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GDP: Understanding and Assuring Academic Outcomes and the Student Experience

Governing bodies must actively seek and receive assurance that academic governance is robust and effective.

Providing assurance about academic governance and the student experience is a core function of the governing body, yet we know that governing bodies can lack confidence in this area and huge changes in approaches to teaching and learning as a result of Covid-19 means that performance may be even harder to gauge. 

    Booking and price information

    Event date: 28 June 2023

    Location: Virtual

    Book your place

    This virtual event, taking place on 28 June 2023, is specifically designed for Chairs and all governors who wish to understand more about how they can assure the quality of education and the student experience appropriately in the light of recent events.

    Using our insight from working with over 350 members worldwide and bringing together key partners, you will hear:

    • Advance HE experts in teaching and learning sharing evidence on educational developments in the last year and the questions these raise
    • Student perspectives on the evidence about lived-experiences in UK HE
    • Governor and secretary perspectives and lessons learned on actions taken to achieve effective assurance by the Board
    • Regulator insights about expectations and key issues we need to consider. 

    The event will be an interactive session with opportunity for governors to network in an online environment and share their views as well as ask questions of speakers and each other. 

    Event outcomes

    Attendees will:

    • Develop a better understanding of educational developments, academic governance and assurance in practice
    • Develop confidence about their role
    • Learn from other governors’ and Board approaches.
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    Programme

    09:30am   Welcome and Introductions - Aaron Porter, Associate Director (Governance), Advance HE

    09:50am   Understanding the Student Experience Policy Environment

    10:30am   The AHE/HEPI Student Experience Survey - Jonathan Neves, Head of Business Intelligence & Surveys, Advance HE

    11:00am   Break

    11:15am   Panel - Delivering the Student Voice on the Board - Benedict Wills, SU President, NTU & Diana Dakik, SU President, University of Surrey & Rhiannon Jenkins, SU President, University of Leicester & Dan Chavalier, SU Vice-President, Univeristy of Winchester

    12:00pm   Breakout discussions - how do you monitor and have oversight of the student experience?

    12:30pm   Feedback from groups

    12:45pm   Close

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    Speakers

    Diana Dakik

    Diana Dakik
    Diana graduated with a BSc Veterinary Biosciences (Hons) from the University of Surrey, UK, in 2018. Following completion of her undergraduate degree, she pursued a PhD in Veterinary Medicine and Sciences with an interest in Immunology and Virology, specifically in horses, expecting to submit her final thesis in early 2023. Throughout her University experience, Diana has been extensively involved in the Students’ Union, undertaking many elected part-time officer roles across the Union’s zones. Diana has been a member of the University BUCS team since 2018, and has competed under the Zambian flag for a number of years, most notably at the 2019 All Africa Games.

    Jonathan Neves

    Head of Business Intelligence & Surveys
    ,
    Advance HE
    Jonathan-Neves
    Jonathan joined Advance HE in 2015, bringing with him 16 years’ experience in customer insight and market research. Jonathan graduated from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Geography, and is a full member of the Market Research Society. Heading up the insights and student surveys portfolio at Advance HE, Jonathan is co-author of the Advance HE-HEPI Student Academic Experience Survey report, and is responsible for the overall strategy for the UK Engagement Survey as well as the Postgraduate Taught and Research Experience Surveys (PTES and PRES). Jonathan has also worked across the sector collaborating on the use of the UK Engagement Survey within Learning Gain pilots.

    Dan Chevalier

    Vice President, Education and Welfare, University of Winchester Students' Union
    Dan Chevalier
    Dan is a Winchester University graduate who studied Politics and Global Studies – coming to University from Poole area where he came straight from Sixth form (studying Science based A-levels). He began engaging with the SU beyond their events in his final year and will shortly be moving into his second term in office as Vice President, Education and Welfare.

    Benedict Wills

    President at NTSU
    ,
    Nottingham Trent University
    Benedict Wills
    Benedict Wills was elected as VP Postgraduate of Nottingham Trent Students' Union (NTSU), taking office in July 2021. He was elected President in July 2022. He sits on various boards and committees at the University and chairs the Board of Trustees at NTSU. His role focuses on managing the relationship between NTSU, NTU and the local community.
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    Student voices video

    Self-filmed during the Covid-19 pandemic, in this short video first and second year students talk about their higher education experiences and describe the challenges they face, what they enjoy and what they would change.

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