UCL participates in HEAR pilot project

Link:

universitiesuk.ac.uk/Newsroom/Media-Releases/Pages/HEARtrial.aspx" target="_self">Universities UK press release

Universities UK announced last week that 18 higher education institutions are taking part in a pilot taking a new approach to representing students' achievements at the end of their studies.

UCL is one of the institutions taking part in this activity, considering the HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report), as recommended by the Measuring and Recording Student Achievement Working Group, commonly known as the Burgess Group.

Michael Worton, Vice-Provost (Academic & International), welcomes UCL's involvement at the outset of this initiative. "An enhanced transcript that allows us to demonstrate in a global marketplace the wide range of skills that our students gain and the academically led extracurricular activities in which they participate will be a powerful tool to supplement the degree awards they achieve," says Professor Worton.

The subject areas chosen by UCL from those offered in the pilot are English and Biology. David Ashton, Director of Student Administration in the Registry, is taking this forward at UCL.

He will be working with students, the departments, UCL Registry colleagues and potential employers to consider the best way to record these skills by means of focus groups and meetings, considering how best to use PORTICO, the student record system, in order to achieve this.

The initial aim is to create a mock up of what the HEAR might look like and to ensure that it is helpful, practical and useful to students, institutions and employers alike. In January 2009, UCL will look at the results along with the other 17 higher educational establishments, and strive to solve any issues that arise as a result of the development.

To read the Universities UK press release on HEAR, use the link at the top of the article.