Assessment Changes 2024-25: Deadline Extension

Following requests from several faculty and department colleagues, we have agreed to extend the deadline for the return of changes to assessment methods to 31 January 2024. This is the deadline by which faculties need to have approved requests from departments – as such earlier local deadlines may be set.

There is clearly work happening across UCL to meaningfully review current assessment practices, with a view to improving the student experience of assessment, and to account for changes prompted by the rapid development of generative AI tools.

Process and Timelines

This year, the data collection will run in stages, enabling those that can meet the previously advertised November deadline to do so, while also facilitating this extension for the departments conducting significant reviews of their assessments.

Assessment Change Spreadsheets will be published on 11 October and will be closed on 30 November. Any changes returned will be made in Portico.

Updated Assessment Change Spreadsheets will then be published in early December and closed on 31 January 2024.

Assessment Changes and Programme Amendments

As in previous years, colleagues conducting significant changes to assessment will need to ensure that they are monitoring cumulative programme level changes.

Changes that significantly alter the overall balance of assessment methods on a programme – for example a wholesale move away from or back to examinations – are considered a programme amendment and are subject to the same level of communication with applicants, offer holders and current students that we would conduct for all other changes that impact on material programme information.

If you find yourself proposing changes that would meet this threshold, you should seek advice from your Student Records Manager on the best way to submit the changes.

You can find more information on programme amendments, their categories, and how we handle consultation in Chapter 7 of the Academic Manual.

Assessment Resources

There are several resources available to help you in reflecting on your current assessment methods, and considering how they can be adapted.

Generative AI Hub: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/teaching-learning/generative-ai-hub.

How to Review Assessments: FAQs: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/teaching-learning/how-review-assessment-faqs.

Assessment Load Model: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/teaching-learning/assessment-resources/ucl-assessment-load-model.

Designing Effective Online Assessment: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/teaching-learning/assessment-resources/designing-effective-online-assessment.

Contact details for further information: lifecycle@ucl.ac.uk