Lecture theatres and teaching rooms:
Download the RA for lecture theatres and teaching rooms >>

This document applies to the following rooms in AMBS:

Teaching Rooms:

3.006a/b; 3.008; 3.009; 3.013a/b; 3.014a/b; 3.015a/b; 3.049; 4.004; 4.009; 4.010a/b; 4.011a/b; 4.012; 4.013; 4.014; 4.015; 4.017; 4.018; 4.019; 4.020; 9.041; 10.07; Executive Education centre

Theatres:

G.003; 2.007; 2.008; 2.065 - Pod A; 3.060 - Pod B

Computer clusters:
Download the RA for computer clusters >>

This document applies to the following rooms:

2.012; 2.013; 4.005

Meetings in academic offices
Download the RA for Generic Office Environment >>

The following documents applies to student meetings in academic offices:

Peer Review of Teaching 

The Peer Review of Teaching (PRT) is a supportive process whereby colleagues act as reviewers and explore a reviewee’s teaching performance with them through the direct observation of their interaction with students and the review of their teaching materials and course unit design. Alongside other information about colleagues’ teaching, PRT will build a comprehensive picture of a teacher’s strengths and areas for development that can be used to enhance, manage and modify performance as necessary, and thereby facilitate career progression and enhance teaching quality across the institution.

Further information on the appointment process, frequency of PRTs, organisation and preparation for the review, as well as supporting documents can be found in the policy.

Leadership in Education Awards Programme (LEAP)

The Leadership in Education Awards Programme (LEAP) supports you in documenting and evidencing your teaching excellence, and is an opportunity for you to receive a formal, national qualification for your teaching.
The programme is accredited by AdvanceHE (formerly the Higher Education Academy or HEA) and can award Associate, Fellowship, Senior and Principal HEA Fellowships.
If you join LEAP you'll be assigned a mentor and a peer support group. You will also have access to a range of online resources and optional support workshops.

Information on how to apply for a place on LEAP, support available and deadlines and submissions can be found on StaffNet.

PGCert in Higher Education

The PGCert in HE is aimed at academic staff at all levels and Senior Professional Services (PS) colleagues and those working at the University's library and cultural assets.

The aim of the PGCert is to introduce you to relevant literature and theory so that you can:

- think critically about your contribution to the University;
- develop a deeper understanding of the national and global Higher Education context; and 
- progress in terms of your professional confidence, personal effectiveness and long-term career strategies.

Details about the application process and entry requirements are available here.

General eLearning queries

For eLearning related self-help resources and contact details for Humanities eLearning, please see eLearning support.

Other support available:

As well as support for our VLE, the team also provide support for a range of other useful eLearning related technologies:

• Turnitin
• TurningPoint (ResponseWare)
• GoToMeeting
• TechSmith Relay
• Box of Broadcasts (BoB)
• Financial Times

Visit the Alliance MBS Blackboard Good Practice community for eLearning support material.

Access the AMBS Blackboard Good Practice community

This section contains information and guidelines on assessment and feedback, academic malpractice, as well as moderation and degree regulations. 

Academic malpractice

General information and guidelines

General academic malpractice guidelines are available from the following document which provides information to staff members on handling cases of plagiarism and academic malpractice:

Academic Malpractice: Procedure for the handling of cases 

Other useful information

University Guidance on Interpreting Turnitin Originality Reports
Further Guidance on using Turnitin to detect Academic Malpractice
Academic Malpractice form

Reduced scale marking

Reduced scale stepped marking is marking that uses a restricted number of marks with the 0-100% range.

Reduced scale stepped marking should simplify the marking process by requiring markers only to make a judgement of high/medium/low within each class and then to assign the appropriate mark. This should improve consistency across markers. In turn, it should support student learning by adding greater clarity to outcomes. For example, a student whose work is awarded 62% will know that the mark represents a low 2.1/low Merit. The feedback provided should then support student learning in achieving a higher mark in the next assignment.

The guide on Reduced Scale Stepped Marking can be found here.

You can also access the Undergraduate Grade Descriptors and the Postgraduate Taught Grade Descriptors.

Moderation

The Moderation Procedure document sets out the expected role of Internal Moderators in the assessment process for taught programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate taught level in the Faculty of Humanities, to ensure consistent and equitable practices.

This document should be read with reference to the following University documents:
Policy on Marking
Guidance on External Examiner Procedures
Guidance on Examination Boards
Policy on Feedback

There are various models of achieving fairness and consistency in marking and assessment in taught undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, with some being more rigorous than others, and more suited to specific types of assessment than others. This document aims to outline the details of some of these models, specifically moderation, in order to provide guidance to staff members in their marking and moderation procedures.

Policy on Marking

This document sets out the University’s Policy on Marking. It applies to the marking of all work (including dissertations) of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught students that is assessed summatively.
The purpose of the Policy is to ensure equality and fairness in the treatment of students and consistency of practice in relation to marking procedures across the University.

Policy on Feedback

The University of Manchester is committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to students on their academic progress and achievement, thereby enabling students to reflect on their progress and plan their academic and skills development effectively.  Feedback, and acting on feedback, is therefore part of the active learning process throughout a student’s course of study.

Methods of feedback will vary according to assessment type, discipline, level of study and the needs of the individual student.

This policy applies to undergraduate and postgraduate taught provision. It sets out the principles under which feedback should be planned and delivered and relates to both formative and summative work.

Degree regulations

Degree Regulations relating to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught programmes are approved by Senate.  They contain the regulations specific to a student's programme of study, including details concerning assessment and progression, reassessment and classification.

The latest regulations can be accessed through the links below:  

Undergraduate Degree Regulations (including Integrated Masters)
Postgraduate Taught Regulations (including MRes)

Other supporting documents:

Guide to the Taught Degree Regulations
Taught Degree Regulations Glossary of Terms
Marks at resit and compensation tables
FAQs about the Degree Regulations

The University of Manchester acknowledges the importance of group work activities as an important part of a student’s learning experience. Some of the benefits gained from group working are reflected in the attributes of graduates as set out in the ‘Manchester Matrix – the Purposes of a Manchester Undergraduate Education’.

This guidance document aims to provide advice regarding group work activities, whilst allowing the flexibility for Schools and Faculties to set standards consistent with best practice within their own areas. The University guidance on group work and assessment document can be found here. 

The main consideration should be to ensure that students are treated equitably in group working activities and that these activities do not overburden students at the expense of other methods of teaching, learning and assessment. The assessment process“should not be biased according to gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, age, class or disability”, (see the Principles of Assessment in the University of Manchester’s Assessment Framework).

Prior to UCIL consideration, the course unit needs to be approved at School level.  Please contact your Subject Group or Division in the first instance.

The UCIL process is outlined below.

UCIL are currently identifying units that they would like to develop for the next academic year, but if you have an idea for a unit which matches the criteria, please complete an initial course unit proposal form or contact UCIL to arrange a meeting with the Academic Director.

Proposers for UCIL units are asked to consider the following as part of their proposal:

• Is the unit truly interdisciplinary, drawing on appropriate teaching and research expertise from across the University?
• Is the unit innovative in curriculum, assessment design and delivery?
• Is the unit set at an appropriate, yet challenging, level to make it accessible to undergraduates from any discipline?

The approval process for new units

Following on from a meeting with the Academic Director, staff proposing a new unit need to complete a more detailed course unit information form which is then sent to the Teaching and Learning Panel for approval.

Please note, all units must be approved by the relevant Head/s of School or equivalent before the form is considered by the Teaching and Learning Panel.

Further information on support available from UCIL to develop your unit can be accessed here. 

Impact of the Hong Kong Security Law on academic freedom and the safety of staff and students

In July 2020, the People’s Republic of China passed a new National Security Law. The law has potential implications for our staff and students, particularly those whose research and studies involve exploring aspects of modern governance and systems in China. The National Security Law allows for prosecution where activities are deemed by the administration in Hong Kong to promote ideas they consider to be promoting the secession of Hong Kong, subverting the power or authority of China’s central government, promoting terrorism or collusion with foreign or external forces. The offences are punishable by imprisonment. The offences apply regardless of where in the world an individual is based, although we understand that enforcement action is only likely where individuals are based in China or seek to travel there.  The law also applies irrespective of citizenship; it isn’t limited to Chinese nationals. Academic staff and students may, therefore, be at risk of prosecution or detention due to comments made during lectures and seminars if they are subsequently reported to the relevant authorities.

Further information and advice can be found in this document prepared by TLG. 

As a Probationer you will undertake the Humanities New Academic Programme (HNAP) which will provides learning opportunities across three strands, namely: research excellence; inspirational teaching; and citizenship, leadership and personal development.  Listen to colleagues that have recently completed the programme and the benefits they have gained from their experience.

Kara Ng: 

Adrien Querbes: