Live Projects - Student Vision Project for Chichester District Council

UNIVERSITY OF CHICHESTER MODULE ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK STUDENT NO:

1303757

ACADEMIC ADVISOR:

ANDREW CLEGG

PROGRAMME:

Bachelor of Arts (Hons)

YEAR OF ENTRY TO PROGRAMME:

13

MODULE NAME:

SUSTAINABLE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT

MODULE CODE:

BML309

MODULE TUTOR:

ANDREW CLEGG

ASSESSMENT TITLE: group consultancy report (001)

Agreed Provisional mark: 75

Agreed Provisional grade:

Tutor's Comments - with reference to assessment criteria BML309 PROJECT 2: CHICHESTER VISION PROJECT Overall this is a detailed report that aligns to the research brief and work programme agreed with Chichester District Council. I have commented on your work and would ask that you read through my comments. A number of points will be highlighted here. First, the report has been competently executed and based on focused research activity looking at the perceptions of Chichester students.

This is outlined in the introduction of your report – I would have been inclined to include that the sample frame was agreed with CDC and a budget allocated in an attempt to incentivise students to engage. The introduction covers a bit of ground and some additional sub-headings would have been useful to give some additional structure and direction. Within these some additional explanation as to the choice of benchmarking partners, that feature throughout the report, was needed. There was also scope to benchmark against what larger university cities are doing in terms of engaging with students.

The notable omission at the start of the report is that you provide no context for the value of the student population and why this research is needed. You needed to look at this both nationally and locally – including reference to student VFR. You were provided with numerous resources on Moodle to assist with this element of the report but these have been largely overlooked. At later points in the report you make reference to student VFR but there is no context to explain why this is so important.

The following sections outline the overall results of the research, taking key elements of the student experience in turn. Overall, a number of generic comments apply given a similar structure has been adopted throughout. For shopping and food and drink I would have liked to have seen a more detailed audit – the inclusion of a SWOT analysis for each detracts from the overall quality of discussion – a SWOT should highlight key themes rather than be comprised of lengthy discussion points. Additional photos could have been included – photos were supplied but I am still not sure, given the timeframe of the project, why you did not take your own photos to support your discussion. Presentation aside, some valid observations are raised throughout that will support the Vision process. Moreover, within the overall discussion the results of the research have been presented clearly, and support elements of your discussion effectively. The inclusion of the student voice sections are very good and have been commented on as really helpful from council members you have seen the report. The inclusion of additional qualitative comments would have added further value to the report. I do think, and this was something that was fed back on earlier drafts, is that you have perhaps tried to squeeze too much information on one page and the overall layout could be improved to make the information accessible.

Benchmarking sections are provided throughout but I would have liked to have seen reference to more specific initiatives, from a range of destinations, to really showcase how the student economy is being developed. These could have taken the form of small vignettes throughout.

Overall, the final section needed to be developed further as it does not quite do justice to the quality of discussion presented in the earlier sections. You were continually advised that is was this section that really needed to demonstrate your understanding of the strategy process and I wanted to see reference to clear strategic themes, objectives and action planning. You only make reference to two priority

areas and then these needed to be developed further. You needed to revisit the key sections/themes in the research and present here. From this make a series of grounded recommendations (that also reflect wider sector practice in this area) – that relate back to the key objectives identified at the start of the report. Reference is also made to VFR but again at no point in the report has this actually been contextualised. Areas for future research are identified and you make reference to employment. But here you are muddling areas of future research with recommendations. This featured in your survey so why were these results not addressed in the main body of your report?

Overall, a very competent piece of work that will contribute positively to the Vision process. As highlighted above a number of areas of improvement have been highlighted in the report itself, most notably around concluding recommendations.

Areas for improvement: Provisional mark:

Provisional grade: Date Completed: 27/05/2016

Completed by: ANDREW CLEGG Second Marker Comments :

This is a detailed report that has been based on detailed research about of University of Chichester students’ perceptions. However, the introduction to the report could have benefited from explaining the value and relevance of the student population in university towns, as well as the value of the associated VFR, in relation to the project.

The SWOT analysis for each topic were really helpful but also very text-heavy and difficult to absorb, and it would have been better to include the key headlines or themes being discussed. Both the inclusion of the student voice and benchmarking sections were extremely helpful to both understand the local context and being able to compare it with other competing destinations.

The final section of the report is unfortunately the weakest area of the whole output, as you seem to brush over the valuable information highlighted during the audit and go on to produce stand-alone conclusions and recommendations that do not make reference to the key strategic themes being discussed along the report.

Overall, a very valuable report with some relatively minor areas for improvement, which you should feel proud to have completed and which should be used as an example of your professional and managerial capacities going forward.

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