The quality of the student learning experience drives the work of Student & Academic Services. We support students and their learning from application, into their programme of study and onto employment. We demonstrate our commitment to student learning by a) establishing coherent processes that underpin and enable the student journey and b) providing a range of activities that extend, hone and support student learning from entry to exit and beyond.

Pre-arrival

As a department, we work with faculties to:

• ensure that students from all backgrounds who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study are identified and admitted; thereby supporting student progression and success.
• ensure our courses are accessible and capable of receiving articulating students at a variety of entry levels including Advanced entry available for some applicants with particular grades in Advanced Highers and Scottish Baccalaureate.
• smooth the transition of European students entering as part of an exchange or articulating into University Degree programmes.

We work with College partners to enable students to articulate successfully to the University’s degree programmes.

On arrival

We also lead work with faculties and other professional services to deliver an engaging Week 1 experience for new students focused on enhancing the academic and social integration of new students in order to set them up for success. A streamlined Matriculation event also enables students to matriculate onto their programmes with ease and incorporates access to staff to assist with immigration administration, payment of fees and Information Services induction.

On programme

The Administration of Learning: An important aspect of our support for student learning lies in our work to assure excellence in the administration of learning, including recruitment, admission, matriculation, Erasmus and student exchange administration, payment of fees, points-based immigration processes, timetabling, transfer between programmes, progression and achievement, examinations, and graduation. For example, we:

• maintain the Quality Framework, which provides a coherent set of procedures that enable the academic standard of all awards and the quality of the student learning experience to be set and maintained. A key characteristic of the Quality Framework and the operation of quality procedures is that enhancement activity is embedded within each procedure. This is achieved by ensuring that quality activities are underpinned by critical self-reflection and evaluation, external and internal peer review and appropriate student involvement. Outcomes and reports resulting from quality activities are shared openly University-wide and are routinely considered by Academic Board and its sub-committees.
• set the University’s key dates for operational activity, especially surrounding Module and Programme Board of Examiners activity, including dates for hosting Board of Examiner meetings, deadlines for input of decisions and also deadlines for Publication of Results.
• strive to ensure relevancy and consistency of decision making and data input, in accordance with regulations through the monitoring and auditing of our student records.
• provide training to school and faculty staff on student administrative processes, including module and programme decisions, thereby promoting consistency of practice and data quality.
• provide training for invigilators who assist in examinations processes to ensure University Exam Regulations are adhered to and examinations are run in a consistent and impartial manner.

Facilitating student learning and academic integration: We directly support students in their learning and work with academic staff to enhance programme-based learning. For example, we:

• work to develop personal, professional and academic skills, knowledge and understanding through our Confident Futures and Academic Skills Adviser teams. This is often achieved through the integration of tailored learning activity into programmes.
• run a student peer mentoring programme in which experienced, trained students help new students integrate academically and socially.
• provide tailored support for students with disabilities or additional needs and advice and guidance to staff on the implications for learning.
• provide support for the wellbeing aspect of learning.
• contribute to a range of University-wide teaching and learning initiatives including Graduate Attributes, the Feedback for Learning campaign and employability.

Into employment or other post-graduation outcomes

Student & Academic Services also supports student learning through the final student transition out of their programme of study. This includes careers related learning and administration of graduate records to facilitate pathways into further learning. For example, we:

• implemented and rolled out the Edinburgh Napier Diploma Supplement, which aims to improve international ‘transparency’ and facilitate the academic and professional recognition of qualifications across Europe. We ensure we are responsive to change, ensuring the document is up-to-date and meets the templates developed by the Joint European Commission – Council of Europe – UNESCO.
• assist former students with certification required for further study and for access to funding sources for further study.
• regularly invite employers onto campus to help students learn about aspects of employability and help them in their decision making and employment seeking.
• run an employer mentoring programme in which eligible students meet with a professional person to help them prepare for the workplace.
• support international students in their application for post study work visa and adapting that support as a result of changes to legislation.

Student & Academic Services recognises the centrality of teaching, in all its forms, to the vision, mission and strategy of the University. We demonstrate the value we place on teaching through our continued:

• emphasis on partnership with faculties to support teaching activity;
• support for the ongoing professionalisation of our own staff delivering learning;
• contributions to the academic staff development programme; and
• contributions to the development of resources for academic staff.

For example:

• We work with academic teams to identify opportunities within the curriculum where they can deliver integrated approaches to teaching professional, personal and academic skills to improve student learning and outcomes. Examples include delivering integrated workshops to:
• support teaching of preparation for placement for adult nurses at three different points within the curriculum;
• support teaching of referencing, presentation skills etc;
• increase student success at assessment, e.g. explicit teaching around team working immediately prior to a group work project.
• PDR processes ensure that all staff involved in teaching activity maintain the relevancy and currency of subject knowledge and integrate into their practice the philosophy that the purpose of teaching is to stimulate student learning.
• We regularly deliver staff development to academic staff in the areas of disabilities or additional needs, academic skills development and employability. These workshops aim to increase knowledge and understanding and to further embed a student centred approach and best practices into teaching.
• We have designed PDP and work placement resources for staff to use with students.

Student & Academic Services recognises that the University is ambitious for its students and aims to support them to succeed, to continue as confident lifelong learners and to make a positive contribution to society. Consequently, our work emphasises the promotion of student achievement and success, aligned both to the student journey and to specific student need (e.g. disabilities or additional needs, direct entry, wider access etc.).

Pre-entry

Our ambitions for students pre-date their arrival. We work to raise aspirations through a range of initiatives to encourage applications from students from a wider access background. This includes LEAPS interviews, Kickstart, High Flyers and Lift Off. We have also included special consideration within our admissions policy for applicants through LEAPS and recognise GOALS as an approved articulation route.

We work in partnership with schools, colleges and other HEIs to encourage applicants from students from disadvantaged backgrounds, low participation neighbourhoods and those who are first in their family to go into higher education. This is facilitated through our commitment to admitting planned numbers of advanced standing articulating students who come to the University via colleges.

On programme

Student & Academic Services works in partnership with faculties, Planning & Intelligence Services and the Student Retention Steering Group to monitor and respond to student outcomes. We collate University-wide activity undertaken to enhance student success into an annual Student Retention Overview Plan and use the student journey to identify points of transition which are particularly challenging for students. For example, we:

• successfully sought Big Lottery funding to introduce Employer mentoring for wider access students in order to raise aspirations and improve learning outcomes;
• introduced tailored academic integration workshops for all direct entrants into 2nd and 3rd year;
• designed resources and deliver workshops to support students considering entering Honours year.

Into Employment or other post-graduation outcomes

As a vocational university, the employment outcomes of our students are a key performance indicator and motivator for our students. Student & Academic Services is responsible for tracking of student employment outcomes through the DLHE survey and we have used this information to enhance the employment-seeking support we provide to students. We have increased the number of employers on campus and proactively use employers to deliver professional and career development. We also offer a range of structured opportunities for students to work alongside us, as Student Ambassadors, at events and on courses.

We also administer the Graduate Discount Scheme through our admissions processes, whereby undergraduate alumni are entitled to a 10% discount on their taught postgraduate tuition fees.

Student & Academic Services acknowledges that diversity is the norm for our institution and proactively designs systems, processes and learning that embrace and integrate diversity. We work collaboratively with a range of internal and external partners to develop and achieve best practices and with staff to promote understanding of diversity issues and their impacts on learning and teaching.

Overall, we aim to promote and demonstrate an inclusive approach (e.g. the Dyslexia Action Plan) to supporting student learning as inclusivity is generally beneficial for all learners. However, we also work directly with student groups which require specific and tailored support such as those with disabilities or additional needs, from wider access backgrounds and college entrants.

Examples:

• We welcome applications from students with disabilities or additional needs and work with external partners to facilitate their entry. Our admissions policy includes a Code of Practice for Applicants with Declared Disabilities to ensure equity of consideration and shared understanding amongst staff involved with recruitment processes. Students have full access to the information kept of their disabilities or additional needs requirements.
• We have gained the Frank Buttle Trust Quality Mark for our plan of commitment to Care Leavers and have produced a Code of Practice that lists concisely our commitments and those responsible. The Code of Practice links to the Admissions Policy and other related policies. Guidelines for staff are also available.
• Signposts to Success is a one day orientation course for students joining Edinburgh Napier from college. It is currently delivered to students starting Nursing & Midwifery and Sports Science courses. The course is taught using an interactive approach and all materials are contextualised to the students’ subject area.
• The Assessment & Training Centre (ATC) provides assistive hardware and software solutions for students with a special need or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, visual impairment, hearing impairment or mobility impairment. The ATC staff also provide guidance and advice to staff on assistive technology, accessible teaching materials and alternative formats.
• Extensive arrangements are made in conjunction with school based Disability Contact staff for students who require particular examination arrangements as a result of an identified special need, i.e. scribes, readers, use of a PC or other specialist equipment during an examination, as well as provision for extra time allowances for students with dyslexia.

Student & Academic Services recognises the importance of high quality staff for engendering a quality student experience which supports students in realising their full potential. This is demonstrated by:

• Facilitating staff to be reflective in their own practice;
• Encouraging pro-activity and innovation;
• A commitment to staff development both in terms of delivering, and participating in staff development;
• Active encouragement to participate in opportunities for good practice sharing and relevant professional bodies.

Examples include:

• The development of staff involved in the management and administration of admissions through engagement with Supporting Professionalism in Admissions (SPA). Relevant staff attend SPA conferences and participate in the SPA bi-annual visit, and SPA shadowed our confirmation and clearing process at Edinburgh Napier.
• The entire Disabilities & Inclusion team have been involved in a pilot on-line training programme run by BRITE; this is the leading authority on tertiary education related access, inclusion and assistive technology in Scotland. The pilot programme involves participation from two other HEIs and several colleges as well as ourselves. This is the first time that this type of training has been run online or has been available to HEIs. It will lead to HN level SQA certificated modules in access and inclusion for those participating.
• Student & Academic Services provides ongoing support and development provided for School Disability Contacts. A specific example of this was the recent involvement of a visually impaired guest speaker, who talked about the importance of accessible information for visually impaired students and practical tips for making documents accessible.
• Support for regulations training by working in participation with faculties and Academic Quality for the annual Board of Examiners training. We present on the Programme Board of Examiners report and provide (mandatory) annual post Programme Board training for all relevant administrative staff.
• Participation in and contribution to QAA Enhancement Themes around Employability and Graduate Attributes and in professional groups such as the Scottish Mentoring Network and AGCAS ensure that good practices are shared and research-informed and remain current.

Student & Academic Services acknowledges the importance of academic leadership and excellence in setting the framework for student learning and success and for assuring professional relevance. We work to support academic staff within faculties to support their own academic leadership around themes such as diversity, employability and personal, professional and skills development. We also work to support the academic leadership of Student & Academic Services staff engaged in teaching and learning. Where appropriate, staff engage in scholarship, professional body activity and national initiatives and are encouraged to publish and present at conferences. Self evaluation is encouraged through the PDR process and evaluation of activity incorporated into planning processes.

Recent written up research includes topics such as student retention and student transitions as well as work on the role of the programme leader.

We are currently working with Napier Students’ Association and other colleagues across the institution to enhance the role of Student Representatives.

Student & Academic Services underpins its teaching, and support of teaching, with informed pedagogy designed to optimise student learning. Our approach is practice-based, with curricula which are fit for purpose and professionally informed.

We ensure that we remain updated with respect to developments in the Scottish education system, specifically the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), Scottish Baccalaureate and the Advanced Higher, so that we are mindful of the impacts these will have on the knowledge, understanding and experiences of students entering from schools and how these will link with Edinburgh Napier curricula and teaching approaches. For example, we maintained early engagement with schools through the Relationship Building with Schools Project to engage on the impact of the implementation of the CfE and consideration of future impact on Admissions Policy and procedures. Similarly, we remain informed of pedagogic and curricula developments within colleges.

Increasingly, we are using technology to support teaching to broaden access to resources. For example, the online resource Get Ready for University Study receives excellent feedback from students and a very high number of hits – more than 3000 unique users a week. The resource was developed incorporating best practices and its effectiveness is acknowledged nationally by requests from other universities to have access to it.

We lead staff development around the maintenance of professional standards with respect to disabilities or additional needs and the consequences for teaching.

We have designed and deliver an innovative curriculum around personal and professional development through the Confident Futures programme. This continues to be unique within higher education and is increasingly embedded within programmes. Confident Futures is underpinned by positive psychology pedagogy and growth mindset research and has benefitted from close links to the Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing.

Student & Academic Services encourages innovation within all its work in pursuit of enhanced student learning. This is achieved through a mixture of:

• Formal projects managed through the Student & Academic Services Management Team. Examples include Week 1 for new students, changes to the postgraduate academic year, SITS mid life review, student engagement monitoring and the updating of the student employability model;
• Contributions to University projects led outside Student & Academic Services such as the Navitas project, the College to Uni podcasting project and Graduate Attributes;
• Smaller scale projects within Student & Academic Services’ departments as part of planned enhancements.

Individuals are encouraged to respond to student feedback and changing need in practical ways and evaluation of use and impact is threaded through all our approaches. Increasingly we are using technology to facilitate wider access to resources and guidance and considerable work has been undertaken to improve the student portal and staff intranet pages. Further enhancements are underway, using usage statistics to identify both areas with increased student traffic and those which appear to be underused.

We have innovated using blended curricula which have brought together subject with skills, personal and professional development in the Personal & Professional Development workshop programme. This approach has been successful with staff and students and has led to demonstrable improvements in both learning outcomes and on approaches to learning.

We have made use of technologies such as podcasting, Twitter, Facebook and delicious to engage more students in learning. The latter have contributed to the significantly increased student engagement with careers education and our ability to service not only geographically distant students but also alumni who have no access to the student portal.

Student & Academic Services recognises the importance of assessment as a motivation for learning and consequently the potential for assessment to dominate the learning landscape. Our contribution to assessment lies in our work around:

• the routine monitoring of the implementation of the Quality Framework to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of staff and students while taking account of external, sector-wide expectations. Team members provide advice and guidance on the implementation of the Quality Framework to academic and administrative staff through attendance at and participation in University and faculty-level committees and working groups and through the delivery of themed staff development events.
• the effective management of assessment (such as the smooth running of exams) in order to minimise the stress for students and thereby creating an environment in which students can effectively demonstrate their learning.
• a robust, transparent policy for managing any alleged incidents of academic misconduct identified during the formal assessment process to ensure a robust examinations process.
• good practices in assessment, such as the advice and guidance we provide to staff on skills for designing assessment including alternative assessment for students with disabilities or additional needs. Further examples include a guidance resource on best practice for conducting oral assessments and contributions to staff development on approaches to assessing skills.
• the promotion of self assessment as part of the learning process. We have designed a range of self assessment tools for use via PDP and professional development.

Student & Academic Services also provides informal and formal guidance on all aspects of the University complaints and appeals procedures and regulations, including a robust appeals mechanism for ensuring the adherence to prescribed procedures, and maintenance of academic quality and standards by Programme Boards of Examiners. This work is also central to University learning as it identifies areas in the institution which might make enhancements to its own practices, procedures and approaches.

Customised sessions, designed in collaboration with lecturers, are delivered by Student Learning Advisers or the Confident Futures team to focus on specific learning outcomes required for a particular assessment. The aim is to enhance learning and therefore performance in assessment. The sessions designed to support group working and presentations have proved effective in increasing average class marks.

Student & Academic Services acknowledges that timely and constructive feedback is essential to learning and recognises the high value that students place upon feedback at every point along the student journey. Our engagement with student feedback is done in three ways:

1. Our feedback to students

Our feedback to students starts from their first engagements with us, including offering feedback to unsuccessful applicants. This transparent approach threads through our activity so that we role model a culture of self reflection and planned development.

All learning activity incorporates opportunities for informally feeding back to students on their progress and development. Work has been undertaken to maximise opportunities for students to access expert advice and guidance at a time most relevant to them. For example, the CV doctor has been established to support students in gaining one-to-one feedback on their CV drafts, and this service has proved very popular.

The Student Peer Mentoring training contains an input on providing feedback to mentees. Student mentors are trained to offer informal, constructive and credible feedback.

The Get that Job!: Stand out from the crowd workshops get students actively participating and inviting feedback on their performances in relation to interviewing, networking and goal setting.

2. Encouraging students to use feedback effectively.

We encourage ongoing self evaluation by students (and staff) in all activity. Our learning workshops are designed to encourage students to seek out, accept and act on feedback. We are working with the student Feedback for Learning campaign to deliver a number of specific workshops on this topic (including contextualised Confident Futures workshops). Student mentors are also trained to help students deal effectively with feedback.

3. Acting on feedback from students

All our learning activity includes opportunities for students to feed back to us both formally and informally. For example, during Week 1 in Trimester 1 2010, 91% of the 2881 students who attended workshops completed feedback forms. This information was collated, discussed at the Student Retention Steering Group and shared with the wider University through the staff intranet. The statistics were also used as part of ongoing discussions with faculties around enhancements we could make to Week 1 activity for new students. Longer term evaluation of the impact of Week 1 and other activities was gathered via the Students Calling Students telephone survey.

Summary statistics of student feedback on all our learning activity is now formally published and used for our own learning and to enhance what we do to support student learning. The University Complaints Procedure informs and enhances University practices by proactively using outcomes to improve and address issues at local and senior levels. We submit an annual report to Academic Board on all student complaints, appeals and disciplinary matters to inform ongoing review and reflection on these issues.