CALL FOR STUDENT FEEDBACK FROM COMMON AWARDS– by 2nd May 2023
We would like to provide Common Awards students at all TEIs with the opportunity to provide feedback to the Management Board.
Students should provide any feedback that they have to the elected Student Representatives for the Management Board by 2nd May 2023:
- Tim Fairhead (Cambridge Theological Foundation): timothy.fairhead@student.theofed.cam.ac.uk
- Alexander Muir (St Augustine's College): alexander.staugustines@outlook.com
- Miranda Okon (Yorkshire Theological Education Partnership): mirandaokon@hotmail.com
The Student Representatives will collate this feedback and submit it to the Common Awards Team in advance of the next meeting of the Management Board. We will then pass this feedback on to the Chair of the Management Board for consideration.
Common Awards Management Board
The Common Awards Management Board is a committee with responsibility for and oversight of the quality and standards of the overarching Common Awards partnerships and programmes. The membership of the Management Board is constituted by representatives from Durham University, the Archbishop’s Council, staff at TEIs and students from TEIs.
Each TEI has a TEI Management Committee which reports to the overarching Common Awards Management Board for consideration of issues relating to programme delivery at their institution.
Role of the student representative to the Management Board
The role of the student representatives to the Management Board is as follows:
- To be present at the relevant meeting(s) of the Common Awards Management Board that they have agreed to attend;
- to gather and collate feedback from students at TEIs, and submit items of student feedback to the Chair of the Management Board;
- to provide an update at the meeting on any feedback they have received from students at TEIs;
- to report back to students on matters raised and discussed at the Common Awards Management Board.
How does the Common Awards framework shape your programme?
It is sometimes difficult for students to know which aspects of their programme depend on Durham, and which depending on their local institution, and so difficult to know how to direct feedback. The Common Awards team has recently developed some new guidance for students around how the Common Awards framework is designed to be responsive to student feedback, which should help you to know where responsibility falls.
Examples of the types of student feedback that it would be appropriate to be raised at the level of the Management Board:
· Student views on the content and design of the overarching Common Awards programmes and modules and the methods of teaching and assessment
o For example: do students feel there is a sufficient range and depth of modules available? Are the assessment methods balanced and appropriate and is it clear what is expected of students for each assessment type? Do students feel the programmes allow them to develop the necessary skills and subject knowledge?
· Student views on Common Awards policies and processes that they have experience of (for example, admissions, APL, concessions, academic complaints)
o For example: are these processes clear and unambiguous to follow? Is sufficient information provided?
· Student views on the operation of the Common Awards Scheme more broadly
o For example: what things do students feel are going well and are there any areas that could be improved? Are there any areas of good practice that they wish to highlight?
We wouldn’t expect to take student feedback to the overarching Management Board regarding TEI-specific issues, such as issues relating to the resources, staffing or programme delivery at any individual TEI. These types of issues should be considered at TEI Management Committees.
With best wishes
The Common Awards Team