As the student experience is core to the work of our members, so it is central to the work of Universities UK.
Our work on student experience encapsulates a wide range of issues from across the student life cycle and university engagement with students. This page provides information about our work on quality assurance and enhancement, student engagement, admissions, degree classification, students and communities and student welfare.
The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), Higher Education Academy (HEA) and Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) are technically owned by UUK and GuildHE on behalf of the sector.
For information on widening participation and fair access, 14-19 curriculum changes, academies and trusts and the National Council for Educational Excellence please see the Engagement with schools and colleges section of our website.
The Student Experience Policy Committee leads on these issues for Universities UK and is chaired by Professor Les Ebdon, Vice Chancellor, University of Bedfordshire. The Committee is made up of a number of our Vice Chancellor members and often meets with other key sector bodies such as the QAA, HEA, Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) and the National Union of Students (NUS).
Quality assurance and enhancement
Academic quality and standards are crucial to the reputation of UK higher education, which is widely regarded as among the best in the world. Universities have the main responsibility for maintaining and enhancing the quality of the education they provide, and the standards of the awards they offer. Universities UK supports this work in a number of ways. We are one of the legal "owners" of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), which reviews how universities manage their quality and standards, and the Higher Education Academy (HEA) which exists to help universities provide the best possible learning experience for their students. As well as participating and/or leading policy development in this area, Universities UK explains and promotes the ways in which universities work to safeguard quality, including through our work with the media and parliament.
For further information please see our Quality assurance microsite.
Student engagement
The student engagement agenda has gained momentum over the past year with the introduction of a Minister for Students and the establishment of the National Student Forum.
Universities UK has a close relationship with the NUS, in fact we have counted at least 14 separate policy groups on which UUK and NUS currently sit together and which reach across our work on quality assurance and enhancement, student complaints, widening participation and financial support.
In addition we share secretariat with GuildHE and the NUS for the Cross Sector Student Engagement Group. This group acts as a forum for key sector agencies to share information on student engagement strategies and facilitate student engagement in quality assurance and enhancement and matters relating to teaching, learning and student achievement. For further information on this Group please contact fiona.hoban@universitiesuk.ac.uk
Degree classification
UUK and GuildHE, working with others including HEFCE, have been carefully examining how best to assess, calculate, record and present student achievement and the honours degree classification. In September 2007, the Measuring and Recording Student Achievement Steering Group produced the Beyond the honours degree classification: the Burgess Group final report. This recommended the introduction of a new, fuller Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR), and provided an initial template for such a Report. Since then, we have developed and trialled this HEAR in 18 institutions, with a view to sector-wide adoption from 2011. For further information, please contact greg.wade@universitiesuk.ac.uk
Admissions
The decision whether to admit an applicant is one of the major areas in which individual universities, as autonomous bodies, have final authority and responsibility. Universities have confidence in their admissions policies and practices and are concerned to show that they are fair and transparent. They are also concerned to ensure that they are consistent with good practice.
That is why the universities contributed willingly to the independent review of admissions, Fair admissions to higher education, which the Government commissioned after the 2003 White Paper, and in the initiatives and programmes that have sprung from the review: the Supporting Professionalism in Admissions Programme (SPA); the former Department for Education and Skills’ (DfES) consultation on improving the higher education applications process; and the Delivery Partnership, a sector-led body that currently leads on the reform of the applications process.
More information about the universities’ role in undergraduate admissions and the main current admissions processes and issues is provided in our policy briefing on Admissions.
The Delivery Partnership
The Delivery Partnership is a UK-wide, higher education sector-led, partnership of different education stakeholders. It was established in autumn 2006 to implement reforms to the higher education applications process which will enhance the provision of information for both applicants and universities in the interests of increasing transparency, efficiency and effectiveness. Universities UK and GuildHE provide secretariat support to the partnership. Further information is provided on the Delivery Partnership page.
The SPA programme
The SPA programme was established in 2006 and works closely with higher education institutions, schools and colleges and other stakeholders on the continuing development of fair admissions and good practice in admissions, student recruitment and widening participation across the UK higher education sector. The programme is independent, funded by all the UK higher education funding bodies and comprises a small team of four who have a combined experience of over 50 years in admissions. This website highlights the research, good practice and professionalism we have found from our visits and activities, which we have developed and disseminated to support those working in admissions, student recruitment and widening participation. For further information please see the Supporting Professionalism in Admissions website.
Students and communities
Universities have a massive impact on their locality, not only as a result of the – often large – movement of people at the beginning and end of terms. Their social and cultural impact is felt through their provision of sports facilities, art galleries, cinemas and theatres, while as employers and providers of skill graduates, universities contribute to their local economies.
Partnership working is the key to addressing the challenges of students living in local communities, as well as fully realising the opportunities.
Universities UK has undertaken variety of work in this area over recent years in order to offer support to our members and share good practice. Further information and guidance is available under the section of our website on the Accommodation Code of Practice and in the following publications:
Student welfare
Universities UK has produced a number of publications which deal with student welfare issues which can be downloaded from the publications section of our website, or from the links below. We meet regularly with the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education to discuss a range of student issues.
We are currently working to ensure that our members are given approapriate support to respond to the establishment of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).