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The Student Priorities Action Tracker helps monitor progress towards goals agreed between UCL students and staff.
The following areas have been identified as priorities for students through Staff-Student Consultative Committees (SSCC) minutes, student experience survey results and discussions with Sabbatical Officers and Student Reps. These priorities are set at the start of the year and then discussed at the Student Experience Committee (similar to an UCL-wide 'SSCC'). You can review the latest updates on each theme and see what the next steps are for further progress.
Note that this is a condensed version of the full Student Priorities Action Tracker which is reviewed by the Student Experience Committee (StEC) on a termly basis. You can find out more detail about student priorities on the Students' Union UCL website.
- Student spaces
Overview Source Latest update Next steps Aligning space on campus with the needs of UCL students. This includes learning spaces, social spaces and provision for faiths. Based on trends in SSCC meetings and Sabbatical Officer priority StEC members discussed this at the December StEC and agreed that Estates and local departments would assess whether space can be repurposed for independent study or faith provision.
The South Quad Pop Up building was now booked out for Friday prayers.
Estates had prepared a paper for the Central Estates Strategy Board meeting on 9th February requesting funding to ascertain faith facility demand at UCL. This will help to develop a strategy and identify suitable spaces.
Space for Friday prayers will be reserved from the outset when timetabling in future and Estates will work with the SU to agree space beforehand.
Estates are currently considering the use of rooms and offices in the Institute of Education (IOE), the Cruciform Building and Queens Square to be used to local prayer rooms as a short term intervention.
- Assessment Practices
Overview Source Latest update Next steps Tackling clustering of assessments and improving assessment practices. Sabbatical Officer priority and Student Priorities for Education 2021 report AssessmentUCL online platform was rolled out and now there is ongoing development of the platform based on feedback from staff and students, including new communications, resources and technicial developments.
Arena Centre has launched Assessment planning sessions for staff.
Tools are being trialled e.g. Chart tool, for staff to map assessments and reduce clustering.
Assessment is a theme for UCL ChangeMakers projects this year.
A new Learning Lab model is being proposed where students and staff can co-create future assessments.
Longer term, the projects in the Education paper aim to tackle issues such as clustering through developing a new Teaching and Assessment framework and changing the structure of programmes and the academic year.
- Teaching Delivery and Content
Overview Source Latest update Next steps Understanding students' requirements and preferences for delivery of teaching, building on observations and feedback during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sabbatical Officer priority and Student Rep feedback Students' Union UCL has polled students on their feedback and preferences.
UCL continues to gather feedback from blended learning in the 2021-22 academic year and will run focus groups to explore further.
A new Teaching and Assessment Operating Model has been agreed for 2022-23 which has been developed to support students’ health and wellbeing, and design teaching and assessment to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. Making the curriculum more inclusive Sabbatical Officer priority and Student Priorities for Education 2021 report Inclusive Curriculum Health Check available online.
The UCL Student Curriculum Partners scheme was expanded in 2020-21.
- Student Accommodation and Student Living
Overview Source Latest update Next steps Improving the experience of Student Accommodation and life for UCL students in London.
Also planning expansion of Sports and Activities Facilities.
Sabbatical Officer priority Students' Union have had initial discussions with Accommodation team on challenges faced by some students in private accommodation.
Report received from consultants on sporting facilities.
Student Living Survey being launched by Students' Union around Easter 2022 to further explore accommodation experiences.
Sports facilities in consideration for UCL East.
- Improving student wellbeing and overcoming feelings of isolation
Overview Source Latest update Next steps Feedback from students asked for better provision of wellbeing support.
Some students in specific groups e.g. commuter and part-time students felt little sense of community at UCL.
Student Priorities for Wellbeing Report 2020-21 and Sabbatical Officer priority UCL has now submitted their Mental Health Charter Submission, intended to help make mental health a university-wide priority. The SSW strategy is also underway, which brings enhanced support through initiatives such as the new Student Advisor roles.
A discussion at the February StEC led to suggestions around offering more bespoke and individualised support to ensure staff were able to deliver wellbeing support, increasing student awareness of the UCL support available and also external support e.g. through the NHS. There was also a discussion on whether the Student Advisors (SA) scheme could be rolled out further i.e. extend to PG. The SSW Team will consider the discussion and report back at the May StEC meeting. Students with disabilities should be able to access sports and recreation activities. Priority for Equity Officer and Students' Union policy zone. A £10,000 fund was introduced by the Students' Union to support students with disabilities' access to sports. A new Disabled Equity Implementation Group has been convened.