Facing the Future in the University and the Faculty

1. Facing the Future in the University and the Faculty June 18th 2012

2. Welcome and Introduction • Faculty-wide staff development event (normally Learning and Teaching conference) • Internal and external challenges • Curriculum 2012, Revised Academic Structure, Moodle, E-Portfolio • New fee regime, changing government policy • Staff development and student experience

3. Welcome and Introduction • The University and the Vice-Chancellor faces the future

4. The Faculty Faces the Future: Context • Changes to funding • Marketisation of HE • Students as consumers • Listening to and responding to the student voice

5. The Faculty Faces the Future: Context • The Faculty is in a relatively strong financial position • Predictable reduction in FTUG application numbers for 2012/13 entry but we expect to meet our reduced targets in all subject areas • A more worrying drop in application for PTUG courses

6. The Faculty Faces the Future: Context • Concern too about PGT numbers following the increase in postgraduate tuition fees • International student recruitment looks like holding up in 2012/13 • ITT numbers marginally reduced for 2012/13 but “guaranteed allocations for 'outstanding' provision” in 2013/14 recently announced

7. Changes to Funding • Introduction of higher tuition fees in 2012/13 • Changes to teaching funding and student number control by HEFCE • Universities being forced to compete harder for students • Increased choice for student as HE consumers?

8. Changes to Funding • Student Number Control • Funding for high cost subjects • Protection for SIVS • Core and margin system • Capped and uncapped numbers • From AAB+ to ABB+ • Impact on the ‘squeezed middle’ within the HE sector

9. The Marketisation of HE • Increased competition and choice • Informed decision-making by prospective students • Informed consumer choices • Introduction of the KIS

10. Key Information Sets • Universities required to provide publically available data • Graduate employment • Average graduate salaries • Achievement levels • NSS results • Teaching contact time • University accommodation costs

11. Key Information Sets • Informed choices? • How informed? • Who will guide the applicants? • How will this information be presented by ‘third party providers’?

12. Student Voice Policy Three aspects: • Student surveys • Student representation • Student participation in quality assurance and enhancement

13. Student Surveys • The processing of unit and course/institutional questionnaires will be ‘outsourced’ • A professional and independent service • Faster, more efficient processing of questionnaires • More consistent and systematic evaluation of outcomes • More effective benchmarking at unit and course/institutional level

14. Student Surveys • Focus of our feedback questionnaires will continue to be on student satisfaction • Range of questions stretching across different types of questionnaire, which will be based on ones contained in the NSS. • Necessary to ‘close the loop’ and tell students what has happened in response to their feedback.

15. Student Surveys • The existing course questionnaire will be superseded by an institution-wide annual survey • All year-long units will feature a mid-point review • Outcomes of unit questionnaires may form part of PDR discussions. • Evidence of high quality teaching from unit reports can also be used to support claims for recognition and reward for excellence in learning and teaching.

16. Student Representation • As far as possible, the course rep role will be carried out on a rolling term of office covering different years of study • SSCCs to be chaired by a course rep • Training and mentoring for course reps will be enhanced with more input provided by the University.

17. The Faculty Faces the Future: Purpose of this event • Topics in the 2 sessions where you had a limited choice relate to some of the internal challenges and opportunities that we face • Curriculum 2012 • Enhanced emphasis on employability • Continued importance of the Dissertation/Project and preparing students for that (with no CRM unit)

18. The Faculty Faces the Future: Purpose of this event • Topics in the 2 sessions where you had a limited choice relate to some of the internal challenges and opportunities that we face • Enhancement of our Faculty-wide student support and guidance framework • Role of the Personal Tutor • The new e-Portfolio • Improved online provision

19. The Faculty Faces the Future: Purpose of this event • Plus all of this relates to the external challenges • Higher fees will lead to increased expectations • We need to meet these increased expectations - not just because we have to but because we want to continuously improve

20. The Faculty Faces the Future: Format of this event • Next two sessions – same topics: • Personal Tutoring, Employability and the E-Portfolio – 2.09 • Personal Tutoring, Research Management and the Dissertation – 2.07 • Online Developments: Moodle, Reading Lists and Online Submission and Assessment – 1.23

21. The Faculty Faces the Future • Still a number of issues that need to be finalised over the next few months but – • The structure and framework is in place • Some of the operational detail is for departments and course teams to finalise with our input and advice based on the common Faculty framework

22. Programme • 10.15 - Session 1 • 11.00 - Coffee/Tea – Park Basement • 11.15 - Session 2 • 12.00 - Plenary 2 – Park 1.23 • Key strategic areas for the Faculty • Learning and Teaching (the Education Strategy) • Curriculum Strategy • The Research Strategy • 1.00 - Lunch – Park Basement (plus demos of E-Portfolio etc) • 1.45 – Preview Day briefing session

23. Feedback • Questions/discussion – if time at end of plenary 2 • Feedback – no forms • Blog • Feedback on event • Feedback on topics covered at this event • Online ideas box • Learning and teaching • Curriculum development • Research

24. Curriculum Strategy