In the meantime, staff are invited to review the programme, module and short course provision they are involved with to familiarise themselves with the new environment whilst ensuring the data has been fully migrated. The data included within the Curriculum Management Environment reflects the official record of the provision data and is used to inform downstream systems and processes, including, for example, the student record, HESA Data Futures.
To help staff work towards and achieve School and University strategic objectives, the following key principles inform the processes involved in supporting the managed launch:
- Maintain quality and standards to ensure the integrity of provision, aligning with the Quality Framework
- Support staff during the period of transition, through individual and group help sessions, removal of duplication of effort, whilst ensuring alignment with new Curriculum Management Environment.
- Focus on areas of academic priority whilst including clear timescales, roles and responsibilities.
- Gather ongoing feedback to enhance user experience prior to full launch.
There are a number of priorities over the coming months related to enhancing the academic portfolio using the new Curriculum Management Environment; these are:
- final review of data for existing provision following migration
- development of essential new provision (programmes, modules and short courses, including collaborative provision)
- integration of embedded college pathways, as required
- effective implementation of the changes submitted following closure of e:Vision
- consider proposed changes to existing provision (including modules) for delivery in academic year 2023-24, some of which impact on other activities, such as timetabling.
- implement the outcomes and recommendations of ILRs from trimester one academic 2022-23 as well as academic year 2021-22
- ILRs for the remainder of the current academic year (2022-23)
- closure of provision (programmes, modules and short courses)
To meet the activities above, whilst helping to manage the workload for academic and professional services staff across the trimester, the above areas of development and enhancement have been prioritised and timeframes agreed accordingly. As part of this work, it is recognised academic staff will require additional access which will be made available and managed by the local quality teams.
Final Review of Provision Data Following Migration
Staff are invited to review the programme, module and short course provision they are involved with to familiarise themselves with the new environment whilst ensuring the data has been fully migrated. On reviewing the data, staff will notice a number of fields in both the programme and module record which (i) may be new to them and, in the main, will be populated by other University departments (e.g. HESA Information) and (ii) which may be blank (e.g. ENhance Outcomes). There is no expectation the blank fields will be populated immediately; more information on how this will be taken forward will be circulated later in the academic year.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the successful migration of data from e:Vision to the new Curriculum Management environment it is recognised there may be occasions where this is not the case. Where anomalies are identified in their provision record, staff are asked to contact the local S3 quality team before
3rd March 2023 using this
online form who will review this and work to resolve it during trimester two.
It is recognised that Schools are continuing to develop new provision and as part of the managed launch, a key priority is to support academic leads in this area. To facilitate the development of new provision academic staff who are involved with provision development will be given managed ‘edit’ access to the new CM environment for an agreed period of time and will work with the SAL Quality and School Operations Officer (Quality) through the stages of approval. The new provision within each School may be at different stages of development, with initial approval and/or business cases developed/previously approved. In line with the key principles, steps are being taken to minimise, where possible, the need to duplicate data entry and/or approval stages. To help manage this, a report of provision development will be gathered in each school by 17th February 2023. Thereafter, the SAL Quality and the School Operations Officer will liaise with provision leads, individually, to agree the next stages for approval to ensure these are managed in a smooth and streamlined way.
It is recognised there are new provision types coming forward, including franchise and non-credit bearing activity, in which the academic leads may have additional questions about what is involved in the provision development. In these situations, additional support will be provided from Head of Learning and Teaching, Head of International or colleagues from RIE, depending on the type of activity.
Embedded College Pathways
In line with the Annual Plan priorities, discussions are ongoing at the University-level to support the proposed integration learning undertaken as part of the Embedded College Pathways, which is under development. Further information on the approval process will be circulated in due course.
Changes to Existing Provision
Changes for Implementation in Academic Year 2022-23 following closure of e:Vision
There have been over 450 late changes (submitted after October 2022) following closure of e:Vision requested to programmes and modules delivered in 2022-23. Although these changes have been recorded and actioned (where appropriate) in SITS, the timing means, on this occasion, these changes may not have been captured as part of the migration from e:Vision to the new CM environment. In line with the key principles, from 1st February 2023 to 28th April 2023, the local S3 quality teams will help manage the processing of these late changes linking with academic leads, as required.
Changes for Implementation in Academic Year 2023-24
To help support academic staff in updating programme and modules changes for academic year 2023-24 only, unless there are significant implications for timetabling (e.g change of trimester of delivery, change to programme structures and/or module delivery schedules); academic staff are asked to submit the proposed changes when full edit access is available and before 30th June 2023. These changes will then be considered at an agreed School Quality Committee in time to meet appropriate deadlines.
In future, as outlined in the guidance in the Quality Framework, any provision including modules that will require timetabling in Trimester 1 of the following academic session will be required to be approved no later than week 12 of Trimester two in the preceding academic year. Programmes and modules requiring timetabling for Trimester 2 or 3, must be approved no later than week 12 of Trimester three in the preceding academic year.
Changes which have implications for timetabling
Where there are proposed provision changes which impact on timetabling or other key activities which are time business critical (e.g. to meet professional body requirements/timescales), provision leads should contact their local S3 quality team using the
online form indicating the type of change and that they wish to make enhancements to their provision. Provision leads will be given ‘edit’ access to Akari for a short time to submit the proposed changes. These changes should be submitted, in Akari, by 3rd March 2023 and will then be considered at an agreed School Quality Committee, in time to meet the timetabling deadlines.
Institutional Led Reviews
Outcomes from ILRs 2021-22 and 2022-23 (Trimester One)
As the Curriculum Management launch was rescheduled to Tr2 (22-23), there may be ILRs from academic year 2021-22 and 2022-23 (trimester one) in which the outcomes/recommendations to engage with the Curriculum Management Environment to update records etc, have not yet been implemented. It is reasonable, therefore, to allow a period of grace with respect to making the ongoing enhancements to the records.
A summary of the outcomes from the ILRs which have not yet been implemented will be gathered by local quality teams and DLTE colleagues. This will be reviewed and the local quality teams, including SAL Quality, will agree the schedule of updates from before 31st March 2023 and work with academic programme teams to enhancements made are incorporated into the environment.
ILRs Scheduled for 2022-23 (Trimesters Two and Three)
The programme specification and module descriptors form part of the ILR documentation will be generated from the new CM environment. Amendments required as part of scrutiny should be updated (where feasible) and presented to the ILR panel. If the updates are not possible within the new environment then it is proposed that the ILR panel is presented, as part of the evidence base, with a detailed plan of future amendments including timelines.
There is no expectation that sections/fields not previously required in the programme and modules record will be completed in time for the ILR. These will be considered University expectations for ILRs taking place from 2023/24 onwards.
Work is underway within academic programme teams, working in partnership with SALs Quality and local quality teams, to take forward proposed programme and module enhancements. Panels will be briefed that because of timing the transition, the provision records presented as part of the ILR may not be fully aligned. In addition, the conditions and recommendations made as part of the ILR should also be cognisant of the provision enhancements and priorities.
Closure of Provision
Provision leads who wish to close provision are invited to contact the local S3 quality teams using the generic email, who will provide the appropriate ‘edit’ access to commence the process.
Training Guides, Help and Support
The Curriculum Management hub has a wealth of information and videos to support academic staff in navigating the new environment. There are tailored videos and help text integrated within the provision sections/fields to further guide staff in completing the information.
In addition, from February to June 2023 each of the School local quality teams (including SAL Quality, Head of LT) will run fortnightly ‘open/drop-in’ sessions for all staff to help navigate the new environment. Local quality teams (including Quality SAL or Head of LT) will also meet provision leads individually, at pre-arranged separate meetings, to discuss individual provision records. This time will be managed in line with the School priorities. Information will be circulated within Schools in the coming weeks by the SAL Quality. The range of support mechanisms available to staff will be kept under review.