuit of becoming a student-centric institution, is not new. It has been a cornerstone in higher education for decades. Ian Matthias, a Higher Education Consultant at PA Consulting [1] notes that the shift towards more student-centric universities has been happening for some time, albeit slowly.  Despite the efforts of dedicated academic and professional services colleagues to put the student first, one likely cause of the slower speed of change across the sector is that university academic frameworks and policies can lag behind this ambition.

Research conducted by The European Students’ Union [2] refers to student-centred learning as representing both a mind-set and a culture within a given higher education institution.  As the sector moves forward, faced with unprecedented challenges, and competing priorities, it is essential that institutions examine their culture, particularly within the context of policies and practices, to ensure they are student centric in everything they do.  The matter of culture and universities is a hugely complex topic, and not one I will attempt to delve into here, other than to say whilst the broad meaning of culture is often hard to grasp, it is perhaps easier to gauge our institutional presence, and culture, through our regulations, policies and practices. This leads  me to ask, what do our Assessment Regulations say about us?

Untethering from tradition

The PA Consulting [3] goes on to describe the new relationship with students as ‘Student 4.0’ with students having clearer goals and higher expectations of the type of relationship they will develop with a university in order to achieve their ambitions, meaning universities are now far more demand-led.

Despite the emergence of ‘Student 4.0’, the influence of history and tradition on the fabric of universities, notably within regulatory frameworks, can still be seen, with many of the structures and processes that govern academia having deep roots in traditions that stretch back centuries.   While this rich history is something to be proud of for the most part, it can sometimes feel like the shackles are on when it comes to adapting to the quickening pace of student expectations.  By way of illustration, just think about the possibility of not engaging in External Examining arrangement; the option is technically there from our regulator, but the sector has remained firmly wedded to the practice.

An area where the influence of tradition can often be seen is in Assessment Regulations. Like many institutions, ours have seen little change over the years. One might argue they’ve served us well, haven’t they?

Whilst slightly over-simplified, regulations require students to adhere to set structures, timelines, and criteria. The traditional road to progression and achievement is rigid and inflexible, with the focus tilted more towards managing failure rather than offering opportunity. However, we know our students are all individuals; they have choices, and they know what they want and, very importantly, how they want to be treated. Increasingly for some, they are not looking for the traditional degree journey, it's more of a stepping on stepping off degree experience. The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) which is coming in summer 2025 will certainly amplify this, more on the LLE soon!

Embracing change

Recognising the need for change, a review group, which included UPSU, has been focussed over the past year on developing a more student-centric set of Assessment Regulations. These changes, which were approved by Academic Council, are a much-needed jump, rather than step, forward! The changes prioritise and recognise the needs of our richly diverse student-body; they are characterised by the opportunity for student-led decision making.

The new Assessment Regulations, written for students, taking on a new look and feel, will be launched in September 2024 for the academic year 2024/25, with some elements coming onboard from September 2025.  

Recognising that some adaptations will need to be made for certain PSRBs and for different assessment types, some of the key changes include: 

With our latest group of final year students approaching the end of their courses, please encourage them to make use of the Careers and Employability Service. Even if they don’t know what to do next, they’ll find all sorts of practical help and advice to make their next step.

From September 2024:

• Introduction of categorical marking across all faculties
• Automatic 48 hour extension to a deadline to support students to overcome  unexpected short-term obstacles
• Removal of the credit limit on the number of referrals
• Extending the amount of credit which can be taken as trailed assessment across all  levels
• Level 4 Improve and Resubmit opportunity to make good on a near pass

From September 2025:

• Revised Masters pass mark threshold to 50%
• Removal of the preponderance rule

Through these revised Assessment Regulations, we will be breaking away from a regulatory culture of hidden barriers, hurdle-setting, potential for bias, and speaking to our students in an old-fashioned regulatory voice.  At the same time, with these changes, we aim to reduce the overall volume Extenuating Circumstances and referrals.  In doing so, the intention is to reduce the strain and anxiety referral assessments place on students and staff over the summer period.  We know that for many of our students, the referral period can present as a perilous cliff-edge towards irretrievable failure.  Where students are unsuccessful in the referral period, or where they have too many referrals to make good on, they are confronted with an undesirable dilemma: either invest more time and money to repeat or withdraw from their studies altogether.  Apart from the ethical concerns associated with this predicament, such outcomes are hugely detrimental to both the student and the university, highlighting the urgent need for reform.

In contrast, the new Assessment Regulations will be designed to support student wellbeing, and create greater opportunities for student retention and success.  Historic barriers will be removed, and students will have greater empowerment to make informed choices about their academic journey, whilst still upholding academic standards.  Ultimately, these changes aim to support each student in reaching their full potential, accessing the opportunities which best fit them.

The new regulations will follow a structure which mirrors the student journey; they will be written in plain English, in a tone which is open and respectful, as well as available online in an accessible format.

Moving forward

As we embark on the ‘writing up’ phase to redraft the Assessment Regulations and the supporting guidance, it is natural that we may encounter differing opinions along the way.  This diversity of perspectives is not only healthy but also essential for robust decision-making.  Over the coming months, there will be ample opportunities for us to share views and insights.  With a strong commitment to continuous improvement, once implemented, we will be gathering student and staff feedback and will be closely monitoring the impact of the changes on the student experience, progression, and achievement outcomes, as well as on staff workloads.  

I invite you to join me in the briefings and workshops which will be taking place throughout the year so please keep an eye out for these events when they are published.

As I reflect on our journey so far, I am filled with confidence in our collective ability to effect positive change within the policy and regulatory landscape.  Through our collaborative efforts and in partnership with our students, we are poised to propel forward a significant cultural shift towards a more student-centric regulatory framework which will create better outcomes for all of our students.

[1] Student 4.0: how universities can become student centric institutions, viewed 12.03.23 https://www.timeshighereducation.com/hub/p/student-40-how-universities-can-become-student-centric-institutions#:~:text=PA%20Consulting%20describes%20this%20new,%2Dled%2C%E2%80%9D%20Matthias%20explains. 

[2] Overview on Student -Centred Learning in Higher Education in Europe, viewed 12.03.23 https://www.ehea.info/media.ehea.info/file/Student_centred_learning/63/2/Overview-on-Student-Centred-Learning-in-Higher-Education-in-Europe_679632.pdf 

[3] Student 4.0: how universities can become student centric institutions, viewed 12.03.23 https://www.timeshighereducation.com/hub/p/student-40-how-universities-can-become-student-centric-institutions#:~:text=PA%20Consulting%20describes%20this%20new,%2Dled%2C%E2%80%9D%20Matthias%20explains