New Assessment Framework ensures fairness and upholds standards

To ensure fairness and maintain academic standards, there is now a single set of regulations for all UCL taught programmes from 2018-19 onwards. 

UCL’s new Assessment Framework has been developed through a two-year review of our academic regulations, involving wide consultation with staff and students. 

The assessment framework has been developed using a set of overarching principles, including:

• assessment is integral to learning and teaching and must develop students’ knowledge and understanding as well as measuring attainment; 
• assessment should align with the objectives of the Connected Curriculum and ensure that all UCL students are able to learn through participating in research and enquiry at all levels of their programme.

The framework, which is valid for 2018-19 onwards, introduces:

• standardised calculations, a more consistent approach to the formulae used to combine marks; 
• a single set of regulations for all programmes governing undergraduate progression and award requirements, including condonement at the first attempt; 
• new algorithms for undergraduate classification;
• multiple improvements to the regulations for taught postgraduate and graduate programmes, in response to student and staff consultation; 
• removal of derogations, although some approved variations will be allowed within defined parameters.

The majority of changes will apply to all taught students who are fully enrolled on the 2018-19 academic session, with the exception of undergraduate classification, where the changes will be phased in.  

The new framework supports the Programme Summaries data collection which is taking place as part of the Academic Model Project.  The new Programme Summaries will provide the single, definitive description of programmes and their requirements, and will replace programme specifications, programme schemes of award, and programme diets from 2018/19.  The institutional deadline for this data collection exercise is 23 March 2018 and the data provided will be used by the Academic Model Project to improve the quality and structure of the curriculum data held in Portico.

Professor Norbert Pachler, who led the review by the Academic Regulations and Quality Assurance Sub Committee (ARQASC), said:

"The new Assessment Framework for taught programmes addresses high degrees of variability across faculties, departments and programmes.The new regulations are the result of intensive, thorough and complex work by colleagues in Academic Services. They establish a more transparent approach that will ensure consistency and fairness for all students and better align UCL with the rest of the UK HE sector."