Quality Matters for Students - External Examiners Report

Added on 02/07/2009

Welcome to the third in our series of briefings on matters of quality in higher education, following briefings on Institutional Audit and Periodic Review. This report focuses on external examiners an area that has received increasing attention in recent months and has been highlighted by several witnesses, including the NUS, during the recent Inquiry of the Innovation, Universities, Skills and Science Select Committee of the House of Commons.

The Quality Assurance Agencies’ Code of Practice Section 4 describes the external examiners system as providing “one of the principal means for maintaining nationally comparable standards”. In a recent article in the Times Higher Professor Colin Riordan, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Essex, said that the sector could be “proud” of the external examining system but that “it must show more transparently that it can ensure the comparability of standards”. We would agree with Professor Riordan and believe that the system of external examiners is barely understood by students.

We believe that this could be partly addressed by having their reports discussed with student representatives. In recent discussions with students’ unions the University of Warwick highlighted that a sub-committee of the Board of Undergraduate Studies, which has two student representatives, looks at external examiners reports. Another university highlighted that the reports are considered at staff/student forum meetings and we believe that this should be common practice across the sector.

The briefing gained significant coverage in last week's Times Higher Education - you can read the article here.

Download the briefing here.

First NUS Postgraduate Conference

Added on 22/06/2009

NUS held its first Postgraduate Conference in Nottingham 19 and 20 June. Electing the first Postgrad Taught Rep (Chris Jenkinson, University of Manchester) and a Postgrad Research Rep (Joy Elliott, University of Aberdeen) to the NEC. The conference also elected a Postgraduate Committee and passed policy on postgraduate issues.

Presentations from the Conference are attached below:

The Experience of Postgraduates - Gosia Kulej, Higher Education Academy

Quality Assurance in Postgrad education - Janet Bohrer, Quality Assurance Agency

Postgraduate Feedback on Assessment - Gosia Kulej, Higher Education Academy

Postgraduate Supervision and Assessment - Dr Tim Sansom, University of Warwick Students' Union

For more information on postgraduate issues see the policy corner opposite

Quality Matters for Students - Internal Quality Assurance

Added on 07/05/2009

Today we launch the second briefing in our series; Quality Matters for Students. This edition is about internal quality assurance – specifically student involvement in periodic review.

Each institution is also the awarding body for its degrees and so is responsible for the standards and quality of the courses they provide. Internal quality assurance is therefore the front line in the work to continually improve higher education, and students and students’ unions play a critical role in this.

Some higher education institutions already recruit students to act as auditors in periodic review, although the vast majority still leave students out in the cold when it comes to maintaining and improving quality and standards. This briefing explores the different ways that students can engage in these processes and gives examples of how some HEIs already do.

QAA are now introducing student reviewers in institutional audits – the time has come for HEIs to do the same internally – if yours does not, set up a meeting with your Head of Quality and show them how students are successfully engaged in internal quality assurance across the UK.

Download the briefing here.

Latest HE pay dispute update

Added on 01/05/2009

This briefing note aims to update you on the latest situation surrounding developments on higher education pay and relations between the employers and trade unions in the Higher Education sector. We know that you are likely to have been in discussions at a local level about these issues and this briefing represents both an update on national developments and call for continued feedback/intel from you to help strengthen the NUS position.

Read more here

Course Reps Certificates

Added on 28/04/2009

NUS branded Course Rep Certificates are available to distribute to your course reps as you see fit, to reward them for their time and effort.

The certificates include the signature of Aaron Porter, Vice President Higher Education and may be downloaded and customised with your union/institution logo and signatories.

Get yours here.