Student Involvement

Students must be proactively involved at the earliest practicable point in programme and course design, development, approval, changes and closure processes.  Their involvement should be proportional to the activity taking place and representative and could include student feedback from the quality assurance processes (course evaluations, student surveys, Staff Student Liaison Committee minutes etc.). 

The opportunity to be involved must allow for representation of students with a range of backgrounds and characteristics.  

Things to think about include: using accessible mechanisms for gathering feedback (either physical or virtual environment); removing barriers where possible for students who are parents or carers by not holding consultation events in the evening; and offering to produce consultation material in different formats. 

Online learners should also be consulted when changes are made to online course and programmes.  Consultation should involve students academically closest to the proposed changes.  Examples of  how students can be involved include: 

• Student membership of Boards of Studies (each Board of Studies has at least one student member from a relevant discipline)
• Feedback from existing student voice mechanisms e.g. student surveys, mid-course feedback, student representative system/Student-Staff Liaison Committees, teaching/postgraduate programme review outcomes
• Electronic consultation e.g. email, VLE discussion board
• Separate in-person discussion with students e.g. focus groups, open meeting, Student-Staff Liaison Committee meeting
• Further examples: engagEd in... learning and teaching conversations