Student Engagement Policy 2021 (ENG)

The Student Voice:

Be Heard, Get Engaged, Have Your Say

What is Student Engagement in Quality Assurance and Enhancement?

Engaging students as partners is fundamental to the ethos of Wrexham Glyndŵr University (WGU). The University’s Vision and Strategy to 2025 and the Strategy for Supporting Student Learning and Achievement, outline WGU’s priority to “work with students as partners to develop a culturally embedded approach to student engagement”. It is the University’s view that we work more effectively together with our students and WGU is committed to putting students at the heart of what we do.

WGU defines student engagement as the process of taking deliberate and positive steps to empower and involve all students, in partnership with staff and each other, to shape their student learning experience.

This includes individually (e.g. via surveys) and collectively (e.g. via student representation) and is underpinned by a commitment to ensure that all students, regardless of their background or location, have a meaningful ability to contribute with the purpose of assuring and improving the student learning experience for both current and future students.

Quality Assurance is used to talk about how, and how well WGU manages teaching, learning and assessment to help you progress through each level of your course and achieve your potential, and to ensure that, from admission through to completion, you are provided with the support that you need to succeed in and benefit from higher education. Enhancement is the process by which WGU systematically improves the quality of provision and the ways in which your learning is supported.

Why should I get involved?

The student voice is a vital component of assuring quality, from student representatives gathering collective feedback, to opportunities to share individual students’ thoughts and ideas through surveys and module or course evaluations. Course reps play an important part in quality processes, for example as members of committees where quality monitoring is discussed and decisions are made about the future delivery of courses.

You can be engaged at all stages of course design, delivery and review. You should be consulted on plans to design, make changes to and enhance courses. Student feedback is crucial for course review processes – annually and periodically. You may have the opportunity to become a student panel member to help review other courses at the University. Each of these stages – design, delivery and review – will include consideration of both academic standards and the quality of the student experience.

What are the benefits?

To You: ●

●

● ●

Enables you to shape, improve and enhance the learning, teaching and overall student experience, for current students and those who will study in the future.

Develop transferable key skills, e.g. engaging with complex ideas, oral communication, decision-making and working in teams to enhance your CV and increase your employability skills Puts you at the heart of University decision-making processes, to inform change and improvement Enables you to be partners in your education

To the University: ● ● ● ●

The student perspective is essential to identify what works well and areas that can be improved.

Ensures that students are at the heart of any decision-making process Improves the relevance, structure and delivery of WGU programmes and enhances the learning opportunities Staff and students work in partnership to create solutions, creating a community of learning and partnership working.

How can I get involved?

You can have your say via a range of feedback mechanisms at different levels throughout the University:

Module level ●

Student Evaluation of Module Survey (SEM) The SEM survey is the primary tool for providing honest and constructive feedback about the effectiveness of your teaching and learning experience at a module level. It is completed anonymously online early on and at the end of a module. Your module leader will discuss SEM feedback with you, your course rep will get a written summary of the programme team’s responses which they will share with you, and SEMS are also discussed at Student Voice Forums (SVFs) to ensure any actions required are closed down.

Programme level ● Course reps Ensures that every student is represented and/or has the opportunity to feedback at programme level. Course reps play a key role in gathering the views of students which can influence improvements at programme and University level and are supported by training by the Students’ Union.

Course reps are elected each year online by their peers.

They are responsible for consulting with you and getting your feedback, responding to online feedback and work in partnership with Programme Leaders (including the Academic Link for partner provision) to inform your cohort of SVF outcomes.

Programme level ● Student Voice Forums (SVFs) These are held at least twice a year and are an opportunity for you to give feedback to the programme team on your programme, your student experience and to help to inform positive change. The Students’ Union identify any actions that have not been closed down or any issues raised and report to relevant University Committees to action.

Programme level ● Online feedback platform This is run by the Students’ Union and captures student feedback on academic and operational issues and can be completed anonymously (unless you would like a direct response to your feedback). Course reps will discuss any academic related feedback at SVFs and any operational issues will be responded to by the relevant department.

To find out more about the Course Rep system, the online feedback platform or SVFS, you can get in touch with your Student Voice Coordinator, Katie Taffinder at Katie.Taffinder@glyndwr.ac.uk

Faculty level ● Faculty Representatives The Faculty Rep is an experienced Course Rep, elected by their peers. They sit on the Students’ Union Council and is the link between the Faculty and the Students’ Union. The Faculty Rep has the opportunity to liaise with Course Reps through various events / activities throughout the year and gather feedback, including from Tell Glyn data available to them from the Students’ Union. Faculty reps have an important role in gathering the views of the wider student population. The Faculty Rep represents students by reporting to the Faculty Board meetings.

University level ● Wrexham Glyndŵr Students’ Union (WGSU) The University works in partnership with WGSU to ensure there is effective student representation across WGU. There are a number of ways in which you can share feedback and shape the way in which your Students’ Union operates. Student Council is a WGSU Committee that sets Union policy and holds the sabbatical officers (President and Vice-President) to account. The membership consists of elected campaign officers, current students who undertake the role on a voluntary basis. They debate and vote on policy which shapes the work of the sabbatical officers for the academic year. This includes issues the sabbatical officers should be addressing with the University to improve the student experience. They also gather feedback through a variety of mechanisms that feed into University committees.

University level ● The Student Charter The Student Charter, developed jointly by WGU and WGSU, sets out what the University and students can expect from each other as partners in a learning community. The charter is reviewed every year and is available on the Student Portal.

University level ● Committee reps To ensure the student voice features at every level within the University decision-making process to embed the ethos of students as partners, WGU is committed to ensuring student representation in the membership of University committees and project/working groups. Students are represented via WGSU Sabbatical Officers and by Faculty and Course representatives.

University level ● Validation and review events Validation refers to the scrutiny process which all new programmes go through before being approved. This is important to ensure that the academic standards and quality of a new programme are suitable and that students will have the best possible opportunity to learn. Periodic review and re-validation refers to when existing courses are reviewed and re-designed. Student representation is sought for all such events. The Student Reviewer is a full member of the Panel and is supported by the Officer to the Panel and the Chairperson. If it is a periodic review and revalidation, a representative group of current students and recent graduates will meet with the Panel to give their feedback on the course, The Panel will ask questions for example about topics such as assessment and feedback.

University level ● Quality Enhancement Review (QER) The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) review the standards, quality, and course information published by all UK Universities. Every six years, a University will be reviewed by the QAA to ensure it meets the required expectations, as set out the UK Quality Code. QAA also reviews how well Universities embed initiatives to continually improve the student learning experience (enhancement). The views and interests of students are represented by the WGSU Representation and Democracy Co-ordinator. QER will offer many opportunities for student participation: WGSU will work with the University to identify a lead student representative who will develop a student submission to share students’ views and feedback. Students will be asked to meet with the QAA reviewers in person, to share their experience and views of being a student at WGU.

National level ● National Student Survey Eligible students can provide feedback via a number of nationally recognised, institution-wide surveys including the National Student Survey (NSS) which is for final year undergraduates. The NSS is independent of the University and answers remain anonymous. Participation in the survey is an opportunity for you to voice opinions about your course, including what you liked and what could be improved. All eligible students are encouraged to participate and share their honest opinion.

National level ● Graduate Outcomes Survey The University also engages with the Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks eligible students who have recently gained a qualification at WGU about the work and /or further study they are doing shortly after graduation. The information is useful to advise current students about the opportunities that might be available to them and to see trends in graduate employment.

The results of these surveys are used by the University to enhance the student learning experience by identifying great practice to share as well as areas for development.

What training and support is available? ● ● ● ●

Course rep training and handbook – by WGSU SVF Chair training – by the Student Administration team Programme validation panel training and guidance – by the Quality Team University committee reps– by WGSU and committee secretaries

Is there any recognition or reward for my engagement in QAE? There are a number of ways which you can be recognised for your contributions, such as completing an Advocacy module, receiving an Annual Students’ Union Award as well as reimbursement for taking part in University activities, e.g. attendance at Faculty Boards and validation events.

For further details of what’s contained in this guide, you can read the full Student Engagement in Quality Assurance and Enhancement Policy available on the Student Portal, at Student Administration, Policies and Procedures.