ASC had asked for a further update from Estates & Buildings on the issues regarding timetabling and the refurbishment of teaching accommodation. No further update had been received but ASC noted that the report from EdPSC (ASC/2017/27.3 below) referred to the new Working Group on Teaching Space Refurbishment which would provide oversight of, and give direction to, the refurbishment of teaching spaces. The EdPSC report also noted that major work on timetabling was underway, with expertise on space optimisation being bought in. 

The implications of offering additional time in all short examinations was under consideration

with the Deans of Learning & Teaching and a further report would be submitted to ASC in due course.

ASC received a report from the December 2017 meeting of EdPSC at which ASC's comments on the Annual Monitoring Summaries had been considered. The report included brief updates on a number of the major themes identified including teaching spaces, student mental health, staffing, Evasys, and improving access to portfolio work for graduating students.

EdPSC had also discussed the Annual Monitoring Process more generally, noting the importance of highlighting good practice and enhancements as well as issues of concern. Senate Office was conducting a review of the Process, researching practice at other institutions and exploring with College Quality Officers practice at School level. It was anticipated that proposals would come to the May 2018 meeting of ASC for amendments to the Process to be implemented for the 2017-18 reporting cycle.

The report from EdPSC (ASC/2017/27.3) indicated that the Digital Learning Strategy would be incorporated into the University's main Learning & Teaching Strategy, and EdPSC had endorsed ASC's view that anticipated timescales for the various actions were required. 

At its meeting in November 2017 ASC had noted the update report from SRUC, and had requested a further update on four outstanding Recommendations. SRUC had queried this and it was subsequently agreed that as all the Conditions had now been satisfied, progress with the outstanding Recommendations would instead be monitored by the Academic Collaborations Office through routine reporting arrangements. 

Dr Casey introduced the report for the College of Science & Engineering. She noted that the College Learning & Teaching Committee had discussed how best to identify over-arching themes. The School Quality Officers were not always closely involved in PG activity so although PG Conveners were undoubtedly engaged in quality issues, there was a risk that this was not being picked up fully through the reporting process. It was suggested that there might be benefits to undertaking monitoring for undergraduate and postgraduate activity at the same time, reporting just once each year to ASC, meaning that the identification of issues common to both would be easier. Although PGT programmes ran through the summer, it was noted that the formal teaching in the main was complete by the end of semester 2. ASC agreed that these comments should be fed into the on-going review of the Annual Monitoring Review Process with a strong recommendation that UG and PG monitoring should be undertaken at the same time, with one combined reporting point at the November meeting of ASC.

Action: Clerk

Dr Dick introduced the report for the College, noting a very wide range both of good practice and of areas requiring attention. She highlighted a number of particular issues: classification of PGT awards (though this was currently under review by Academic Regulations Sub-Committee); requirements associated with on-line delivery of masters programmes; recruitment and admissions; timetabling and teaching accommodation. In addition, clarification was being sought concerning the 15 working-day turnaround period for marking and how this should be applied in relation to University closure periods and staff annual leave. ASC's view was that guidance was needed on this issue, to clarify requirements in relation to coursework and exams completed at the various different points in the academic session. It was noted that comments being recorded in relation to MyCampus were lacking in detail and users should be encouraged to contact SLSD direct with queries. Some concerns had also been recorded in relation to student placements (e.g. insurance) and the Convener asked members to consider whether there was evidence of similar concerns anywhere else. 

No report had yet been received from MVLS. 

The College Quality Officer was not in attendance. ASC noted that concerns had been recorded in more than one College report about students having language difficulties and this being noted in relation to the setting of appropriate assessment. It was important that all students were treated in the same way, so that any adjustment in assessment should be applied to all. In addition there were similar issues being raised as in other Colleges concerning teaching accommodation and room bookings, and recruitment and admissions. 

The overview report noted that the PG Annual Monitoring summaries contained many of the themes reported through the Undergraduate summaries (teaching spaces, student mental health, staffing, Evasys, MyCampus and Moodle).

Noting the discussion that had taken place at EdPSC regarding poor EvaSys return rates ASC suggested that it would be timely to re-circulate to staff the guidance on the flexibility built in to the Course Evaluation Policy.

Action: Senate Office

In addition, the overview identified the following themes in the Postgraduate Reports:

• Assessment and Feedback - application of the 15 working-day turnaround period for marking
• Student writing support - possible disadvantaging of part-time students through writing support only being offered during the week
• Provision and infrastructure for on-line Masters programmes
• Recruitment and marketing
• IT and Library facilities - concerns regarding the facilities at the Dumfries Campus were highlighted
• The need for greater funding for PGT bursaries.

ASC agreed that one additional item that should be added to the list was the concerns recorded in relation to Language skills in the completion of assessment.

ASC concluded that the above-noted issues required University-level attention. They would therefore be forwarded to the relevant areas for action and would be highlighted to EdPSC as key areas of concern arising across different areas of the University.

Action: Senate Office

ASC/2017/30.1.1 Academic Development Unit

ASC received an updated response to Recommendation 4 arising from the Review of the Academic Development Unit (now LEADS) held on 7 December 2015. ASC had queried the statement in a previous response which indicated that there was a University 80% attendance requirement. The updated response clarified that 80% was a local requirement, as permitted by the Code of Assessment. ASC was satisfied that the response indicated a degree of flexibility in the delivery of teaching which meant that the requirement was practicable. 

ASC/2017/30.1.2 English Literature

The Convener noted that a statement was still awaited from the Director of Human Resources concerning the apparent contradiction between two published statements concerning the requirements for promotion of academic staff. The Convener agreed to pursue this.

Action: Convener 

ASC/2017/30.1.3 Mathematics & Statistics

The Convener reported that feedback received from the College of Science & Engineering indicated that the protocol facilitating transfer of students between Colleges where they had initially enrolled on the 'wrong' degree programme had been working well. No further reporting on this was required. 

Professor Anna Bogomolnaia and Professor John Tsoukalas presented a proposal to introduce a one-year MSc Quantitative Economics with a 40 credit project in place of the standard 60 credit dissertation.

Currently a two-year MRes Economics was offered by the Adam Smith Business School (ASBS). An exit route had been approved by which students who had completed year 1 could leave with a Masters award despite not having completed a 60 credit dissertation. At the time of approval it was envisaged that the number of students exiting would be small. The two-year programme was targeted at well qualified students who were expected to progress to a PhD. The ASBS now wished to introduce the one-year programme as a stand-alone degree, retaining the 40 credit dissertation alongside 140 credits of taught courses. The programme included extensive training in qualitative research methods (Mathematics, Statistics, and Econometrics), as well as rigorous mathematical treatment of the core areas of Economics (Micro- and Macro-economics). The project was intended to be significantly more challenging technically than a usual MSc dissertation. However, it too was essentially a quantitative, if individual piece of work, based on an exploration of a selected econometric approach. The design team, students and external examiners, given the significant guidance and support provided and the prior exposure to a rigorous research methods course, considered that a credit weighting of 40 credits was appropriate. Interest had been expressed from the private/public sector for advanced exposure to highly technical and quantitative training, for example, for employees, or prospective employees of, finance services companies, economic consultancy firms and insurance companies, as well as those working within governmental agencies. By reconfiguring the degree and offering the one-year programme, it was hoped that this wider market might also be attracted to the programme.

ASC noted that it was currently a University requirement for Masters programmes to have a 60 credit dissertation and members were not satisfied that there were grounds for departing from that principle in this case. The current 40-credit dissertation was described as being particularly challenging technically, and members felt that this suggested it might be straightforward to amend the task so that its weighting could justifiably be increased to 60 credits. Economics considered that the 140 credits of taught courses, as currently configured, represented strong training in the relevant areas and should be retained in its entirety. ASC confirmed that if there was justification for retaining the full taught content then the programme could be proposed with 200 credits in total. This would not increase the fee payable by students.

ASC received a report from the Adam Smith Business School concerning its current review of the MBA. The ASBS had asked for feedback on what was permitted under the term 'dissertation'. In other institutions MBA students might undertake a company project, business case study or similar. A range of such options was under consideration to make the MBA more attractive to the market, but these needed to be consistent with University regulations.

The report explained that the purpose of the proposed changes to the dissertation course was to enhance the students' experience, in terms of assuring their learning experience and developing skills expected from an MBA graduate. The MBA, in addition to being a PGT programme, was characterised by its practical orientation on how courses linked theoretical frameworks and day-to-day practice. Consequently, the ASBS's view was that a capstone closing learning experience, such as the dissertation, should be one that helped individuals realise how the programme had equipped them in accomplishing their professional and personal goals. It was noted that within the UK other MBA programmes used terms such as Business Project, Strategic Business Project, MBA Capstone Project.

The ASBS was proposing the following Short Description of the Dissertation (Project) Course: 'As a capstone course, it will show how a student integrates material covered in core and elective courses, and conducts an in-depth investigation of an issue that is applicable and relevant to business and/or management, theoretically underpinned and using appropriate methods to show rigour in its approach and development.'

ASC was satisfied that the proposal was consistent with the requirement for a 'dissertation or other substantial independent work' set out in the PGT regulations. It was agreed that ARSC should be asked to reflect on whether further guidance could be published on the features required in a 'substantial independent work' in order to ensure appropriate academic rigour.

Action: Clerk

ASC received a major programme amendment proposal for the MLitt Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art) programme, run jointly between The Glasgow School of Art and the University. The principal drivers were taken from student feedback and the need within the programme for a better balance between theory and practice.

ASC agreed to approve the proposed major programme amendment, for implementation in 2018-19.

ASC had approved the validation of the BDes (Hons) Sound for the Moving Image and BSc (Hons) Immersive Systems Design at its meeting on 27 January 2017. ASC noted the report on progress made by the Programme Team in addressing the Recommendations made.  

At its November 2017 meeting ASC had agreed to validate the MEd Learning, Teaching & Supervisory Practice in the Creative Disciplines. ASC had requested clarification regarding the scope of the Dissertation Preparation course and the Research Methods course. The clarification provided was noted. Members highlighted the importance of advising students of the potential for auto plagiarism where there was overlap between what was submitted for the Dissertation Preparation course and the Dissertation itself.