Consultation

Areas of interest:

• Programmes that include a period of study abroad (and student mobility), and whether modules are open to incoming exchange students. 
• Programmes aiming to recruit internationally.

Where Birmingham Global can offer support:

• Sourcing new partnerships and collaborations with institutions suggested by the School.  
• Managing study abroad and exchange programmes. 
• Advising on synergies with existing partners.
• International recruitment and what Schools should consider when recruiting internationally.

Contact and further information:

• Birmingham Global.

Areas of interest: 

• All new programmes (less so Apprenticeships and commissioned programmes).

Where Careers Network can offer support:

• Helping to build employability opportunities into curriculum design.
• Offering support on ways that contextualised employability and enterprise can complement your programme.
• Ideas for ‘authentic assessment’ and examples of how these approaches have been implemented at the University of Birmingham and elsewhere.
• Helping programme proposers understand what the labour market looks like for the proposed degree. 
• Providing guidance on embedding the Graduate Attributes in the curriculum. 

Contact and further information:

• Careers Network (UoB Staff).

Note that consultation with Collaborative Provision is mandatory for any programmes with collaborative elements. 

Where Collaborative Provision can offer support:

• Supporting and advising on higher education arrangements with other institutions and organisations, in the UK and internationally.
• Working in conjunction with University staff, including colleagues in Legal Services, to assist in the development, management, and review of collaborative provision arrangements. 

Contact and further information:  

• Collaborative Provision.
• See further information on creating a new collaborative programme on the proposing a new programme page.

Areas of interest:

• New distance learning or blended programmes at all levels (Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Continuing Professional Development, including Massive Open Online Courses).
• The distance learning strategy and portfolio. 

Where Educational Enterprise can offer support:

• Supporting the development of new online and blended learning programmes, including business case development where appropriate. 
• Advising in best practice in online programme design and promoting Technology Enhanced Learning.
• Advising and supporting in choosing a delivery partner.
• Facilitating cross-College proposals and development opportunities.

Contact and further information:

• Educational Enterprise.

Areas of interest:

• All new programmes.
• Programme withdrawals and modifications, especially where current and/or prospective students may be affected. 

Where Marketing/Admissions can offer support: 

• Writing market reports (Marketing).
• Contacting prospective students who may be affected by changes to programmes/modules, advising on when Legal Services need to be contacted, and providing general guidance.
• Leading on the external marketing of programmes to students, including through Open Days, Offer-holder Visit Days, and digital and printed materials.
• Addressing any queries around student admissions and admissions processes.

Contact and further information:

• Admissions Manager for your College. 
• Head of Marketing and Communications. 

Note that consultation with the College Accountant is mandatory for most programme and module paperwork (especially new programmes and modules). 

Where Finance can offer support:

• Elements of the finance of programmes and modules, including costs and resources for running programmes/modules, fees, and programme-related income etc.

Contact and further information:

• College Accountants.

Areas of interest: 

• Technology Enhanced Learning. 

Where HEFi can offer support:

• The use of digital technologies to enhance the student learning experience

Contact and further information:

• Each of the Colleges have their own teaching and learning support. Find out more about the College Digital Education Contacts here.
• Find out more about the Digital Education Team and the support they can offer (including assessment and feedback, and digital tools such as Canvas and Panopto).

Areas of interest: 

• Programme and module design.

Where Educational Development can offer support:

• Assessment design, learning outcomes, aligning learning outcomes to assessment, level of modules, and other areas of curriculum design. 

Contact and further information:

• Find out more about Educational Development and the support they can offer (including Micro CPDs, funding, and accredited courses). 

Areas of interest:

• Programmes that can recruit international students. 
• Programmes with an agreement with an international partnership institution (e.g. 2+2 courses). 

Where IST can offer support:

• Advising on the creation of any of the above types of programmes. 
• Recruiting and teaching Tier IV students.
• Elements of programme design that may have implications for visas (e.g. irregular programme lengths). 

Contact and further information:

• International Student Team.

Areas of interest:

• All programmes, particularly those with high projected student numbers.
• Distance learning and transnational education.
• New modules (note that a Resource List should be created for new modules as soon as possible, and at least 2 months prior to the module running).
• Programmes and modules to be withdrawn, particularly where this means specialist resources will no longer be required.

Where Library Services can offer support:

• Providing support with academic and digital skills, including offering embedded academic skills training. 
• Ensuring there are sufficient library resources for students; resources that students may require include physical copies of textbooks, scanned copies of books for online learning, eBook licenses (including for learners in other countries), and subscription material.
• Note that many of the above resources have associated costs; Library Services needs to be informed as soon as possible if additional resources will be required so they can work with you to develop a business case to bid for available funds. 

Contact and further information:

• Library Engagement Advisors for your College.
• General Library Engagement email address. 
• More information about Library Services. 

Note that consultation with the College Planning Partner is mandatory for most programme and module paperwork, especially new programmes and modules. 

Where Planning can offer support:

• Providing constructive challenge and advice on College strategy and portfolio.
• Sourcing and interpreting data to support College decision making.
• HECoS codes. 
• Tuition fees and other costings.

Contact and further information:

• College Planning Partners.

Areas of interest: 

• Postgraduate research programmes and PGR programmes with taught elements (e.g. PhD with Integrated Study).
• Withdrawal/modification of programmes/modules with research students registered on them. 

Where RSA can offer support:

• Queries around the administration of research programmes, e.g. programme structure, or whether students will be affected by the withdrawal of a module.

Contact and further information:

• Research Student Administration.

Areas of interest: 

• New/existing programmes that are subject to fitness to practise regulations. 
• Programmes with professional accreditation. 
• Collaborative programmes. 
• Any programmes with an agreement with an international partnership institution (e.g. 2+2 courses). 
• Non-College programmes.

Where Student Conduct can offer support:

• Aspects relating to fitness to practise (note that all fitness to practise programmes are listed on Student Conduct's website so it is essential they are informed when new FtP programmes are approved).
• Ensuring that the ownership of the responsibility for student conduct, complaints, and appeals is clear for programmes that are delivered with partnership institutions.

Contact and further information:

• Student Conduct.

Areas of interest: 

• Withdrawal/modification of programmes/modules that may have students registered on them.
• New programmes with non-standard elements, e.g. programmes that do not go through Admissions, where fees are not charged through Banner, or that have regulatory exemptions. 

Where TSA can offer support:

• Advising on programmes with any of the above elements. 
• Ascertaining if there are students who may be affected by a programme/module withdrawal/modification (e.g. students on a leave of absence). 
• Any queries relating to taught student administration.

Contact and further information:

• Taught Student Administration. 

Areas of interest: 

• New programmes and modules, particularly where large cohorts will be recruited.
• New and modified programmes where different subjects will be combined (e.g. joint honours and major/minor programmes) and so may have implications for the block timetable.
• Modules with centrally timetabled examinations.
• New modules and module modifications that affect the timetable.

Where Timetabling and Examinations can offer support: 

• Advising on timetabling implications for new programmes and ensuring they can be timetabled.

Contact and further information:

• Timetabling and examinations contacts. 
• Information for timetablers, including information on the new approach to timetabling, guidance on the approved block structure, and timetabling deadlines.
• Dedicated page outlining the new approach to timetabling. 

The Quality Assurance Agency states that universities 'should engage students individually and collectively' in 'design, development and approval processes to ensure the student voice is actively represented'. 

Mechanisms for engaging students in curriculum development and approval could include: 

• Student Staff Forums, e.g. discussing new programmes or proposed changes in a meeting or circulating proposals to Student Volunteers.
• Referring to data from student surveys such as the Student Evaluations of Learning and Teaching and the National Student Survey in programme and module forms, e.g. citing SELT data when changing an element of a module.
• Emailing students and asking for feedback on proposals or arranging a focus group. 
• Ensuring there is student membership on approval panels, e.g. ensuring College Student Representatives attend College Education Committee (or equivalent).

If prospective or current students will be affected by a change to the portfolio (e.g. programme/module withdrawal/modification) it is essential they are consulted with - please refer to the Competition and Markets Authority guidance.

Written communication with students regarding assessment, feedback and other teaching matters must only be undertaken using the institutional Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), University email and/or other institutionally approved platforms. Communication must not be undertaken through social media, messaging apps or any other platforms that are not approved for this purpose and supported by the University.