1. Engaging with Enhancement and the Enhancement Themes at the University of Glasgow
Prof. Frank Coton
Vice-Principal (Learning and Teaching)
From outset answer is yes and yes

2. The Framework within which we operate

3. Guiding Principles of the QE Framework

4. The University of Glasgow Quality Framework

5. Glasgow University Senate Committee Structure
Research Policy and Strategy Committee
Deans of Graduate Studies Committee
Researcher Development Committee
Education Policy and Strategy Committee
Learning and Teaching Committee
Working Groups e.g. Graduate Attributes
Academic Standards Committee
Quality Officers Forum
ASC Sub-committees
Student Support and Development Committee
Chief Advisors Sub-Committee
Research Degrees
Taught
Degrees
General Student Support

6. The Enhancement Focus Focus on Enhancement Focus on Assurance
Education Policy and Strategy Committee
Learning and Teaching Committee
Working Groups e.g. Graduate Attributes
Academic Standards Committee
Quality Officers Forum
ASC Sub-committees
Focus on Enhancement
Focus on Assurance

7. The Quality Processes as Mechanisms for Enhancement
Quality Assurance
Staff Student Liaison Committees
Annual Course Monitoring
External Examiner System
Periodic Subject Review
Quality Enhancement

8. Delivering the Student Experience: Embedding Enhancement in Strategy
University Strategic Plan
Learning and Teaching Strategy
Internationalisation Strategy
IT Strategy
Capital Investment Plan
College Plans

9. The Dimensions of the Student Experience
The External Environment
Extracurricular Activity
University Services
Degree Programme
Subject Area
Expectation
Prior
Experience

10. The Dimensions of the Student Experience
Subject Area
Teaching in the class
Academic quality and pedagogy
Local teaching facilities
Local support staff
Degree Programme
Course Choice
Variability between subjects
Timetabling and coordination
Academic advising
University Services
Library, Careers, Catering etc
Lecture Theatres
Virtual Learning Environment
Student data systems
Extracurricular Activity
Unions, Clubs and Societies
Student representation
Sports
Student volunteering, internships & part-time work
External Environment
The City
Government Policy
The Economy (Financial and job prospects)
Culture

11. The Dimensions of the Student Experience – span of control
Subject Area
Degree Programme
University Services
Extracurricular Activity
External Environment
Span of Control
Student-led

12. We are all in it together – including our students!
Subject Area
Degree Programme
University Services
Extracurricular Activity
External Environment
Vice-Principal (Learning and Teaching)
Senior Management Group
Clerk of Senate
Secretary of Court
Heads of College
Student Representative Council
Subject Leads
Heads of University Services
Deans of Learning and Teaching
Student Unions
Heads of School
Student Sport Association
Heads of Academic Administration

13. Understanding Enhancement
The External Environment
Extracurricular Activity
University Services
Degree Programme
Subject Area
QUALITY
PROCESSES
Service Reviews
Periodic Subject Review
Annual Course Monitoring
Course Feedback
Student Staff Liaison Committees
OTHER FEEDBACK
Horizon Scanning
Student Barometer
Institutionally owned surveys
Postgraduate Taught Survey
National Student Survey
The Student Voice

14. Strategic Enablers Learning and Teaching Conference
Teaching Awards (Student and Staff-led schemes)
Learning and Teaching Development Fund
Academic Promotion, Reward and Recognition
Learning and Teaching Centre
Learning and Teaching Conference
External funding and initiatives
Student Engagement

15. So where do the Enhancement Themes fit in?
Enhancement is embedded within our core strategy and is supported by established processes
The Enhancement Themes do not shape our enhancement activities but rather contribute to and extend existing activity
They provide an opportunity for our staff to work with and learn from other institutions
They also provide opportunities to identify and take forward sector-wide approaches to issues

16. The Enhancement Themes
NUS Zone Conference
19 November 2011
The Enhancement Themes
Planned and directed by SHEEC on which ALL Higher Education institutions are represented
SHEEC decides the broad topic for each Theme including the order in which Themes take place
Topics of interest to the Scottish higher education sector as a whole
They are explored and developed with the aim of enhancing the student learning experience across the sector
Funded by the Scottish Funding Council
Managed by QAA Scotland
Topics of the ETs are chosen by SHEEC
SHEEC (this slide or ‘Oversight of the Themes: SHEEC’ slide):
Chair: Professor Andrea Nolan, University of Glasgow
One member nominated by each institution
Usually senior academic with responsibility for L&T, ie usually Vice Principal Learning and Teaching
Student membership
Observers from: SFC (funders), Universities Scotland, NUS Scotland, HEA, sparqs
Christine Macpherson, QAA Scotland

17. A key lesson from the Enhancement Culture
Quality Assurance is relatively straightforward to do in near isolation (external examiners and quality audits aside). This is because the focus tends to be on the refinement of what we are doing now.
Quality Enhancement is difficult to do in isolation. It requires an outward-looking approach where considerable value is gained by working with and learning from the experiences of others.
The Enhancement Themes provide a focus for cooperation and collaboration

18. A Diverse HE Sector

19. A Diverse HE Sector
The significant diversity in our HE sector is actually a real advantage
Different institutions often face similar issues in different contexts – cooperation leads to deeper understanding of the limitations of specific approaches and can inspire the evolution of new strategies

20. How the Enhancement Themes Run
NUS Zone Conference
19 November 2011
How the Enhancement Themes Run
Institutional Project Teams
Sectoral Events
Student Network
Commissioned Work
Steering Committee
(including two students)
Christine Macpherson, QAA Scotland

21. Case Study: Graduate Attributes at the University of Glasgow
Linking to the Enhancement Themes
Assessment and Integrative assessment ( )
Responding to student needs (03-04)
Employability (04-06)
Flexible delivery (04-06)
First year: engagement & empowerment (05-08)
Research-teaching linkages: enhancing graduate attributes (06-08)
Graduates for the 21st century: integrating the Enhancement Themes (08-11)
Developing and supporting the curriculum ( )

22. Case Study: Graduate Attributes
Employability (04-06) Linked well with institutional involvement in SFC funded Learning to Work 1 which kicked off an internal working group looking at employability and PDP within UoG. Carried on until 2008 with the publication of the Employability Strategy Review.
Research-teaching linkages: enhancing graduate attributes (06-08) Started a genuine internal debate amongst staff on how Graduate Attributes are developed through research-teaching linkages
Graduates for the 21st century: integrating the Enhancement Themes (08-11) Brought the work of the two previous themes together in the development of the University Graduate Attributes Framework.

23. Case Study: Graduate Attributes
GA Working/ Action Group
Institutional Senior Management
Careers
Employability Advisers
Academic Staff
Educational Developers
International Students’ Adviser
Students

24. The original working group’s aims
Develop a University-wide approach to Graduate Attributes that
enhances student personal development
recognises attribute development is continuous and pervasive
allows personal/subject specific variations in attribute competence
can be embedded in and beneficial to curriculum design and review
enhances student engagement with the curriculum
encourages reflection by students…..and staff!
Use data generated to inform the University Learning and Teaching Strategy and assist in decisions concerning the implementation of this strategy ( )
Frank

25. Institutional research and building consensus
Starting from existing implicit attributes, design and populate a graduate attributes matrix -one-to-one consultations.
Student-led, enquiry-based project - qualitative data gathering concerning staff and student perceptions of graduate attributes.
Electronic questionnaire focused on senior academic staff & new lecturers
Focus group sessions with the Students’ Representative Council
An employer consultation process
Graduate Attributes and international students (student-led project funded by the Higher Education Academy)

26. Identified order of importance
Attributes from original Learning & Teaching Strategy ( )
Capable of Engaging in Enquiry-led learning
Capable of Independent and Critical Thinking
Breadth and Depth of Knowledge Base within Discipline
Academic abilities
Motivated, Confident, Adaptable, Resilient
Capable of Self-Evaluation and Reflection
Capable of Effective Professional Interaction
Personal
qualities
Entrepreneurial and Career Aware
Equipped for Global Citizenship
Ethically-Minded
Social aware-ness

27. Student-led institutional research
A team of paid students acting as student enquirers over the course of a 9 week project.
Undertaking interviews with staff and students as a form of action research:
Each student enquirer to interview at least 3 staff and 3 student subjects each
Each interview subject interviewed twice to assess attitudinal change over time
Student enquirers asked to participate as research subjects themselves
Key outputs: staff and student guides to the benefits of developing graduate attributes

28. What did the consultations find?
Strong agreement on which attributes were most important to develop:
Top 10 Staff Attributes
Top 10 Student attributes
Independent & critical thinking
Communication & presentation
Motivation
Confidence
Subject knowledge
Problem solving
Research skills
Self-sufficiency / independence
Self-reflection
Team workers
Communication
Teamwork
Professionalism/interpersonal skills
Independent and critical thinking

29. Our Graduate Attributes
Graduate
attributes
staff guide

30. University of Glasgow’s Graduate Attribute Framework
10 Graduate Attributes:
Subject specialists
Investigative
Independent and critical thinkers
Resourceful and responsible
Effective communicators
Confident
Adaptable
Experienced collaborators
Ethically and socially aware
Reflective learners
Personal dimension
Transferable dimension
Academic dimension
Vicky
Three inter-dependent dimensions

31. …and we did not make this journey alone!
Vicky or Frank?

32. Thank you!