Student Partnership Agreements

Mike WilliamsonDevelopment Advisor

sparqs

Student Participation in Quality Scotland Funded by the Scottish Funding Council since 2003 to

support students and institutions with:

→ Supporting students to engage in enhancing their education.→ Supporting institutions and students’ association to have

effective student engagement mechanisms and practices. → Supporting student engagement in national policy.→ Supporting the development of a culture of student

engagement across Scotland

Background

Scottish Government put out a paper called Putting Learners at the Centre.

This paper mentioned the creation of Student Partnership Agreements, but didn’t really say what they are.

Since then, sparqs agreed to take on this work, with the agreement of the SFC’s Quality Working Groups, reporting to Scottish Government periodically.

Carrying out the work

For universities – a working group of representatives from interested institutions: RGU, UHI, Strathclyde, Aberdeen, Abertay, OU, NUS, HEA, QAA, Universities Scotland.

For colleges – A pilot through the new Edinburgh College.

Joint guidance report to be published before the end of this academic year.

A quality enhancement model

A list of consumer rights and responsibilities. For example:

HEFCE have been promoting this model in England.

Students will:

•Turn up to class and pay attention•Complete assignments on time and thoroughly•Seek help when they need it•Take part in extracurricular activity

Staff will:

•Provide high quality learning opportunities•Return feedback within 3 weeks•Treat students with respect and dignity

New Quality Code!Chapter B5

Indicator 1: define and promote the range of opportunities for students to engage in quality.

Indicator 7: monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of student engagement at least annually.

Purpose and ethos?

How do we make sure that the SPA is actually engaged with?

Who is the agreement between?

What do we mean when we use the term ‘institution’?

Who is the target audience?

Charters that look like contracts

Fitting into the wider quality framework

Partnership Agreements

2 sections:

First section describes the different ways students and the university interact – to show students how they can work with staff to change things if they want to.

Second section shows what the Students Association and the University are going to work on together over the next year.

Signed off jointly by principal and SA president

What might SPA’s be used for?

Mapping student engagement within an institution Promoting engagement opportunities to students and

communicating information about enhancement activity Promoting the culture of student engagement

Seeing, at a glance, the priorities of institutions and SA’s regarding the student experience across Scotland

Comparing student engagement practices between institutions

Questions for you:

How does your institution articulate the role of students? Do you have a charter or a similar document?

What is your experience of documents such as these?

What is your definition of ‘partnership?’ What does it mean practically within your institution?

How do you ‘close the feedback loop’ and inform students about enhancement activity?

Thanks for taking part!

Please take a copy of the guidance for developing implementing Student Partnership Agreements:

Lots of useful exercises and activities, even if you don’t plan to develop an SPA.

If you do use it, please let us know!

Mike.Williamson@sparqs.ac.uk