Learning and Teaching Policies

Policies: COVID-19 and AY 2020/21

Due to the impact of COVID-19, a number of temporary changes have been made to existing policies, and some policies are not currently applicable. Please see the summary below. Staff may also visit our internal Academic Quality COVID-19 SharePoint site.

• All Policies and Procedures: Where references are made to physical or face-to-face meetings, these may need to take place by other means, such as video or telephone
• Interim policies:
  • Use of Approved Channels when Communicating with Students
  • Use of Recording for Teaching and Learning Purposes and Guidance on the Captioning of Recorded Teaching Resources

• Academic Approvals: Modified process in place for COVID-19 RBL method; standard process for all other proposals
• Anonymous Marking: Student ID will be used for submitting take-home examinations via Vision thereby enabling identification of students and limiting fully anonymous marking
• Annual Monitoring and Review: Modified process in place for the 2019/20 review process
• Course Change, Programme Change: changes to be made by the end of teaching week 2
• Examinations in Different Time-Zones: Elements of Policy not relevant for take-home exams but the principles of the Policy still apply
• Examinations – Approved Calculator Policy: This cannot be monitored for take-home exams via Vision
• Examinations – Dictionary Policy: This cannot be monitored for take-home exams via Vision
• Examinations Instructions for Candidates: Temporarily replaced by Student Guides on take-home exams
• Heriot-Watt University Malaysia Changes to Programme / Course: Modified academic approvals process in place for COVID-19 RBL method; standard process for all other proposals
• Mitigating Circumstances and Temporary Suspension of Studies: Adapted process for 2020/21 due to Responsive Blended Learning
• Personal Tutoring: Revised arrangements in place for 2020/21
• Student Attendance: There may be 'engagement' expectations which equate to the requirements for attendance
• Thesis Submission Procedures and Guidelines: Alternative arrangements in place for the submission of VIVAS

A

• Academic Approvals
• Academic Approval Process Briefing Paper
• Academic Management Structures (Schools) at Multiple Campuses
• Academic Management Structures Annex: Policy on the Management of Combined Studies
• Access to Scripts and Feedback on Examination Performance – Guidance

Academic Integrity

• Academic rigour in assessed work policy
• Contract cheating: a guide for students
• Course statement on contract cheating
• Guidance on academic integrity
• SoSS guidance for staff on detecting and reporting academic misconduct

Additional Entry Points in the Academic Year

• Key Principles (Academic and Business) for Campus-Based Programmes
• Key Principles Briefing Paper

• Additional Fees and Charges
• Annual Monitoring and Review (AMR) (School; Partner)
• Annual Monitoring and Review - Briefing Paper
• Anonymous Marking Guidance
• Approved Learning Partners
• Approved Teachers, Approved Tutors and Approved Markers
• Assessment Procedures (Marking Criteria, Deadlines and Learning Outcomes)

Assessment 2020/21: Key Policy Information

• Assessment 2020/21: Summary of Key Policy Information
• Assessment 2020/21: Changes to Assessment
• Assessment 2020/21: Types of Assessment
• Assessment 2020/21: Take-Home Exams
• Assessment 2020/21: Assessment Scheduling
• Assessment 2020/21: Submission of Coursework Policy
• Assessment 2020/21: Feedback on Assessment
• Academic Safety Net 2020/21 (HWU’s approach to “No Detriment”)
• Academic Safety Net 2020/21:
  • Student Summary
  • Student Guide
• Academic Safety Net 2020/21: Guidelines for Boards of Examiners in Maintaining Academic Standards

Assessment and Progression System (HAPS)

• HAPS Briefing Paper
• HAPS Policy
• Information for Postgraduate students
• Information for Undergraduate students

• Attendance Policy
• Attendance Policy Compulsory Withdrawal Procedures
• Attendance Policy Compulsory Withdrawal Procedures: Briefing Paper

B

• Block Teaching Policy
• Block Teaching Briefing Paper

C

• Change of Course, Programme or Campus (Amended for 2020/21)
• Charter and Statutes (Current)
• Chief External Examiners Briefing Paper
• Collaborative Agreements
• Complaints Policy and Procedures
• Code of Practice for the Management of Multi-Location, Multi-Mode Programmes
• Code of Practice for the Management of Multi-Location, Multi-Mode Programmes Briefing Paper

D

• Data Protection Policy

E

• English Language Requirements
• Engagement of Staff: Creating A Sense of Identity and Belonging for Students

Examinations in Different Time-Zones

• Examinations in Different Time-Zones Policy
• Examinations in Different Time-Zones Briefing Paper
• Implementation Procedures

• Examination Board Guidelines and Assessment Procedures (UG and PG)
• Examinations - Approved Calculator Policy
• Examinations - Dictionary Policy
• Examinations Instructions for Candidates
• Examinations Invigilators Handbook
• Exchange Agreements
• External Examiners
• External Examiners Handbook (Taught Courses)
• External Reviews

F

• Fair Access Admissions Policy 2019/20

Feedback

• Feedback on Assessment - University Statement
• Feedback on Examination Performance and Access to Scripts - Guidance
• Feedback on Coursework - Policy
• Feedback on Coursework and Examinations Policy - Briefing Paper
• Giving Effective Feedback
• Providing Effective Feedback to Students – Briefing Note
• Providing Effective Feedback to Students – Planning Tool
• Students: How to make it work for you

G

• Global Code of Practice for the Management, Assurance and Enhancement of Taught Programmes
• Good Practice in Learning and Teaching: Institutional Approaches
• Graduate Attributes (UG and PGT programmes)
• Graduate Attributes - Briefing Paper
• Graduate Attributes - Embedding the HWU Graduate Attributes
• Students: Developing Your Graduate Attributes
• Graduate Apprenticeships

H

• HE Qualifications in the UK, Ireland and Europe
• Heriot-Watt University Malaysia Changes to Programme/Course
• HESA Student Data Collection Notice

K

• Key Dates for the Return of Marks, Grades and Decisions for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Courses (internal only)  - Document currently being updated, link to follow in due course. 

L

• Learning and Teaching Key Principles - Briefing Paper

M

• Management of Examinations Scripts (On and Off Campus)
• Management of Transcripts and Certifications

Mitigating Circumstances (MC) for assessment in 2020/21

• Mitigating Circumstances and Temporary Suspension of Studies in 2020/21 (Student Guide)

Mitigating Circumstances (MC) - coursework related requests

• Mitigating Circumstances -  Guide to students
• Mitigating Circumstances - Policy
• Mitigating Circumstances - Procedures

Moderation of Assessment

• Moderation of Assessment Policy
• Guide for Schools
• Moderation of Assessment Briefing Paper

• Monitoring and Review Process - Briefing Paper
• MQA Full Accreditation - Briefing Paper

O

Off-Campus Examinations

• Hosting Heriot Watt Examinations Handbook
• Off-Campus Invigilators Handbook
• Off-Campus Examinations Agreement

• Ordinances

P

• Peer Support of Teaching

Periodic Review

• Academic Review, Internal Audit
• Academic Review Briefing Paper
• Enhancement Workshop - Briefing Paper
• Internal Audit Briefing Paper

Personal Tutoring (formerly Academic Mentoring)

• Personal Tutoring Briefing Paper
• Personal Tutoring Policy and Guidelines
• Personal Tutoring Handbook
• Supporting Personal Tutoring in 2020/21

Plagiarism

• Detection
• Guidance (English / Arabic / Chinese)

• Professional Services Review Handbook (Academic-Related Review)
• Programme Handbook Template

Programme Titles, Learning Outcomes and Courses (Multi-Location/Mode Programmes)

• Programme Titles, Learning Outcomes and Courses Policy
• Programme Titles, Learning Outcomes and Courses Briefing Paper
• Local Contextualisation Briefing Paper

• Programme Transfer Policy (amended for 2020/21)
• Posthumous Award Policy

R

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer

• RPL Policy
• Procedures
• RPL Briefing Paper

• Recruitment of Ex-Offenders
• Regulations
• Re-Issue of Certificates to Graduates who have undergone Gender Reassignment

Research Students

• External Examiners Handbook (PGR)
• Postgraduate Research Degree Candidate Code of Practice
• Oral Examinations (PGR) - Role of the Internal Examiner
• Research Engagement
• Thesis Submission Procedures and Guidelines

S

Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework (SCQF)

• Chart
• SCQF Briefing Paper
• SCQF and European Credit and Transfer System - Information for Undergraduate Students
• SCQF and European Credit and Transfer System - Information for Postgraduate Students

• Severe Weather Guidance (Students)
• Staff Scholarships and Remission of Fees Policy
• Student Academic Appeals Policy and Procedures
• Student Discipline Procedures
• Student Discipline Procedures - Guidance for Schools
• Student Information - Personal Data

Student Learning Experience

• Threshold Criteria Policy 
• Threshold Criteria Briefing Paper

Student Partnership Agreement

• Student Partnership Agreement

Student Placements

• Student Placements Policy
• Student Placements Briefing Paper
• Guide to Exchange Partnerships
• Guidelines on Work Placements

• Student Records Management Policy
• Submission of Coursework Policy
• Supporting Student Athletes – Academic Flexibility
• Supporting Student Carers Policy
• Survey Framework and Process - Overview

T

Thematic Review for Review of Institution-wide Learning and Teaching Issues

• Thematic Review Handbook
• Thematic Review Briefing Paper

Temporary Suspension of Studies (TSS)

• Temporary Suspension of Studies Policy
• Temporary Suspension of Studies and Mitigating Circumstances in 2020/21 (Student Guide)
• Temporary Suspension of Studies Briefing Paper

Transfer between Campuses

• Transfer between Campuses Briefing Paper
• Transfer between Campuses Policy

U

• Use of Approved Channels when Communicating with Students (Interim Policy)
• Use of Recording for Teaching and Learning Purposes during Academic Year 2020/21 (Interim Policy)
• Use of Student Data

V

• Visiting Scholar Guidelines
• VLE Minimum Criteria