QESR Action Plan (June 2023)
This action plan sets out the University’s response to the recommendations within the report from the QESR conducted in academic year 2022-23. The QESR review visit took place on 18 November 2022. .
The actions within this report were considered and approved by the University’s Student Experience Committee on 17 May 2023 and subsequently shared with the University Senate on 28 June 2023. The Student Experience Committee will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the action plan. Further information on the status of actions is available from Dawn Martin, Assistant Secretary, Governance and Quality Enhancement.
Acronyms used within the action plan:
- GQE Governance and Quality Enhancement
- ILR Institution-led Review
- LEAD Learning Enhancement and Academic Development
- QSS ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø Student Survey
- SEC Student Experience Committee
- SPARQS: Student Partnerships in Quality Scotland
Recommendation 1
Assessment feedback - in building on its Consistency of Assessment Feedback project and the positive steps taken to implement improvements in feedback practice following ELIR 4, the University is asked to draw upon existing good practice at programme level to develop an institutional approach which sets out the expectations for students across all modes and locations of study regarding the quality and timeliness of the feedback they receive on assessments.
| Action | Timescale | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Establish a Working Group to develop a cross-institutional approach to the quality and timeliness of assessment feedback. |
June 2023 | LEAD Centre Director | Complete |
|
Reflect on the previous SEC projects: ‘Consistency of Assessment Feedback’ and ‘Feed forward’. |
June 2023 |
LEAD Centre Director with input from project leads |
Complete |
|
Review progress against the recommendations from the ‘Consistency of Assessment Feedback’ project. |
June to September 2023 |
Assessment Feedback Working Group |
Complete |
Development of student assessment and feedback literacy
| Action | Timescale | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Work with students and staff to support the development of Student Assessment and Feedback Literacy.
Key stakeholders include the ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø Students’ Union, Student Champions, Peer Assisted Learning (PALS) Leaders, Effective Learning Service, Programme Leaders and Module Coordinators |
September 2023 to May 2024 |
LEAD Centre Director with input from key stakeholders identified in the ‘action column. |
Complete: final recommendations from Assessment Feedback Working Group presented to SEC in June 2024.
|
Development of staff assessment and feedback and literacy
| Action | Timescale | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Update ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø LTA Guidance for 2023-24 to include information and signposting on assessment and feedback and restate expected feedback turnaround times. |
April to May 2023 |
LEAD Centre Director |
Complete |
|
Identify examples of good practice around assessment feedback through various routes. |
April to August 2023 |
Assessment Feedback Working Group |
Complete as set out in SEC paper June 2024. |
|
Showcase identified good practice and scholarship around assessment feedback. |
August to October 2023 |
Assessment Feedback Working Group |
Complete as set out in SEC paper June 2024. |
|
Embed this into events, resources and academic development offers for Programme Teams. |
September 2023 onwards |
LEAD Centre |
Ongoing |
Mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that the work of each of the staff and student strands informs the other. This will include crossover in the membership of workstreams.
Recommendation 2
Review of student-facing professional services - in reviewing its approach to student-facing professional services, the University should develop a systematic institutional approach and consider how to enable a more explicit enhancement-focus that facilitates consideration of institutional priorities. Building upon the successful example of academic ILR processes, student-facing professional review processes should systematically and consistently engage students and external expertise.
| Action | Timescale | Responsible | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Seek input from heads of professional services on the current and future arrangements. |
May 2023 |
Assistant Secretary, GQE |
Complete |
|
Prepare paper for SEC approval setting out proposed new arrangements and draft five-year schedule of professional services review events. |
May 2023 | Assistant Secretary, GQE | Complete |
|
Consult sector colleagues on the format of the proposed self-evaluation template. |
August 2023 | Assistant Secretary, GQE | Complete |
|
Confirm five-year schedule of professional services review events. |
August 2023 |
Vice Principal & University Secretary |
Complete |
|
Publish updated guidance and self-evaluation template. |
August 2023 |
Assistant Secretary, GQE |
Self-evaluation template published internally. |
|
Conduct review of Library Services and report to SEC. |
November 2024 (adjusted from A/Y 2023-24) |
Assistant Secretary, GQE; Head of Library Services |
Event held on 4 November 2024. |
|
Evaluate refreshed approach and report to SEC. |
December 2024 (adjusted from June 2024) |
Assistant Secretary, GQE |
SEC will review the approach on 4 December 2024. |
|
Refine arrangements in response to evaluation and seek approval of any changes from SEC. |
February 2025 | Assistant Secretary, GQE | Opportunity for further discussion at SEC on 26 February 2025. |
|
Implement remainder of five-year schedule as agreed in August 2023. |
September 2024 to May 2028 |
Assistant Secretary, GQE; Heads of professional services |
Recommendation 3
Student engagement in surveys - drawing on existing good practice at programme and module level, the University, in collaboration with the student body, should seek to understand barriers to, and implement mechanisms which will increase student engagement with internal surveys.
| Action | Timescale |
Responsible |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Undertake desk-based research and consult with Student Champions and Class Reps to inform recommendations to SEC. |
May 2023 |
Retention and Surveys Team |
Complete |
|
Review the ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø Internal Student Survey (QSS), adopting a co-creation approach with students, including in relation to communications and analysis. Seek guidance from SPARQS to inform the review. |
August to December 2023 |
SEC Working Group |
Complete |
|
Launch refreshed QSS. |
February 2024 |
Retention and Surveys Team with support from academic and professional services colleagues and the Students’ Union. |
Complete (revised internal survey issued; ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø has also joined the PTES and UKES to gather more nuanced responses) |
|
Implement recommendations for increasing student response rates to various internal surveys as agreed by SEC in May 2023. |
September 2023 to April 2024 |
Retention and Surveys Team with support from academic and professional services colleagues and the Students’ Union. |
Complete |
|
Evaluate response rates for internal surveys and consider whether further adjustments are necessary. |
November 2023 to June 2024 |
SEC acting on advice from the Retention and Surveys Team. |
Internal survey results considered at SEC on 12 June 2024. |
|
Implement agreed enhancements for subsequent iterations of internal surveys. |
September 2024 onwards |
Retention and Surveys Team with support from academic and professional services colleagues and the Students’ Union. |
Ongoing
|
