Dear Strathclyde Students
On Tuesday (24 March) I shared with you the decision of the University’s Executive Team regarding formal examinations for Years 1 and 2.
We understand that you have a range of different queries arising on this point. Consequently, we want to provide you with further detail on what this will mean for you and your current assignments and any examinations which were scheduled as part of the formal assessment period. (Graduate Apprentices and Engineering Academy students: please note Programme Leaders/Directors for will contact you directly regarding your assessment arrangements, which take place out with the Formal Assessment Period noted below).
Formal Assessment Period for Years 1 and 2 (commencing 20 April)
For clarity, this means that any alternative assessments that were designed to be delivered within the Formal Assessment Period (commencing 20 April) as an alternative to a hall-based final examination, will not be proceeding. All other assessments (not exam based) that are normally completed in the module will be decided by your programme leader who will be reviewing your existing assignment schedule, as well as all other assessment data across your modules and will be in touch with you over the coming days.
There will, by necessity, be exceptions to this as follows:
- students who failed modules which were fully assessed in semester 1, and do not have the necessary credits to progress to the next year, will need to resit those modules as normal at the first available resit opportunity, later this year. Where possible, this will be aligned with the published resit period, however, we will continue to monitor this situation in line with the wider situation within the UK
- modules which require a final assessment as part of the conditions of accreditation by Professional, Statutory and Regulatory bodies should proceed with a formal final alternative assessment as planned. Departments and Schools will liaise with individual students who do not have the equipment and/or network connection, or who have other extenuating circumstances which do not allow them to proceed. Up until the country was placed in lockdown by the Government, the University was preparing to fulfil students’ equipment needs, but the lockdown and problems with supply have rendered this impossible. In such circumstances, an alternative opportunity for a formal final assessment will be agreed at the earliest available opportunity
Formal Assessment Period for Years 3,4 & 5
Many of you have also raised questions regarding examinations for years 3 and 4 (and 5 for integrated masters and PGT programmes). Please be assured that staff are actively reviewing the data for these programmes to enable the University to make an evidence-based decision which is consistent with our academic regulations and maintains the academic standard and value of your degree.
Please be assured that the University is seeking to make decisions based on all the evidence available and in your best interests, whether for your onward progression into further years of study or in support of the conferment of your degree. It is important that we protect the quality of your degree award for you and to best prepare you for your future employment and/or future study.
Within all of this, we wish to strongly emphasise that all staff within the University are seeking to make decisions which are supportive and student-centred, within our wider commitment to supporting your whole experience with the University of Strathclyde. The extraordinary and unprecedented circumstances in which you have been studying over recent weeks and into the near future will be central within the decision making of Boards of Examiners. In support of this, staff will have all the information and wider circumstances in which assessments were undertaken and be supported by University guidance on how to reflect this within decision-making on module and programme results.
Your wellbeing continues to be at the heart of all our decisions. We recognise that you may have challenges in completing existing assignments. Where this is the case, please advise your module and/or programme leader and be assured that a sympathetic approach will be taken with regards to the submission of your assessment. Full guidance on submitting personal circumstances is available on the University website.
We will provide a further update on Monday 30 March.
Best wishes,
Jim