Higher Education Academic Strategy 2013

Sparsholt College Hampshire

Higher Education Academic Strategy 2013

Statement of the College vision and mission

To inspire learners to recognize and achieve their full potential.

Our Vision for Higher Education is:

The specialist Higher Education institution, a key national and international provider of specialist Higher Education in the applied science of land, environment and sustainable resource management which excels in ‘research into practice’ at Foundation, Honours and Masters degree levels

The College’s Strategic objectives

• High quality provision within an environment that ensures outstanding teaching, personalised guidanceand support which enables learners to develop their curiosity, knowledge skills and achieve qualifications for their career success.
• Sophisticated current and readily available information and analysis to support timely and effective guidance for students and employers which informs decision-making to improve quality, whilst maintaining financial strength and efficiency and minimising the environmental impact of College operations.
• Harness College resources through innovative, sustainable and profitable commercial activity which underpins the financial health of the College and benefits our learning communities.
• The forging of key strategic alliances to secure our market prominence and influence in order to be able to focus on projects and products with high-value impact for our commercial customers, our learning communities and the College.

The Sparsholt Graduate

We are committed to developing graduates who:

• Are ambitious and independent learners who possess sound academic and applied knowledge across the spectrum of the Land and Environment sector
• Develop and utilise effective research, technical and digital literacy skills
• Have an enterprising outlook and are capable of a logical, analyticaland creative approach to study and progression
• Committed to professional learning in pursuit of personal, academic and career development.

providing Higher Education students with the support and guidance, both pastoral and academic, to meet both theirown and the College’s aspirations within a high quality teaching and learning environment.

The college will promote:

• High expectations of our Higher Education learners, and the academic and pastoral support to enhance achievement and progression.
• An academic experience that meets the needs of learners at all levels, enabling them to meet their full potential.
• A priority emphasis on industry engagement and enterprise with applied technical skills development embedded in the curriculum .

Key Themes for Higher Educationat Sparsholt College.

Key Theme 1

We will provide an educational experience underpinned by applied professional and industry related practice and research thatinspires, engages and challenges students and promote success in an inclusive and supportive environment.

1.1 Courses will be industry relevant, and underpinned by applied professional and industry related practice, and research activities, promoting the attributes of the Sparsholt graduate

1.2 Course design and delivery will be flexible and responsive to the needs of our students and a diverse market within the Land and Environment sector.

1.3 Best pedagogic practice will inform teaching and assessment methods and technologies and promote student centred, individual andcollaborative learning.

1.4 Students will be supported, according to their individual need, to make an effective transition into higher education and becomeconfident, successful learners.

Key Theme 2

Through and beyond the curriculum, we will enable students to develop skills and gain experience which will prepare themfor success in progression to further study and graduate employment.

2.1 Our curricula will include work-related learning or work experience opportunities through effective engagement with the Land and Environment sector industries.

2.2 Employability and enterprise skills will be embedded inour courses, to prepare and equip students for graduate employment or further study.

2.3 We will support academic staff to be knowledgeable and confident with regard to employability and enterprise.

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Key Theme 3

Our learning and support environments will provide Higher Education students with the support and guidance, both pastoral and academic, to meet both their own and the College’s aspirations within a high quality teaching and learning environment.

3.1 We will deliver high quality, efficient and effective learning spaces, learning resources and environments to facilitate both applied, academic and research skills acquisition across the learning cohort.

3.2Our Higher Education learners will benefit from a supportive yet developmental approach to learning, with an inclusive approach across the varying learner profiles of the provision.

3.3 Our quality assurance and enhancement policies, procedures and practices will be focus onpromoting a quality student learning experience.

Key Theme 4

We will promote the concept of the independent learner, who adopts a shared responsibility for learning and the enhancement of learning to enrich their overallexperience.

4.1 We will engender a sense of community and a shared commitment to learning, development and responsibility with our students sothat they consider themselves co-partners and active participants in their learning.

4.2 We will actively engage students to participate in our quality assurance and enhancement procedures so that their views more fully informcourse development and delivery.

Key Theme 5

We will develop, recognise and reward excellent and inspirational staff.

5.1 We will appoint and develop staff with strengths and potential in teaching/supporting learning and research/scholarship excellencerelevant to the post.

5.2 Staff will be expected to incorporate best pedagogic practice, research-led/informed teaching and scholarship within their teaching.

5.3 We will give high priority to the provision of professional training and development activities to support teaching and learning. In addition the College will support relevant industrially related CPD and professional recognition.5.orate

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United Kingdom

T: +44 (0)23 9284 3195

F: +44 (0)23 9284 3319

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References

UK Quality Code for Education (2013)

Framework for Higher Education Qualifications(FHEQ)

UK Professional Standards Framework

National Student Survey

Higher Education review Consultation Document(2013)

Higher Education Academy