Best Practice in HN/degree Articulation Caroline MacDonald PVC Student and Community Engagement

SFC review of widening participation policy Learning for All recommended that we should:  Minimise the time it takes learners who wish to progress to achieve their goals (by eliminating unnecessary delay and repetition);  Make transitions between learning environments easier;  Support the development of more effective articulation routes between colleges and HEIs; and  Work collaboratively to match qualifications along the routes learners are most likely to take.

GCU Mission To provide a high quality accessible, inclusive and flexible learning and teaching environment which is enhanced by curiosity–driven research and which applies its knowledge and skills for the social and economic benefit of the communities it serves in Scotland and around the world.

Key Objectives  To become an international leader in learning innovation  To enhance the student experience and access to learning  To ensure our programmes are designed to enhance students’ employability and their capacity for civic engagement  To ensure our student support services align with our innovative approach to learning and teaching

Articulation is a significant activity for GCU - 1 In students entered GCU on a full time course into year 2 or 3 with an HNC/D or equivalent Represented 29.3% of total for Scotland (excludes OU – Data from Articulation for All)

Articulation is a significant activity for GCU - 2 Articulation provides a substantial proportion of our entrants Entrants to year 2/3 with HNC/D 735 Total full time 1 st degree entrants3766 Articulating students as a % of all19.5% ( data from Articulation for All) Across the sector articulation represents about 7% of entrants to first degrees in Scotland

Key challenges for the sector  Maximise opportunities for articulation that are available to students  Ensure staff and potential students are aware of the opportunities  Make transition between college and university as smooth as possible Curriculum match Support to students  Improve success rates in terms of percentage of HN students who graduate with a degree

Approaches taken by GCU Maximise opportunities available  Improve links between colleges and university (College Partnership Board)  Strategic Change Grant project looking at links between city centre colleges and GCU & University of Strathclyde  Audit of links and opportunities being proposed by Articulation Hub Advisory Group  Appointment of Development Officers to work with colleges to identify opportunities  Call for proposals to develop new routes or enhance existing links

Approaches taken by GCU Ensure staff and potential students are aware of the opportunities  Open Evening for college applicants (20 November 2008)  Special supplement to the prospectus for college students  Staff briefings  Information on web

Approaches taken by GCU Make transition between college and university as smooth as possible  2+2 programmes  College staff teach on programmes (interior design)  Ensure students understand what university is like before they Come (On-Track project)  Support students when they arrive (college mentoring project)  Clarity about what support is available – single access point (Saltire Base)  Involvement of Students Association  Information at appropriate time (just in time not all at once)  Specific focus on students with disabilities to understand and enhance their experience

Approaches taken by GCU Improve student success rates  Offer opportunity to come to university to as many qualified students as possible  Track students progress and provide support in form of discipline-specific support (ADTs) and central (Learner Support)  Summer school programme  Enhanced induction  Peer support scheme

What more could be done  More co-ordination between Schools and Central Student Services  More flexibility in programme choice  Better formative feedback: Timing, quality, quantity  Learn from good practice elsewhere (QAA Benchmarking Project)

QAA Benchmarking project – supporting student success  To consider how best to provide for the needs and expectations of the increasingly diverse range of HE students  To identify key challenges in the provision of student support  To identify and learn from leading international developments and practice

Activities and outputs of project  Workshop in June 2008  Conference in November 2008  Report early 2009  Web resource  Dissemination at QAA conference in March 2009

Listen to Student Views  Internal module and programme evaluation  National Student Satisfaction Survey  International student views – i-barometer  Act on feedback e.g. on amount of feedback to students  Communicate You said, we did ……

How will we know when we have got better? Key performance indicators  Number of applications from HN students  Progression, retention and completion rates  Student satisfaction Internal, NSS, i-barometer  Employability DLHE Employer feedback