Evaluating and enhancing the student learning experience and student partnership

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SFC worked with sparqs (student partnerships in quality Scotland) on evaluating and enhancing the student experience and student partnership through revising and updating its partnership staircase model and student learning experience tool.

This workstream aimed to develop the model and tool and supporting resources into key sector reference points for use in the TQEF.

Key questions

What does an effective student learning experience look like and how do we evidence it?
What does student partnership look like and how do we evidence it?
How can we ensure that we continue to build on our reputation for meaningful student partnership and continue to move forward?

Lead agency

The lead agency for this project is sparqs.

Progress update

Since the launch of the updated Student Learning Experience model in October 2023, student partnerships in quality Scotland (sparqs) has continued to develop its resources to support staff and students to review and enhance the quality of learning.

sparqs has been building the SLE model into their training provision for student representatives and will be continuing to support institutions and Students’ Associations with its use.

sparqs has released Scotland’s Ambition for Student Partnership which outlines eight key features and indicators of practice.

The new features and indicators of practice will support institutions and students to evaluate and enhance their approach to partnership.

Sparqs has also recently launched their Self-Evaluation and Action Plan (SEAP) guidance for students’ associations and student officers, which is designed to support institutions to undertake meaningful engagement with students during the SEAP process.

Next steps

sparqs are working with QAA in relation to their commissioned work to develop the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER) and Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP).

This includes the development and publication of:

Guidance and resources to support institutions and students’ associations to use the partnership statement and features and the SLE.
Incorporating the SLE and partnership ambition into core training provision.
Guidance on the external review method and Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme. sparqs continue to utilise their Tertiary Quality Student Expert Group to create a joined-up approach to the student voice across the TQEF.