STUDENT CHARTER GROUP Final Report JANUARY 2011 Contents 1. Introduction and context .................................................................................................................... 3 Group outputs 2. Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................................................. 6 3. Toolkit for Higher Education Institutions and Students' Unions .................................................... 8 a. Principles for the development, design and use of Student Charters ............................................ 8 b. Topics and issues which Student Charters might cover ............................................................... 9 c. Outline Student Charter - draft example ................................................................................... 10 Summary of the Group’s work 4. Terms of reference and membership ............................................................................................. 12 a. Terms of reference ................................................................................................................. 12 b. Membership ......................................................................................................................... 13 5. Evidence review — current practice, impact and lessons ............................................................ 14 6. Conclusions from analysis of current practice .............................................................................. 26 7. Stakeholder consultation and workshop ........................................................................................ 27 8. Legal issues and regulatory framework ......................................................................................... 30 Annexes a. HEI questionnaire b. Follow up phone interviews c. Students’ Union interviews d. Charters used for document analysis e. List of HEIs who responded to the survey 2 1. Introduction and context Student Charter Group 1.1 The Student Charter Group was established as a small ‘task and finish’ working group, bringing together higher education institution (HEI) representatives and student representatives – to explore current best practice in the use of Student Charters and other student agreements. The Group was asked to report by the end of January 2011 to the Minister of State for Universities and Science, the Rt. Hon. David Willetts MP. 1.2 The Group met four times between July 2010 and January 2011, under the joint chairs, Janet Beer (Vice Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University) and Aaron Porter (President, National Union of Students). Section 4 of this report contains the Group’s Terms of Reference and Membership. Purpose of the Report 1.3 This report was sent on 31 January to David Willetts, to inform the Government’s future strategy for higher education and the planned Higher Education White Paper. 1.4 The report is deliberately concise and focuses on practical principles and recommendations – which we hope that HEIs and Students’ Unions (SUs) can use in jointly reviewing, or in some cases developing, a Student Charter for their institution. (See the Toolkit at section 3). Context – Student Information 1.5 Improving the accessibility and transparency of information for higher education students is a topic of great interest and importance for the sector. The Coalition Government has made specific commitments to help improve the information available to prospective students, so that they can make well informed choices when applying to higher education. 1.6 Although information can be used for several purposes, it is helpful to think about the information, advice and guidance which a student needs at distinct stages of their journey: • Advice and guidance on whether higher education is a suitable option, for example through advisers in schools, FE colleges, or the new Next Steps service; • Comparable information on HE courses and the institutions themselves, to help applicants make the best choices – this is the main focus of the proposed Key Information Set (see Public information about higher education: Consultation on changes to information published by institutions www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2010/choices.htm ); • Information for students when they are starting a course – and during the course – so they know what they can expect and what is expected of them. This is the main focus of Student Charters and hence the work of this group; 3 • Information, advice and guidance for students to help them move on from higher education to employment, internships, further learning or professional development. Changing landscape 1.7 The Group is very aware that major changes to the higher education funding system and its regulatory framework have the potential to alter the relationship between universities and students. There will be increased pressure for HEIs to be clear about what they provide and how the experience at their particular institution differs from other universities. 1.8 It is very likely that transparency of information for students, and the contribution of Student Charters will come under greater scrutiny. 1.9 However, the Group’s work – and this report – focuses on the current situation. Our survey of the sector was completed before the Browne Report was published. We have not attempted to ‘second guess’ how charters may develop when the funding changes begin to take effect, nor the particular form which they will take. 1.10 Nevertheless, we believe that the principles which we have identified for successfully utilising Student Charters will provide a sound foundation for their future development, particularly if our recommendations for annual review are followed. 1.11 Furthermore, we believe that the time is right for all HEIs and Students’ Unions to review the top level information and commitments which they provide to students – as detailed in Student Charters and similar agreements. By investing time now, they will help current students to make the most of their time in higher education and also begin to establish mechanisms for updating and refreshing their charters on a regular basis. We expect the matter of Student Charters to be revisited in the next three to four years, as a result of the introduction of new financial and structural arrangements from 2012 to 2015. Benefits of Charters 1.12 In short, we consider that, if charters are: kept up to date through regular review, jointly owned by the HEI and the SU, written concisely with clear links to detailed information, and clearly communicated to all staff and all students, then they can be: important communication tools for HEIs to establish clear mutual expectations, and help monitor the student experience and how relationships are working. 1.13 Charters will do this by acting as a ‘front page’, or the top of a pyramid, of the information which a HEI makes available to its students. They cannot provide a detailed description of how each individual student will learn, but should provide clear pointers to the information which is available, e.g. in programme handbooks and specifications. Approach of the Group 1.14 Our research has confirmed that many HEIs already have charters or other agreements in place, which have been refined over a number of years. We have also found that that no ‘one size fits all’ and it would not be appropriate to impose a single, prescribed charter. 4 1.15 Our approach has been to identify the key principles which can be applied in institutions across the sector and which HE staff and student representatives can use to review their charters. We hope that the Toolkit in Section 3 will help them to do so. 5 GROUP OUTPUTS 2. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 Having explored how charters (and other agreements) are being used in English HEIs, and having consulted sector representatives, the Student Charter Group agreed the following conclusions and recommendations. 2.2 As stated elsewhere, the Group believes that its recommendations can help HEIs and SUs to develop new or review existing current charters and agreements. We recognise that the new funding system will greatly influence the nature of the relationship between HEIs and students. However, we judge that the following recommendations and principles in Section 3 will provide a good foundation for the future review and development of charters. 2.3 These conclusions and recommendations should be read in conjunction with: • the principles for developing, designing and using Student Charters (see Section 3a); • the topics and issues to include in Student Charters (see Section 3b); and • the draft example of an outline Student Charter (Section 3c). Should each HEI publish a Student Charter? 1. Yes, we recommend that each HEI should have a Student Charter – or similar high level statement – to set out the mutual expectations of universities and students. 2. We have found that there are clear benefits in providing short, clear statements - of student rights and responsibilities –so students know broadly what they should be able to expect, what is required of them, and what to do if things do not meet expected standards. The Key Benefits are in providing: a. Clarity and consistency throughout the institution - across all subject areas; b. A single overview document which clearly signposts additional information; c. A focus for regular engagement and review with student representatives – to consider alongside other feedback from students and internal quality assurance and management information. 6 What form