The Aberdeen Difference

7/31/2019 The Aberdeen Difference

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The Internationalisation of the

Aberdeen Curriculum

Director of Marketing, Student Recruitment and

Alumni Relations

RACHEL SANDISON

Rachel Sandison


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1. THE UNIVERSITY

Ancient university founded in 1495

Around 16,000 students 20% from

overseas

Top 150 in the world

Over 650 degree programmes and140 taught Masters

Research intensive


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2. CREF BACKGROUND

Curriculum Reform Objectives

To make our approach distinctive within the UK and alignedwith developmentsin some of the worlds leading universities;

To improve Universitys international position

To enhance the learning experience; and to enhance disciplinary study;

To produce better informed, more rounded and moreintellectually flexible graduates; and

To design programmes which are more attractiveto students;

more relevant to employers; and more relevant to wider societal needs.


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3. EVIDENCE BASE

A desk study of the strategic context, including international research and

Bologna

External consultations with a wide range of interest groups

Internal consultations and feedback on the reports

International benchmarking against other world-class institutions Harvard,

Yale, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Western Australia

Market research on the views of applicants, parents and employers

Surveys of guidance teachers and students


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4. GRADUATE ATTRIBUTESAcademically excellent

In-depth discipline knowledge; Breadth of knowledge;

Contextual understanding

Critical thinkers and effective communicators

Synthesis and analysis; Informed argument and reasoning;

Diverse set of transferable and generic skills

Open to learning and personal development

Openness to, and interest in, lifelong learning; Self reflection

Active global citizens

Appreciation of ethical and moral issues, social and cultural diversity,

and enterprise and leadership


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5. KEY PROPOSALS A five year framework with exit qualifications at all years; and flexible entry

to and exit from any year.

A series ofEnhanced Study options to produce better informed, morerounded and more intellectually flexible graduates (special new Sixth

Century Courses; Sustained Study in languages and business; or

greater choice).

The development offlexible learning spaces.

Enhanced student support: pre-entry partnerships with schools and

colleges; enhanced induction on arrival; and continuing support through a

one stop shop.

The development of a Co-curriculum (work placements, study overseas,voluntary work and so on) and enhanced engagement with employers.


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6. ENHANCED STUDY Students are allowed a free choice of

Enhanced Study for 25% of years 1 and 2;

and 12.5% of years 3 and 4.

There are three types of Enhanced Study:

Sixth Century Courses

Sustained Study Programmes

Discipline Breadth Courses


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7. SIXTH CENTURY COURSES

Sixth Century Courses are specially-designed:

to consider and contrast different approaches to knowledge and differentmethods of enquiry and, normally, examining real world problems

and to show how different disciplines work, to introduce and compare thefundamental perspectives of a number of disciplines and, normally, apply theseto real world issues and problems.

For 2010, there were 11 courses (most in both half sessions):

Mankind in the Universe

The Digital Society

Humans and Other Animals

Sustainability

Fearsome Engines

Risk in Society

The Health and Wealth of Nations

Oceans and Society

Science and the Media

The Mind Machine

Natural World


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8. SUSTAINED STUDY

Sustained Study Programmes enable a student to undertake

intensive study for two years in a subject which is not part of their

core degree programme.

Some are entirely new; some are built from existing courses.

There are 13 SSPs:

Six modern languages (French, Gaelic, German, Spanish,

Arabic, Mandarin Chinese)

Business; Computing

Biblical languages; Latin; The Classical Tradition

Conservation and the Environment


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9. DISCIPLINE BREADTH

Subject to normal degree regulations, a student may choose ANY

course as Discipline Breadth, if it is NOT:

A compulsory course within a degree programme;

A restricted option with a degree programme(students must choose from a prescribed list); or

A pre-requisite or a co-requisite for one of the above.


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10. THE CO-CURRICULUM STAR Award

Work Experience Placements

Enterprise & Entrepreneurship

Student Tutoring Scheme

Study Abroad

- Recommendation 39: All students should have an opportunity tostudy overseas, if only as part of a short field trip. The University

should adopt a target for the percentage of students who study

overseas for different lengths of time.


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11. THE DIFFERENCE

Internationally-recognised university in the vanguard of

education developments

Our graduates are better equipped for the 21st century

More choice; wider opportunities; better support and greater

flexibility

Enhanced student experience - 270 million investment

www.abdn.ac.uk/thedifference


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5. THE CREATIVE


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5. THE CREATIVE


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5. THE CREATIVE


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12. SUCCESSES Key Performance Indicators:

- student enquiries and applications

- student registrations- student visits

- web traffic

- increased event attendance

- enhanced profile/visibility within the sector

Results for 2010:

- 32% increase in ug applications for 2010 entry

- 30% increase in firm acceptances

- over 15,000 unique views of microsite

- 33% increase in on-campus visits

- Press coverage


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13. SUCCESSES

All programmes still running for 2011-12

Aberdeen has bucked the trend for Language study in the UK numberscontinue to increase. Around 200 non-language students studying alanguage

Since implementation the University has continued to engage with otherinstitutions: January 2011 saw the inaugural meeting of the CurriculumInnovation Network (jointly organised by Aberdeen and Southampton); thesecond (European focussed) meeting took place in September 2011 inBelfast; and the third (international) to take place in Brunei in 2012


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15. ANY QUESTIONS?

www.abdn.ac.uk/thedifference

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The Aberdeen Difference