Academic Manual and Core Programme Information (CPI) 2025-26

The new Academic Manual is now available.

The Academic Manual  has now been published for 2025-26 academic year, including Core Programme Information. The manual includes the academic regulations, policies and procedures applicable to all UCL taught students who are enrolled on the 25-26 academic session.

All regulations relating to research degree students are now published on the Doctoral School website: Regulations | UCL Doctoral School - UCL – University College London

Changes to the Academic Manual for 25-26, approved by Education Committee, are published on the Recent Changes page.  Future requests for minor changes to the Academic Manual can be submitted via this webform https://forms.office.com/e/uGeqzhUM6u

The changes to the Academic Manual for 25-26 include the following updates for Chapter 4 and Chapter 9 which may be of interest to Faculty Education Teams:

Chapter 4 – Assessment Framework

Removal of student access to the Portico Progression and Award Rule Tool and implications

Student access to the Portico Progression and Award Rule Tool was exceptionally provided during Covid 19 period. From 25-26 onwards this access is no longer possible. As a result, progression and award rules must be published in the Student Handbooks and Programme Handbooks provided by Departments. This requirement is set out in the Core Programme Information 25-26 guidance and in Chapter 4A and is repeated here for clarity and reinforcement.

Board of Examiners Terms of Reference changes

To support the implementation of agreed recommendations from the Exam Board Review, a community conversation has taken place over the summer on the Board of Examiners Terms of Reference. Chapter 4C of the Academic Manual has been amended to reflect the following areas of change, and additional guidance on implementing the revised Terms is also included:

• Board of Examiners are expected to meet three times in the year (at the start of the cycle, the midpoint and the end of the cycle). Boards are free to determine the scope of work undertaken at each meeting, providing the Terms of Reference are fulfilled across the academic year. Guidance on the topics that could be covered at specific meetings is provided.
• Only the third, final meeting of the year needs to be a Full Board of Examiners meeting with all attendees including the External Examiner(s). The remaining meetings may be classified as Sub-Boards without delegated authority for decision making, to undertake operational activities. Clarity is provided on the core membership numbers.
• The Terms of Reference require Boards of Examiners to monitor student progression, award, and classification outcomes on each programme (the B3 conditions) and any differential outcomes for groups of students

Boards of Examiners are reminded of the need to move away from discussing progression, award and academic outcomes for individual students, and depend on the agreed algorithms for producing award decisions.

Chapter 9 – Quality Review Framework

Enhanced approach to monitoring Faculty Education Plans (FEPs)

The Academic Manual has been updated to reflect additional arrangements for the monitoring of FEPs to provide a rigorous governance approach. This now consists of:

• During Term 1, current arrangements for Faculty Education Plans (FEPs) remain - plans are submitted for review by University Management Committee and then submitted to the first meeting of Quality and Standards Committee for approval.  The Faculty Education Committee will keep the FEP as a standing item on each agenda through the year for the purposes of ongoing monitoring and review.
• During Term 2, a new requirement has been introduced whereby any FEPs with remaining amber and/or red risks will present their plan to Education Committee for assurance that actions will address identified concerns.
• During Term 3, in addition to current requirements for the Dean to report to Quality and Standards Committee in Term 3 with a self-evaluation and final copy of the FEP, the Dean will also be responsible for reporting the successful conclusion of the FEP, or report on any remaining amber or red risks, to UMC.

The monitoring of Department Education Plans (DEPs) will continue in the same way as previous years, but the Academic Manual has been updated to provide increased clarity on requirements for those departments that have recently been through an Internal Quality Review (IQR).

New approach to monitoring PSRBs

A new governance and management framework for PSRBs has been introduced for 2025-26.

The new framework identifies postholders, and/or their nominated governance body, who have identified responsibilities for the governance and management of activities associated with PSRBS and for reporting any concerns to the appropriate authority. These responsibilities sit with the Head of Department, the Department Education Committee, the Dean of Faculty, Faculty Education Committee, the Vice Provost Education and Student Experience and Education Committee and its nominee CAPC.