Student survey: informing change on your course

Student Surveys give you the opportunity to tell us about your experience and us the chance to act on your feedback.

Find out about the changes that have been made in your School as a direct result of your feedback through Student Surveys.

School of Communications & Creativity/School of Policy and Global Affairs

Economics

"We want our UG and PG students to leave fully equipped to be successful professionals in the area of economics and to succeed in securing employment, following the completion of their degrees. This means that they have a firm grasp of the relevant economic theories, they have acquired good quantitative skills and they are able to evaluate, interpret, analyse and represent data. The focus this year has been on the successful progression of our students and on enhancing their employability skills."

Spyros Galanis, Head of Department

In 2020/21 we:

Extended our Welcome Week programme to last for the whole week to help our students settle down more quickly, get used to online learning and make as many friends as possible
Rationalised and reduced our assessment in order to provide our students with better opportunities to balance learning and assessment throughout the academic year
Re-structured all our degrees to provide our students with greater choice and flexibility in particular with respect to the study of quantitative subjects
Coordinated the assessment deadlines to avoid the bunching of assessment deadlines over a short period of time
Introduced more diverse coursework-based assessment in order to provide all our students with opportunities to develop a variety of transferrable skills
Re-launched the Schumpeter Journal as a forum for students to come together, write and publish economics news, research and reports
Organised the City Economics Festival that has given all our students the opportunity to meet on-campus after the lockdown and enjoy engaging with economics ideas, talks and games
Organised talks on the economics of cryptocurrency and the regulation of social media companies as an opportunity for our students to learn how the economics learned in the classroom applies to current topics.

In 2019/20 we:

Improved our induction week by including activities for students in all three years
Re-designed the Year 1 modules, such as Data Analysis 1, to emphasise group-based work on evaluating, interpreting, analysing and representing data
Implemented a unified approach to ensure more consistency in terms of coursework length and difficulty across all modules
Changed the assessment weights, especially in Year 3, so that more weight is placed on coursework, with less weight on exams
Recruited new academic staff with expertise in data analysis and applied economics
Organised several talks and networking activities with alumni and potential employers on the topics of health economics, competition and regulation and the economics of blockchain, to support our students’ employability in Year 3
Expanded the micro-placement programme, to give more students the opportunity to apply for a position in Year 2.

English

“In City’s English Department, we support all of our students to become confident critical thinkers and creative professionals. We aim to bring English out of the classroom and into the world by providing you with the professional skills you will need for all kinds of careers in the cultural, creative, and educational industries. As a young and very friendly department, we are excited to work with you and will listen carefully to your feedback.”

Dr. Edward Paleit, Programme Director, BA English

In 2020/21 we:

Provided a combination of live online classes and asynchronous learning materials to support you during the pandemic
Promoted a sense of department community by developing our online magazine, the Bard, starting a new department podcast, Literature Muse, and offering a range of creative writing and community reading events
Developed more detailed assessment criteria for the academic, creative and professional strands of our programme to provide clear guidance on how your assignments are graded
Timetabled additional online seminar groups to provide increased opportunities for small-group learning
Provided additional workshops and tutorials to support your assessment completion
Ensured easy tutorial bookings through our department Moodle Scheduler.

In 2019/20 we:

Worked as a department to timetable an extra seminar group (thus reducing their size) into our second term of online teaching, as you asked for smaller seminar groups in live sessions
Ran academic skills workshops on topics ahead of key assessment deadlines, as you asked for academic support with referencing and the department's assessment criteria
Ran open mic nights, quizzes, and set up an online film night for the second term, as you asked for more online social events.

International Politics

"The extremely constructive comments we have received from our students on our undergraduate programmes, including teaching and assessment and a greater sense of a community of students, have been vital in helping us restructure our undergraduate programme and introduce new programmes. We strive to provide greater choice, diversify types of assessment and ensure our curriculum meets not only the highest standards of academic excellence but also reflects the intellectual diversity of a rapidly changing world."

Professor Inderjeet Parmar, Head of Department

In 2020/21 we:

Expanded Welcome Week activities with both online and in-person social sessions, and organised a new welcome back day for returning students
Introduced a Year 2 elective module for micro-placements to help students gain work experience in the earlier stages of their degree
Revitalised in-person student engagement initiatives, including the reinstatement of the History Society and the Politics Society
Extended our offer of webinar series on, for example, the international system of power and general and complete disarmament
Established a staggered submission point system for course work
Audited and streamlined Moodle pages and included weekly plans
Introduced consolidation and revision sessions in weeks 5-8 each term
Introduced structure plans and key learning points for each session
Used video clips to reinforce key parts of lectures and readings
Set up an automated office booking system to facilitate online and offline meetings
Introduced a Head of Department briefing message to keep students updated with developments in the department and at City
Conducted a vibrant and stimulating online lecture series and webinar program
Introduced a new micro-placement and internship scheme
Set up a virtual Common Room and a department blog to keep students aware of opportunities available in the department and at City
Introduced Practical Politics as a core module for Y2 students to help them gain more employability related experience
Appointed nine new members of staff working on cutting edge research on issues ranging from global health and security and foreign policy through to political economy of science and technology
Organised regular alumni events, in co-operation with the Careers team, to help students get feedback from City Politics alumni on career opportunities
Regularly invited sector representatives and experts to share their experiences with students, as part of Practical Politics module and also IP3022 (Political Change in Europe)
Added employability related opportunities to HoD briefings and shared them with students on a regular basis
Shared employability related opportunities and internship announcements via the virtual Student Common Room as well as via email
Added a Data Analysis module in Y2 focusing on developing R programming skills, useful for student employability
Created and continued City International Politics department podcasts
Will continue the "Best political photo competition" to encourage students to develop and apply their creative skills to the subject matter of their studies, thus emphasising the practical application of their degree in a visual way which will be welcome from all employers in an age of social media
Actively promoted placement and micro-placement schemes among students
Created new initiative such ‘The Interview’ to encourage students to develop media related skills as well as team work, applying their specific subject knowledge to broad current affairs issues; this will enhance their confidence and their cvs highlighting practical skills
Continued the celebration of students awards and prizes at department level (with proper certificates) for Highest Dissertation Mark, Highest overall graduation mark, Best Political Photo, giving a chance for the winners to strengthen their cv and boost their confidence. Plus we offer role models/stimuli current cohorts
Discussed students’ aspirations and careers in personal tutors sessions, especially with third years, offering tailored personalised advice as well as reference letters
Featuring student generated content in the weekly blog, boosting their confidence, give them visibility and a chance to add an extra line on their cv because they have been published
Specifically spend time in tutorials discussing how knowledge of specific topics of some modules (e.g. IP3022, IP2028) and specific tasks we ask students to complete can be deployed in different careers, so that students can think creatively about the practical use of their studies and become more aware of which skills that they have learnt will become useful for employment
Ensured the Student Engagement Officer worked closely with the School ambassadors to ensure messages circulated to students about the above initiatives are sent in a more focused and creative manner, not just via teams, making use of graphic content
Continued the History Book Club, which is coordinated by History staff and students but open for participation to all. This boosts the sense of community and gave a chance to the most proactive members to add an extra line on their cv
Aimed to further explore students’ needs and aspirations with the newly created Student Engagement Forum, so their experience and the relevance of it for their careers is boosted
Continued to coordinate (at departmental level, on top of activities coordinated by the career team) alumni-led talks with extensive Q&A sessions where normally three former students share their experiences of writing dissertations, applying for PG studies and applying for jobs.

In 2019/20 we:

Created the opportunity for students to apply to take a micro-placement as a credited module
Improved how information about the different modules and the assessment is presented on each Moodle page
Improved the consistency in our assessment of essays and exams by removing the inconsistencies in the length of different pieces of assessment
Designed new modules to embed the teaching of core study skills and quantitative data analysis skills more directly into subjects related to the core themes of the BSc IP, BSc IP & Sociology, BSc IPE and BSc Politics
Expanded the Welcome Week so it now includes social and informative sessions for all year groups
Created new initiatives such as a departmental blog, podcast and IP Common Room to remain connected to the life of the department and your peers
Introduced a new booking system to make it easier for you to meet your teacher and personal tutor during their office hour.

Journalism

In 2020/21 we:

Introduced a Careers Fair week for third year students that included events with alumni, cv clinics, roundtables with journalism professionals and a session on alternative careers
Updated the curricular on our Digital Journalism and Social Media modules to ensure they reflected the very latest industry practice
Introduced new industry placement schemes for students from Widening Participation backgrounds
Ran a sustainable fashion event that included students from across the three year groups.

In 2019/20 we:

Provided remote access Adobe Creative Cloud accounts for all undergraduate students enabling them to work on print and broadcast work at home
Brought in more industry professionals for masterclasses in digital storytelling for third year students preparing their final projects
Set up an African Caribbean Journalism Network to improve support for students from BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) backgrounds
Provided extra Adobe InDesign sessions, editorial style conferences and more focus on market research skills for students preparing final year magazines.

Music

“In the Department of Music, we consider very seriously every bit of feedback we receive from you, whether through module evaluations, submissions to the Staff Student Liaison Committee, informal meetings with student reps and others and of course through the YourVoice and NSS surveys. We are committed to providing the best learning experience we can for you and are continuously revising and hopefully improving this in light of your feedback. We are acutely aware of the manifold difficulties which students in the department have experienced over the last years, with a combination of industrial action and the pandemic, necessitating a shift to online learning and have been trying all we can to mitigate these circumstances.”

Dr Ian Pace, Head of the Department of Music

In 2020/21 we:

Worked closely with Property and Facilities to ensure Music students had as much access as possible to our specialist facilities (studios, practice rooms and performing spaces) during periods when the City campus was otherwise inaccessible to most students and staff. This involved acquiring protective equipment (screens, etc.) and devising special cleaning protocols
Worked hard to make adjustments to facilitate learning from home, in cases where such access was not possible, including the provision of temporary home licenses for specialist software
Instituted regular (normally weekly) meetings of a department Music Learning and Teaching group to facilitate more rapid responses to student learning issues and concerns
Introduced assessment-specific marking criteria across all modules, along with consistent guidelines to markers to make feedback more consistent and clear
Increased the amount of mentoring for Visiting Lecturers by members of permanent staff
Worked toward creating greater synergy between modules
Incorporated some of the most effective elements of online guided study into on-site seminars for this year
Introduced new modules in Romantic Aesthetics, Video Game Music and Jazz to respond to curricular and student needs. The former module, in order to increase the offerings, is also available to students on other degree courses (in this case English and History)
Expanded the integration of practice-based assessment options across a range of modules, to improve student choices in this respect, in close consultation with the ADEd to ensure parity between heterogeneous submissions
Hosted regular online social meets for students during the period of lockdown
Re-introduced ten ensembles to run this year, following suspension of all ensemble activities during lockdown
Expanded the scope and range of performance workshops, to facilitate participation across year groups and focus on particular performance-related skills, including nerves, memorisation and improvisation
Made best use of video materials to supplement pedagogy.

In 2019/20 we:

Improved liaison and communication with Visiting Lecturers, producing a Guidance document, instituting regular meetings of VLs with the Head of Department and integrating them into the wider running of the department
Worked on explaining the assessment criteria and the marking process more clearly to students, through module leaders and personal tutors and explained why it takes three to four weeks for feedback to be received
Worked with the Course Office to ensure smoother scheduling processes and communications to students
Worked on standardising the format of Moodle pages
Communicated more regularly with students and their representatives, providing evidence of how we act on student feedback, providing periodic emails to this effect and instituting an HoD forum where these can be presented to students
Consulted openly with students on course changes
When the pandemic struck, worked very quickly to institute new teaching and assessment processes in a limited time, even for the deeply challenging situation with performance assessments
Paid very close attention to the situation of all students during the early stages of the pandemic, to offer as much help and support as possible (including practical support for those in need of equipment and resources) for those encountering difficulties.

Psychology

“Our undergraduate degree provides an essential foundation in contemporary Psychology research and practice, as well as a broad range of transferrable skills. Our expert academics are dedicated to providing excellent teaching, individual research supervision, and support for student learning and career development. We continually adapt our provision in response to students’ feedback and have recently rolled out a series of enhancements to our programme to support online learning and teaching.”

Dr Elliot Freeman, Programme Director

In 2021/22 we:

Improved student communications with Programme Director newsletters and an active Moodle Student Room
Improved support for 3^rd year students who are making decisions about graduate schemes and postgraduate study with tailored careers events
Improved the presentation of Module information through all our Moodle pages, ensuring consistency, providing weekly plans, introductory sections with key information, welcome videos from the Module Leader and quick links to all active modules in the term
Improved opportunities for small group discussion work with seminars for every module, allowing you to look at topics in even more depth with your peers
Developed new opportunities to build a student community with ‘Get Excited about Psychology’ events and undergraduate Project Conferences
Changed core elements of 2^nd year content to ensure you get to learn about applied subjects in Psychology earlier in your degree
Changed Assessment and Feedback processes to ensure you are fully prepared for your assessments and that you receive feedback that feeds forward to the next assignment.

In 2019/20 we:

Developed a range of asynchronous materials and made them available in multiple formats such as PowerPoint slides and short videos to make them easier to study
Helped students manage workload by starting to delineate more clearly the readings, materials and activities that are essential from those that are desirable or optional
Provided more examples of sample assessments and developed marking exercises for students
Responded to the request for more one-to-one tutorials which will be scheduled with tutors
Introduced a structured approach to student support with a dedicated Personal Tutor Lead and an Education Lead within the department
Adjusted the level of preparation work for modules with more time available within sessions for collaborative work.

Sociology

“Student feedback is essential to how we make decisions about designing and implementing improvements to our programmes. We listen carefully to what you say because we know that we’re not perfect, but we want to do everything we can to support our students to achieve success at University and beyond. Every year we work with our students so that together we can build a department that delivers an inspiring educational experience. That means providing content that is sometimes challenging, always interesting and that builds skills and pushes City Sociology students to produce their best work.”

Dr Rachel Cohen, Head of Sociology

In 2021/22 we:

Introduced staggered deadlines
Cored up Y2 undergraduate), in order to create a stronger identity for students following specific routes
Introduced more frequent meetings with tutors
Started decolonising teaching materials.

In 2019/20 we:

Adjusted assessment expectations (especially for Year 3) to take account of the constraints experienced because of Covid-19 and used live Q&As and online forums to provide additional support and information on how to do well
Introduced an online booking system to make it easier to meet with academic staff for personal tutoring, essay planning or dissertation supervision. This has increased the efficiency and take up of ‘office hour’ appointments
Improved personal tutoring and dissertation supervision to better support students, with regularly scheduled group slots to make check in easy, as well as individual slots for more personal discussion
Developed the curriculum to reflect your interests
Responded to requests for more Criminology, with new modules at all levels including: Contemporary Criminological Controversies (Year 1), Victimology (Year 2) and Criminal Justice in Crisis (Year 3)
Reintroduced and revamped Sociology in Action (Year 1), giving it a contemporary approach to ensure all incoming students understand what doing and studying Sociology involves
Increased access to practical modules for Media, Communication and Sociology students, including Creative Technologies
Gave all students access to Social Action Project (Year 2) and the opportunity to work with community groups beyond the University and gain valuable skills.

Postgraduate taught students

"We are proud of the fact that around a third of our students at City are postgraduates. While our postgraduate degree courses are generally shorter in duration than our undergraduate courses, we are equally committed to ensuring that your study, supervision and overall experience at City is the best we can offer. The postgraduate experience inevitably varies depending on the specialism you have chosen but we are striving to improve some aspects across all of our courses in response to your feedback."

Professor David Bolton, Deputy President, City, University of London

In 2020/21 we:

For MSc Clinical Social and Cognitive Neuroscience

Combined a series of in-person and online sessions that allowed students to engage with the relevant research methodologies in a more profound manner
Developed a range of additional materials that can be revised online in your own time. This includes pre-recorded lectures, PowerPoint slides with notes, videos and additional reading articles and documentation. This has been designed to make your study and engagement with the core knowledge more enjoyable and challenging
Increased the number of formative exercises, so you understand clearly what is expected in your assessment
Made use of online technologies to facilitate group exercise and peer interaction
Expanded our MSc team and recruited expert lecturers and researchers in different disciplines such as developmental, clinical, and computational neuroscience. This also increases the range of research projects and research internships we can provide.

“We are a dynamic team and we try to adapt our teaching and research provision to the current needs. We listen to our students, and we work with them to ensure they gain a strong grounding in the neuroscience that underpins mental health, well-being and psychiatric illness, social and affective interaction, and human cognition. We are proud of our clinical and research internships provision that have played an essential role in shaping our students’ careers.”

Beatriz Calvo-Merino, Programme Director, MSc Clinical Social and Cognitive Neuroscience

For Economics Programmes

Extended our Welcome Week programme to last three days and give students more time to engage both with other students and staff and learn more about their studies within the department
Rationalised our assessment by significantly reducing exam-based assessment and by replacing it with a variety of coursework-based assessment aimed at developing a range of valuable transferrable skills
Coordinated the assessment deadlines to avoid the bunching of assessment deadlines over a short period of time
Organised the City Economics Festival that has given all our students the opportunity to meet on-campus after the lockdown and enjoy engaging with economics ideas, talks and games
Organised talks on the economics of cryptocurrency and the regulation of social media companies as an opportunity for our students to learn how the economics learned in the classroom applies to current topics.

For MA English

Provided a combination of live online classes and asynchronous learning materials to support your learning experience during the pandemic
Ensured easy tutorial bookings through our department Moodle Scheduler.

Offered regular assessment workshops and tutorials to support your coursework completion
Ran drop-in sessions with the Programme Director to ensure you had a stable point of contact during the pandemic
Incorporated groupwork into live learning activities to enable you to work with your peers during the pandemic

“In City’s English Department, we support all of our students to become confident critical thinkers and creative professionals. We aim to bring English out of the classroom and into the world by providing you with the professional skills you will need for all kinds of careers in the cultural, creative and educational industries. As a young and very friendly department, we are excited to work with you and will listen carefully to your feedback.”

For Journalism Programmes

Grew the pool of alumni and industry mentors available to students
Introduced a dedicated podcasting module, involving masterclasses with a range of podcasters and workshop sessions
Developed two new specialism modules on Reporting North America and on Film, TV, Video & Radio
Facilitated access to a hardship fund to support students needing equipment for remote working
Reviewed the UK Media Law module to include more participative learning and ‘flipped’ classroom techniques
Established a new MA Data Journalism pathway to provide more focused provision for students wanting to specialise in data journalism.

For MA Publishing, International Publishing, Creative Writing and Publishing

Provided a combination of live online classes and asynchronous learning materials to support your learning experience during the pandemic

Doubled the tutorial times available to students and ensured easy tutorial bookings through our department Moodle Scheduler
Ran drop-in sessions with the Programme Director to ensure you had a stable point of contact during the pandemic
Provided additional small group tutorials while remaining vigilant about your workloads.

“In City’s English Department, we support all of our students to become confident critical thinkers and creative professionals. We aim to bring English out of the classroom and into the world by providing you with the professional skills you will need for all kinds of careers in the cultural, creative and educational industries. As a young and very friendly department, we are excited to work with you and will listen carefully to your feedback.”

In 2019/20 we:

For MSc Business Economics / MSc International Business Economics

Introduced a second term module in applied econometrics
Incorporated more focus on the functioning of the European Union and issues raised by Brexit
Introduced more group coursework and chances for students to collaborate with one another
Widened our assessment techniques to include a wider range of assessments including presentations and group work
Strengthened our training in research methods to allow students to complete the Bloomberg certificate.

"For the postgraduate programmes we continue to focus our efforts on increasing students’ employability and their ability to enter the labour market with a good, applied knowledge of economics. Our main objective remains to ensure that our graduates have an ability to gain employment in well paid jobs that reflect their investment in their postgraduate studies.”

Keith Pilbeam, Director MSc Business Economics & MSc International Business Economics

For MSc Clinical, Social and Cognitive Neuroscience

Provided clear signposting of the required materials to meet the learning objectives for each module, so that students can prioritise those each week
Provided summaries of the recorded materials in the synchronous sessions
Increased the number of weekly clinic hours for the programming module
Created informal social gathering opportunities for students to get to know staff and each other better.

For Economics Programmes

Implemented a unified approach to ensure more consistency in terms of coursework length and difficulty across all modules
Organised three events with speakers from the industry to support students’ employability. The topics were: health economics, competition and regulation and the economics of blockchain
Added several electives to enhance the curriculum, such as PEM102 Cognitive and Economics Science of Rational Choice and IPM106 Political Economy of Global Finance
Replaced ECM171 Asset Pricing, which is more abstract and theoretical, with ECM168 Financial Derivatives, which is more applied
Changed the assessment weights in some modules, such as Applied Econometrics, which now has a 100% coursework assessment.

For MA English

Launched a new MA award in English
Ensured that all MA English modules offer clear and detailed guidance on preparation and assessment
Began to offer MA English students weekly drop-in tutorials with the Programme Director
Shared elective modules and social events between different departmental MA programmes to foster a sense of community.

For International Politics programmes

Improved how information about the different modules and the assessment is presented on each Moodle page by introducing a Moodle template
Improved our online resources so that every course page has more information and more electronic resources
Changed how students can book appointments with staff, so that appointments can be made instantaneously
Improved the consistency in our assessment by strengthening the way the scripts are moderated by a second member of staff and by reducing the inconsistencies in the length of different pieces of assessment.

For Journalism programmes

Provided remote access Adobe Creative Cloud accounts for all postgraduate students enabling them to work on print and broadcast work at home
Improved clarity over assessment deadlines by collating these centrally to provide an overview of all assessment deadlines in one document
Improved online learning provision providing more revision materials for postgraduate students studying Media Law
Improved scheduling and format of copy clinics and broadcast sessions for students studying for the MA Investigative Journalism
Set up two alumni panels and a guest lecturer to provide help with long-form writing to help Erasmus Mundus students preparing dissertations.

For MSc Organisational Psychology

Provided opportunities for students to stay online with staff after formal teaching to chat more informally
Opened Zoom rooms prior to the start of teaching to allow students to meet and interact socially with each other
Encouraged students to attend virtual writing retreats to meet and work together outside of formal teaching
Offered all students opportunities to meet individually with the Programme Director.

For MA Publishing Programmes (Publishing, International Publishing, Creative Writing and Publishing)

Hosted fortnightly drop-in sessions for the Publishing MA programmes
Doubled the tutorial times available to students which are taken up enthusiastically
Provided additional small group classes but have responded to student concerns about over-teaching by reducing the number of these following feedback.

For Sociology Programmes

Students requested more live lectures, so we increased the available delivery options to staff
Students requested more support with assessment, so we created online Q&A sessions to create opportunities for support
Introduced an online booking system to make it easier to meet with academic staff for personal tutoring, essay planning or dissertation supervision. This has increased the efficiency and take up of ‘office hour’ appointments.

Postgraduate research students

"We in the City Graduate School want to make a real difference to your experience as a research student by providing you with the skills you need to succeed: to network better with your peers across City, to enable you to give your research the maximum exposure and publicise your research more widely and to gain invaluable transferable skills to support your personal and professional development in an increasingly competitive world. In collaboration with our academic Schools and Professional Services, we strive continually to make what we do better and we welcome your feedback on how we can do more to support you as you study for your doctorate at City."

Professor Ken Grattan, Dean, City Graduate School

In 2020/21 we:

For PhD English

Provided online supervisions to support your research during the pandemic
Offered weekly drop-in sessions with the Senior Tutor for Research
Introduced Research Manager, a new record-keeping and skills training system
Invited you to online research and community events.

“In City’s English Department, we support all of our students to become confident critical thinkers and creative professionals. We aim to bring English out of the classroom and into the world by providing you with the professional skills you will need for all kinds of careers in the cultural, creative and educational industries. As a young and very friendly department, we are excited to work with you and will listen carefully to your feedback.”

For PhD Journalism Programmes

Improved our research skills training course by expanding them to include more quantitative research training to help our students develop their quantitative research skills
Enhanced departmental PhD seminars, encouraging our students to present their work to a wider audience in the department and beyond and receive feedback from staff and fellow doctoral researchers
Created a Journalism Doctoral Researchers’ Teams channel, where our doctoral researchers could share ideas and resources among themselves and relevant information on seminars, grants and other opportunities are shared with them
Offered funding support for conference participation to doctoral researchers whose papers are accepted for international conferences.

In 2019/20 we:

For Counselling Psychology Doctorate Programme

Fine-tuned the content and frequency of small group breakout sessions for specific modules
Helped students manage workload by clarifying the readings, materials and activities that are essential from those that are desirable or optional
Added additional resources to Moodle pages to support learning and teaching
Created greater opportunities for large group discussions
Clarified assessment details and highlighted coverage of relevant material within the programme
Modified the frequency of some tutorial sessions with a slight reduction based on student feedback.

For PhD Economics

Formalised and simplified the rules for transfer to the PhD from MPhil
Designated a member of staff to whom students can talk to for health and personal issues
Started informal PhD seminars, where students can present their work at any stage and get feedback from other students and academics
Divided the Macroeconomics course into two parts, so that students now have the option to replace the second half with another course offered by any Department of Economics at the University of London.

For PhD English

Launched a new PhD award in English
Created a departmental Moodle site with key information for doctoral researchers
Began to offer doctoral researchers weekly drop-in sessions with the Senior Tutor for research
Introduced a comprehensive new School-level PhD handbook
Offered doctoral researchers opportunities to audit taught modules in the department.

In 2018/19 we:

For PhD Economics

Updated current and past student lists and linked them to new student profiles
Created a webpage with the Job Market Candidate list
Organised an information session on the economics academic job market
Supported Job Market candidates’ travel to European Job Market
Reviewed and improved the Annual Progress Review procedure.

Bayes Business School

Accounting and Finance

In 2020/21 we:

Introduced a summer school to help students with revision and preparation for the next year of studies
Improved the ways in which we communicate SSLC feedback to module leaders
Improved the monitoring of the quality of the feedback received from coursework assessments and final exams to make sure that students receive comprehensive feedback on their performance
Changed the presentation of module materials on Moodle to improve consistency.

In 2019/20 we:

Reviewed the balance of elective modules across semesters to provide more flexibility
Changed the tutorial selection system to improve stability and organisation.

Actuarial Science

In 2020/21 we:

Improved the ways in which we communicate SSLC feedback to module leaders
Improved the monitoring of the quality of the feedback received from coursework assessments and final exams to make sure that students receive comprehensive feedback on their performance.

In 2019/20 we:

Reviewed the balance of elective modules across semesters to provide more flexibility
Changed the tutorial selection system to improve stability and organisation.

Banking and International Finance

In 2020/21 we:

Introduced regular sessions with the Course Director to discuss various aspects of the degree and address issues as they arise
Changed the Applied Research Project to improve consistency across the topic areas
Improved the monitoring of the quality of the feedback received from coursework assessments and final exams to make sure that students receive comprehensive feedback on their performance
Improved the ways in which we communicate SSLC feedback to module leaders.

In 2019/20 we:

Reviewed the balance of elective modules across semesters to provide more flexibility
Changed the tutorial selection system to improve stability and organisation
Made the Applied Research Project the default option for all students on the Finance cluster
Brought the Final Year Project process forward so that students can be notified of their supervisor at the start of the academic year.

Business Management

In 2020/21 we:

Introduced an academic welcome week programme to help new students get started on their studies
Improved the monitoring of the quality of the feedback received from coursework assessments and final exams to make sure that students receive comprehensive feedback on their performance
Improved the ways in which we communicate SSLC feedback to module leaders
Introduced the Applied Business Project to increase the options available to Stage 3 students.

In 2019/20 we:

Reviewed the balance of elective modules across semesters to provide more flexibility
Changed the tutorial selection system to improve stability and organisation
Brought the Final Year Project process forward so that students can be notified of their supervisor at the start of the academic year.

Finance

In 2020/21 we:

Introduced regular sessions with the Course Director to discuss various aspects of the degree and address issues as they arise
Changed the Applied Research Project to improve consistency across the topic areas
Improved the monitoring of the quality of the feedback received from coursework assessments and final exams to make sure that students receive comprehensive feedback on their performance
Improved the ways in which we communicate SSLC feedback to module leaders.

In 2019/20 we:

Reviewed the balance of elective modules across semesters to provide more flexibility
Changed the tutorial selection system to improve stability and organisation
Made the Applied Research Project the default option for all students on the Finance cluster
Brought the Final Year Project process forward so that students can be notified of their supervisor at the start of the academic year.

Investment and Financial Risk Management

In 2020/21 we:

Introduced regular sessions with the Course Director to discuss various aspects of the degree and address issues as they arise
Changed the Applied Research Project to improve consistency across the topic areas
Improved the monitoring of the quality of the feedback received from coursework assessments and final exams to make sure that students receive comprehensive feedback on their performance
Improved the ways in which we communicate SSLC feedback to module leaders.

In 2019/20 we:

Reviewed the balance of elective modules across semesters to provide more flexibility
Changed the tutorial selection system to improve stability and organisation
Made the Applied Research Project the default option for all students on the Finance cluster
Brought the Final Year Project process forward so that students can be notified of their supervisor at the start of the academic year.

Postgraduate taught students

Professor David Bolton, Deputy President, City, University of London

In 2012/13:

City was the most improved Higher Education institution in England according to the undergraduate National Student Survey (NSS). Although the results of the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey are not currently published, your feedback is used in exactly the same way as NSS feedback to support on-going developments at City. In 2013 you let us know how positive you were about the improvements we made in support of your student experience. Your overall satisfaction, experience of teaching and learning, and experience of skills and personal development support all remained high, at over 70%. You were more satisfied in every area covered by the survey, in particular:

Your overall satisfaction increased by over 5% to 75%
Your satisfaction with learning resources increased by 8% to 69%
Your satisfaction with organisation and management increased by 6% to 61%
Your satisfaction with assessment and feedback increased by over 5% to 61%
Your satisfaction with support for career and personal development increased by 3% to 68%.

Postgraduate research students

Professor Ken Grattan, Dean, City Graduate School

In 2017/18 we:

Implemented a new contract for postgraduate research students who are teaching, meaning they are paid for teaching in addition to any scholarship they receive
Introduced new Establishing a Teaching Persona training, created by LEaD, to help with practical skills for postgraduate research students who are teaching
Distributed over £30k from the Worshipful Company of Saddlers and University of London as conference travel bursaries.

In 2015/16 we:

Worked closely with City Students’ Union and the Student Centre to identify and design appropriate well-being support
Worked closely with City Students’ Union and the Student Centre to raise awareness of existing relevant provision for well-being support
Worked together with student reps to share tips on staff experience of managing an open plan workspace.

School of Health & Psychological Sciences

BSc/MSc in Adult Nursing (Pre-registration)

"We work closely with the Students’ Union, your programme representatives, and our practice partners to address and close the loop on issues that are important to you. At the heart of each of our programmes is a commitment to deliver an education that equips you with the knowledge and skills to enable you to succeed in your chosen career. Your feedback is crucial in helping us implement positive improvements to your programme."

Associate Dean Education, Quality and the Student Experience
Associate Dean, Director of Undergraduate Studies

In 2019/20 we:

Increased the transparency of formative assessments within modules
Included marking rubrics alongside marking criteria to improve clarity of assessment criteria
Changed OSCE's from summative assessments to formative assessments.

In 2018/19 we:

Ensured OSCEs occurred closer to simulated practice in the 2019 curriculum
Increased the face-to-face learning time in the 2019 curriculum modules
Spread out assessment submission dates for the 2019 curriculum.

BSc/MSc in Child Nursing (Pre-registration)

Associate Dean Education, Quality and the Student Experience
Associate Dean, Director of Undergraduate Studies

In 2017/18 we:

Facilitated two full days of Simulated Practice in October/November ahead of the start of placement in Part 2 of the Programme and included acute skills within them
Ensured the assignment guidelines were made clearer for module HS2043 and gave students the opportunity to submit a formative assessment to the module lead prior to summative submission
Arranged the nursing session for HS2132 module (acute care) to fit with the complementary HS2231 (biology) sessions wherever possible
Developed additional materials to explain the assignment for HS2232 including a video explaining the critical discussion forum (where the engagement is part of the marking criteria) and voice-over of the preparation for assessment presentation for more clarification and guidance on revision
Delivered a session for dissertation support in July 2018 and made the resources available over the summer period via Moodle
Allocated dissertation supervisors early to coincide with the start of the module.

In 2016/17 we:

Utilised an aptitude questionnaire developed by a service user as part of the selection criteria before students joined the programme
Offered placements at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH)
Provided Practice Assessment Documents (PAD) helping students to demonstrate their achievement of field-specific practice competencies and record the number of hours of practice experience
Signposted English language classes by the Programme Directors
Reminded students of the services offered by Learning Success prior to an assessment submission
Included formative assessment in early modules to identify and provide for those who required extra support.

BSc Health and Social Care

In 2019/20 we:

Continued to offer monthly programme drop-in sessions on MS Teams (First Friday Forum)
Arranged an additional drop-in session with the programme director at the start of PRD2
Arranged one further on-campus teaching session for HS3004.

In 2018/19 we:

Developed and delivered an alternative module to the Life Span Studies module, titled Human Development Across the Life Course
Allowed students to vote on whether to move one of the second-year exams to the spring term, so they were not all concentrated in the summer
Delivered an additional citation and referencing workshop in the first year.

BSc/MSc in Mental Health Nursing (Pre-registration)

Associate Dean Education, Quality and the Student Experience
Associate Dean, Director of Undergraduate Studies

In 2019/20 we:

Strengthened the role of the Personal Tutor, as well the early monitoring of attendance. Personal tutors are now required to document their contact with personal students (eVision). Students are now contacted regularly by their Personal Tutor so there is greater opportunity for an early identification of any difficulties and appropriate referral of students to university support services in a timely way
Introduced the rubric for the dissertation module which has been received positively by markers and students. The assessment process for the dissertation has become easier and transparent and has enabled students to see exactly how their marks are allocated for each section of their dissertation
Ensured all students continue to be clearly signposted to Learning Support if they are struggling with academic work. A new development in the School has been to monitor attendance. Previously, poor attendance was not as closely monitored and students with poor attendance were often identified as having difficulties.

In 2017/18 we:

Instructed module leaders to be as precise as possible in individual feedback when marking essays
Organised feedback surgeries, after results were released, for module leaders to be available to answer questions and provide feedback to students if required
Ensured module leaders were clear at the beginning of modules about the assessment criteria and what should be expected from students
Reminded students to access support sessions with Learning Success for help with drafts and essay writing
Consolidated the process for academic out of office replies, to include contact details of alternative academic staff including the Student Help Desk contact number
Agreed the protocol of academic staff arranging group meetings for personal students once a term and individually where required. Staff were reminded to reply to personal students and other student emails or queries, where possible, within two working days
Delivered a session for dissertation support in July 2018 and made the resources available over the summer period via Moodle
Allocated dissertation supervisors early to coincide with the start of the module.

BSc/PG Dip Midwifery (Pre-registration)

Associate Dean Education, Quality and the Student Experience
Associate Dean, Director of Undergraduate Studies

In 2017/18 we:

Developed the Link Lecturer role and set minimum standards for link lecturers so that they were visible to students in the clinical area
Coordinated feedback surgeries for assignments and OSCEs
Completed practice evaluations at each campus-based skills day to gain evidence of the student experience.

In 2016/17 we:

Developed a model of co-leadership for modules based on the principles of collaboration and mentoring peer support
Provided students with the opportunity to receive face-to-face feedback in addition to written feedback for assessments such as essays and OSCEs
Developed a system of practice buddying
Continued to develop a student centred, team approach to timetabling requests.

BSc Optometry

Associate Dean Education, Quality and the Student Experience
Associate Dean, Director of Undergraduate Studies

In 2019/20 we:

Developed a new absence and lateness policy which was rolled out across the programme
Included formative assessments for every module within optometry to improve progression.
Provided group feedback following summative assessments to all students and individual feedback to students who fail any assessments, including summer exams
Provided an opportunity to engage in extracurricular activities, including career talks and career engagement with employers
Helped students gain their pre-registration position by enrolling in our Personal development plan (PDP) module. PDP allows students to build up their portfolio, showcasing skills that will make them stand out to employers.

In 2018/19 we:

Ensured every module for each year now has formative assessments
Introduced that as a minimum, all modules provide summative feedback at the end of every assessment including summer exams
Offered revision sessions to all students who fail an assessment.

BSc/Grad Dip/PG Dip/MSc Public Health (District Nursing, Health Visiting and School Nursing)

In 2019/20 we:

Attended the student experience committee enabling students to be informed by wider University student issues and encouraged them to build a City Community based on their experiences
Signposted and encouraged students to attend Learning Success workshop on the use of Turnitin
Delivered learning session to students on reflective account writing in the Professional Practice Module
Provided teaching sessions to SPTs on how to support reflection and reflective writing
Linked visits to practice placements allowing reflective accounts to be discussed.

In 2017/18 we:

Organised more sessions for practice teachers on recognising and teaching more skills-based material
Set up all ‘turnitin’ points on modules to display originality reports
Reiterated all reflections on practice would be covered on the Professional Practice module
Confirmed the number of hours on PH3005/PHM009 Community Practitioner Nurse Prescribing (V100) no longer needed to be counted
Facilitated School nurse master classes to sustain and develop the identity of the School nurse students.

BSc Radiography

Associate Dean Education, Quality and the Student Experience
Associate Dean, Director of Undergraduate Studies

In 2019/20 we:

Increased the clarity of signposting of information about the programme and for available assessment feedback
Upgraded the Varian Eclipse dosimetry planning system workstations and software
Increased further the range of employability development support available to students
Introduced prize giving for Practice Partner sites awarded by nomination and voting by students.

In 2018/19 we:

For Radiotherapy and Oncology:

Introduced one-to-one peer training sessions in the clinical skills suite, so students can share learning, learn from peers and develop clinical competence
Expanded the clinical placement opportunities with the new practice partner, The Royal Marden Hospital Trust
Implemented online clinical assessor training to ensure clinical staff are up to date and ready for assessments in clinical settings
Strengthened the explanations of the assessment and marking process and the feedback received for each assessment
Ensured all assessment components include at least one formative assessment, to support preparation for summative assessments
Introduced more radiotherapy image review and matching sessions in the clinical skills suite to support learning in practice
Introduced compensation between two assessments in a challenging first year module
Further developed employability support, including preparation for applications and personal statements and more interview practice.

For Diagnostic Imaging:

Communicated assessment criteria at the start of the module and made them available via Moodle
Continued to provide advice and guidance to students, making this public on Moodle, to allow all students to benefit from it
Provided formative feedback on individual work to support students preparing for assessment, e.g. mock exams for VIVAs.

BSc Speech and Language Science

Associate Dean Education, Quality and the Student Experience
Associate Dean, Director of Undergraduate Studies

In 2017/18 we:

Successfully delivered 100% of student progression on the programme
Created cross-cohort modules between BSc1/BSc 2 and BSc 3 which created excellent opportunities for students across all years to work together and get to know each other and improved communication to provide learning support
Continued to roll out the new curriculum with improved learning experiences
Increased the number of modules where lecture capture was used
Continued to increase the use of more interactive lecturing, using technologies such as Poll Everywhere and Doodle Poll
Continued to support more opportunities for students to meet with peers, developing a stronger sense of community
Continued to promote a focus on personal tutoring and encouraged staff to engage with the personal tutorial system
Ran ‘Personal and Professional Development groups’ to enhance support to students alongside placements
Provided additional placements and volunteering opportunities, including new overseas opportunities for BSc students to increase employability
Won the award for clinical team of the year!

In 2016/17 we:

Increased the number of modules where lecture capture was used
Introduced more interactive lecturing, using technologies such as Poll Everywhere and Doodle Poll
Improved the availability of specialist equipment for the analysis of speech e.g. electropalatography and ultrasound
Explored how the City Micro-Placements Programme could improve your employability
Provided more opportunities for you to meet with peers, developing a stronger sense of community with both a Welcome Breakfast in September and a Welcome Back Lunch in January.

BSc Speech and Language Therapy

Associate Dean Education, Quality and the Student Experience
Associate Dean, Director of Undergraduate Studies

In 2019/20 we:

Initiated a student mentorship programme for all BSc cohorts
Adapted the programme to be delivered remotely due to COVID-19. Some of the practices have worked so well, we are taking them forward into our standard programme
Introduced “Welcome Back” talks across the cohorts to reiterate how students can access central university support should they need it
Held BSc Programme team meetings with the student representatives for each cohort regularly to facilitate any immediate changes required by the students.

In 2018/19 we:

Provided students with the option to move to the 4-year Integrated MSc in Speech and Language Therapy (MSLT) programme
Made use of lecture capture across all lectures
Provided formative assessment opportunities across all modules
Continued to build on the use of interactive lecturing, using applications such as Poll Everywhere and Doodle Poll
Continued to provide social opportunities for students to network with staff, including lunches and a project submission day party for final year students
Delivered pre-course content to BSc1 students to introduce them to studying at university
Extended personal tutoring to include Personal and Professional development Groups (PPDGs) from BSc1 & 2
Provided opportunities for students to reflect on their clinical practice
Provided additional placement and volunteering opportunities, including new overseas opportunities for students to increase employability.

Introduction to Health Sciences

In 2019/20 we:

Reviewed the timing of assessments to ensure that they were spaced out to avoid more than one coursework submission in a single week. Provided additional opportunities for feedback on written assignments and presentations prior to submitting them to help students obtain the best mark
Made sure there were different types of assessments across all the modules to allow students to excel and develop academic skills
Offered additional social events with staff at the start and end of each term to help students feel a part of the City community
Liaised more regularly with student representatives to ensure that the learning experience at City is of high quality and responded to feedback to make continual improvements as soon as it was received
Raised the profile of the personal tutor support and actively encouraged pastoral support to enhance student confidence in academic skills and progression onto the BSc programmes
Increased the amount of information on how to progress onto BSc programmes at City.

Nursing Associate programme

In 2020/21 we:

Reviewed and created new content of GIS weeks
Reviewed and adapted the structure of induction week
Only used MS Teams, for consistency of online teaching, following programme team feedback.

In 2019/20 we:

Reviewed and created new content of GIS weeks
Reviewed and adapted the structure of induction week
Following programme team feedback, for consistency of online teaching, only used MS Teams.

Primary Practice Nursing

In 2019/20 we:

Increased student engagement and satisfaction with being part of the community by inviting Students’ Union representatives to the programme university induction day
Promoted student participation in the Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC)
Included additional MS Teams meetings for students to provide support for their programme and assignments
Advised students to contact the module leader for support and guidance about their module, particularly when assessment guidance was required
Surveyed students to ascertain their preferred ways of engagement by the programme director and module leaders.

Return to Practice (Nursing) programme

In 2019/20 we:

Taught the Managing Patients with Deteriorating Conditions session earlier on in the programme
Provided clinical support by allowing flexibility in undertaking clinical practice hours in a Trust
Ensured the validation of the RTP programme was re-approved according to new NMC standards.

Postgraduate taught students

Professor David Bolton, Deputy President, City, University of London

"Your feedback is essential to enable us to continue to be responsive, creative and innovative in the ongoing development and delivery of quality, learner focused, advanced academic and professional practice programmes. Please tell us about your experiences with us: your views and opinions really do matter."

Ursula Smith, Associate Dean Postgraduate Taught Programmes, CPPD and Workforce Development

In 2020/21 we:

For MSc Speech and Language Therapy

Recruited two clinical academics to work with colleagues in practice to develop more placement opportunities
Provided timetabled rooms on campus for asynchronous group study to address the desire for more interactive group work
Worked with academic colleagues to ensure all assessment and revision details are prominent on the module Moodle page
Enabled Module leaders to create one Zoom link for the module and display it at the top of the Moodle page.

For MSc Food Policy

Scheduled Academic Skills sessions earlier in PRD1 to better prepare students for their mid-term assignments
Set up formal student-led study groups to aid student interaction
Sought advice from LEaD on how we can make Moodle pages more user friendly.

For MSc Health Policy

Held two careers/employment-focused events (one online and one face-to-face) for Masters students in the HSRM Department, including Health Policy students. The aim of these events was to increase students’ awareness of their career options and the job-seeking process, and to encourage social interaction between students across programmes
Introduced a new 30-credit module, HRM005 Evidence-Based Evaluation, to replace the previous general research methods module (HRM001). HRM005 covers the key steps in evaluating health-related initiatives at the policy or service delivery level, the aim being to provide students with a more applied, practical approach to research, evaluation and critical appraisal skills
Changed the mode of delivery of the HPM006 Health Economics module so it is now taught over 10 half-day rather than 5 whole-day sessions; following feedback that half-day teaching sessions are more conducive to effective learning than whole-day sessions, especially when delivered online.

In 2019/20 we:

For MSc in Speech Language and Communication (Advanced Practice in Health and Social Care)

Introduced two new 30 credit modules that enable students to study Acquired Language Impairments and Developmental Language Disorders in increased depth
Revised the Audiology module to place a greater emphasis on clinical applications and lab-based work
Changed the name of the programme to MSc in Speech Language and Communication (Advanced Studies). This aims to avoid confusion with the Advanced Practitioner role in clinical practice.

For PG Dip and MSc Conversion Nursing Programmes (post-registration)

Changed the timing of modules to fit in with students’ studies and professional commitments
Even before the lockdown, facilitated students attending Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) by having online participation
Re-structured a core module (APM001) to concentrate on professional challenges in family care.

For MSc Health Policy

Students taking HPM003 Health Policy in Britain asked for additional opportunities for formative feedback on the written assignment for the module. We included further opportunities in the form of individual written feedback on essay plans and a drop-in session to provide face-to-face feedback on the assignment
Students taking HPM006 Health Economics said they would like to see it cover a broader range of general issues within economics. We introduced sessions on economic evaluation methods and the use of economic evaluation in decision making, which are key topics within health policy.

For MSc Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Increased number of VLs to get different lectures (such as cardiac, paediatric, MR breast), but reduced hours from other lecturers to compensate cost
Run lots of manufacturer roadshows to ensure students had the chance to network with industry
Spaced out the lectures more for the physics RDM017 module, so students could spend time understanding complex concepts.

For MSc Speech and Language Therapy

Reduced the asynchronous workload
Provided new, chunked asynchronous lectures and reduced the use of old lecture capture recordings
Provided multiple, easily accessible Zoom links to synchronous sessions
Continued to support the mentoring scheme for MSc students, which paired students with second year students
Worked with practice partners through the challenges presented by the pandemic, to provide both telehealth and face-to-face placements for final year students.

Postgraduate research students

Professor Ken Grattan, Dean, City Graduate School

In 2017/18 we:

Implemented a new contract for postgraduate research students who are teaching, meaning they are paid for teaching in addition to any scholarship they receive
Introduced new Establishing a Teaching Persona training, created by LEaD, to help with practical skills for postgraduate research students who are teaching
Distributed over £30k from the Worshipful Company of Saddlers and University of London as conference travel bursaries.

In 2015/16 we:

Worked closely with City Students’ Union and the Student Centre to identify and design appropriate well-being support
Worked closely with City Students’ Union and the Student Centre to raise awareness of existing relevant provision for well-being support
Worked together with student reps to share tips on staff experience of managing an open plan workspace.

The City Law School

Law

"Excellence at City is about both your learning and the broader student experience. You are a partner of this institution and your feedback is vital to us. We can work together to build on our strengths, make improvements and strive to be the best. Your opinion matters so please tell us what you think today."

Sanmeet Kaur-Dua, Director of Student Experience

In 2020/21 we:

For undergraduate LLB

Improved students’ educational opportunities by doubling the amount of tutorial time per term
Improved students’ experience by reintroducing a range of modules (including LU3103 Media Law and LU3119 Medical Law)
Improved our sense of community by organising more live and in-person social events (including our Welcome and Welcome Back Receptions)
Continued to improve our students’ satisfaction surrounding assessment and feedback. Our NSS results increased on this metric by 8.6% in 2021
Continued to improve our students’ satisfaction surrounding the organisation and management of the programme. Our NSS results increased on this metric by 7.3% in 2021.

The LLB programme continues to provide a world-class legal education in 2020/21. Increased student satisfaction related to the LLB programme helped The City Law School to climb higher in the Times and Guardian league table rankings. As one of our external examiners reported, the City Law School LLB programme is one of the best in the country.

For Graduate Entry LLB

Improved students’ experience by mobilizing resources to provide the an on-campus and in-person delivery of GE core modules (within the limits set by public health guidelines)
Improved students’ employability by providing extensive guidance on accreditation processes for GE international students pursuing a career outside of the UK
Continued our ‘Student Cafes’ to increase the opportunity for students to give feedback to the GE LLB programme team
Extended our online induction activities over two weeks for new incoming students and put together a Welcome Back event for our returning students. Both events specifically accounted for the needs of our GE LLB international students.

The GE LLB programme continues to provide a high-level postgraduate degree in law and has provided its students with in person learning opportunities during the challenging circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme team has also given GE LLB students the guidance and reassurance they needed for the pursuit of their careers in the law.

For Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)

Expanded our already wide offering of pro bono and mooting activities
Restored several careers events and links with chambers that had been disrupted
Moved assessments on-line to enable students to take exams remotely.

The GDL continued to be one of the strongest conversion courses in England and Wales, producing graduates of the highest calibre. Leading law firms and, particularly, barristers’ chambers recruit in large numbers from our students. From the available statistics, we have an enviable success rates in our graduates securing pupillage. Despite the pandemic, student performance was at an all-time highest level.

In 2019/20 we:

For undergraduate LLB

Increased opportunities for students to engage in formative assessments
Increased the number of tutorials from four per term to five per term
Created new social events (e.g. LLB Staff Moot) designed to improve the community of staff and students
Implemented and rolled out our new programme assessment (RACER) and module assessment criteria to improve the fairness and transparency of marking
Created new social media channels to improve the community of staff and students
Created new digital Welcome Week and Welcome Back Moodle pages and associated events for our new and returning students
Created new Student Cafés for each year of LLB to increase the opportunity for students to give feedback to the LLB programme team.

The LLB programme is committed to hearing students’ feedback and taking appropriate action to ensure the highest quality educational experience.

For Graduate Entry LLB

Increased the number of tutorials to five per term
Implemented and rolled out our new programme assessment (RACER) and module assessment criteria (MAC) to improve the fairness and transparency of marking
Created new social media channels to improve the community of staff and students
Created a Welcome Week Moodle Page and organised an online Induction Week and a Welcome Back event for our new and returning students which specifically accounted for the needs of our GE LLB international students
Created new Student Cafés to increase the opportunity for students to give feedback to the GE LLB programme team.

The GE LLB programme continues to provide a high-level postgraduate degree in law and has smoothly adapted to its students' needs during the pandemic providing them with opportunities for blended learning.

For Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)

Introduced take-home final examinations for the first time
Introduced a class on British history and constitution for overseas students
Expanded the access of GDL students to careers support, particularly around those seeking pupillages.

Despite all the difficulties posed for our students this past year, we have worked with them to ensure their experience has been as good as it can be. The shift towards take-home examinations removed an unnecessary source of pressure, while enabling students to show their true abilities in legal reasoning.

Postgraduate taught students

Professor David Bolton, Deputy President, City, University of London

In 2020/21 we:

For the Bar Professional Training Course

Delivered a new CLS suite of Bar training programmes (Bar Vocational Studies programmes) to replace the BPTC
Adapted our method of teaching to live online delivery due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and all tutors were trained in the use of MS Teams
Applied for and were granted permission by the Bar Standards Board to change the way certain in-house assessments were delivered where it was necessary to take account of the live online learning environment and to fairly accommodate students studying online in different time zones around the world
Adapted so that Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) meetings were held live online, to allow them to continue with face-to-face interaction during the Covid-19 pandemic. This led to greater engagement and participation because a larger number of students attended the meetings. As a result we were able to listen and respond to feedback from a wider body of students.

For the Legal Practice Course

Introduced the Weekly Update, sent to students at the end of the week, to provide information about forthcoming sessions, assessments and extra-curricular activities
Enhanced our links with alumni, to put on more careers events for current students
Introduced pre-recorded large group sessions, to give students the flexibility to listen in their own time.

For Master of Laws (LLM)

Adapted the teaching method to provide recorded lectures and online synchronous Teams seminars that were also recorded
Adapted all reading materials to reflect that students would not be able to access a physical library
Introduced bi-weekly online chat cafes where the Programme Director and the Associate Dean Student Experience met any student who wanted to attend to create a sense of community and provide a forum for students to interact
Moved to online Staff Student Liaison Committees (SSLC) and Programme Committee meetings.

In 2019/20 we:

For Bar Professional Training Course

Addressed questions, queries and suggestions raised by student representatives in the regular Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) meetings, relating to the way the BPTC was run. Where immediate changes were possible, they were implemented straight away. Most related to details on individual exercises and approaches students should take in preparing for classes and participating in class activities
Following one of the summative assessments, there was a detailed discussion in the SSLC with student representatives over the level of difficulty in the paper. The programme director discussed these concerns with the module leader and subsequently the external examiner, both of whom agreed that the level of difficulty needed to be, and was, addressed by adjusting the approach on marking students' scripts in the module.

For Legal Practice Course

Introduced the first employer-sponsored Property Law & Practice competition, with an internship and cash prize as the award
Redesigned the Professional Conduct and Regulation course so that appropriate sessions were taught in proximity to when the applicable learning would be required in the Core Practice Area and introduced the new SRA Code
Updated and integrated the revised SRA Solicitors Accounts Rules introduced after the course commenced and as delivery progressed, ensured that students were taught current and up to date regulation.

For Master of Laws (LLM)

Improved the guidance and support for students choosing dissertation topics
Completed a successful periodic review with an action plan to be implemented over the next few years
Reviewed and expanded on our marking criteria and ensured all those marking coursework and dissertation were aware of the changes
Introduced acknowledgement letters of module audits (for law modules only).

Postgraduate research students

Professor Ken Grattan, Dean, City Graduate School

In 2020/21 we:

Organised monthly coffee sessions online, bringing together PhD researchers and CLS faculty in an informal setting
Maintained the regular and informal interactions between the programme administrator, the Senior Tutor for Research and the PhD representative
Advertised and offered two PhD scholarships
Advertised and offered a PhD scholarship to a black British researcher
Ensured that all PhD and upgrade vivas took place online and without any mistakes
Encouraged our PhD researchers to publish at the City Law Forum.

Even during the challenging academic year, we worked to foster the sense of community among our researchers and to respond to their feedback by taking appropriate action.

In 2019/20 we:

Improved the provision of information about events organised in the context of other programmes open to our PhD researchers
Improved the communication of information about the activities of CLS Research Centres and encouraged our PhD researchers to participate
Improved training about post-PhD employment and included sessions on how to publish a PhD thesis and how to publish in academic journals
Improved communication with PhD researchers by introducing regular informal meetings between the course officer and the PhD student representative
Changed our training programme to include a session on mental health
Encouraged and funded more social interactions between the PhD researchers to foster their sense of community.

The PhD programme is committed to hearing researchers’ feedback and taking appropriate action.

School of Science & Technology

Civil Engineering

"Feedback from students is crucial to the continuing process of improving the courses we provide. Understanding a student's experiences on their course enables us to generate ideas and initiatives that make the course more relevant, challenging and stimulating."

Dr Richard Goodey, Programme Director, Civil Engineering

In 2020/21 we:

Organised extra-curricular and social online events for students to improve their engagement and feeling of belonging to the Civil Engineering programme
Promoted student participation in the Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) by increasing their frequency and improving their format
Included additional MS Teams meetings for students to provide support for their programme and assignments
Organised bi-weekly surgery hours with the Programme Director to discuss matters of concern, the course and actions to follow
Recorded virtual labs with professional quality to give students practical experience in the distant learning delivery environment.

In 2019/20 we:

Organised extracurricular activities with guest speakers from industry to bring the professional Civil Engineering practice closer to students
Supported the Civil Engineering Society to organise social events for students to strengthen the sense of community
Organised in liaison with our work-based learning advisor a network event to introduce key people from industry to students
Created an email wire to communicate success stories of Civil Engineering students and staff
Organised a site visit related to the MEng 4 Design Project.

Computer Science

“The Department is committed to providing high quality education for all its students. The opinions from students play an important part in the monitoring and improvement of our teaching. Most of the changes that we implement are in direct response to student feedback. This year is no different.”

Dr Ilir Gashi, Head of Computer Science

In 2021/22 we:

Hired more academics to provide dedicated support to Stage 2 students, freeing teaching assistants (TAs) to provide dedicated support to Stage 1 students. There are now dedicated online and in-person support sessions for Stage 1 students ran by the 4 full-time TAs who support this stage (this is in addition to these TAs, and the academics, office hours). A similar setup is organised for Stage 2 students, where this additional support is being provided by dedicated academics.
Reduced issues with clashing deadlines by centralised checking of all deadlines and their early communication to students
Ensured expected use of lecture capture for all lectures in teacings spaces that support it
Organised and are continuing to re-introducing in-person social events for all Stages. We plan to organise several information and social events for students, to inform students of the module choices, placement opportunities, employability etc., as well as to facilitate an informal setting for socialising with other students as well as with academics and teaching staff.
Have helped students establish a new student society, e.g. we have put them in touch with the alumni who have been members of the previous, dissolved society and have promised them financial support.

In 2020/21 we:

Provided fully-online, high-quality teaching and informed students about this decision with considerable advance notice - this allowed students and staff to plan and prepare accordingly. In doing so, we kept our students and staff safe in the midst of the global pandemic
Increased our NSS ranking, based on the Overall Satisfaction metric, by 25 places nationally and by 6 places among London-based universities
Hired three new staff members dedicated to our UG programmes to support student learning and help maintain teaching excellence
Enhanced communications with our students, via more frequent SSLC meetings, regular FLIP emails and timely and effective responses to their queries and requests. We have observed that many of our students participated in the SSLC meetings
Improved the Final Year Individual Project delivery by offering several shared lectures with further information, insights and support for our students. In doing so we made the delivery more balanced for all
Introduced a new Year 1 module, Computer Science, Ethics & Society, that will cover material on ethical, as well as EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) aspects related to Computer Science.

In 2019/20 we:

Organised several events for students to inform them of the module choices, placement opportunities, employability etc., as well as to facilitate an informal setting for socialising with other students and teaching staff. An example is the end-of-term celebration in December 2019 in Ada Lovelace
Moved the teaching and assessments online with one weeks’ notice due to Covid-19. This was a tremendous effort from staff and greatly appreciated by the students
Invested significant staff time and resources to design our teaching to make it possible for students to continue their degree study without the need to attend face-to-face at City, employing learnings from the rapid move to online teaching. In other words, we created a fully online set of teaching resources and interactions with staff in a very short time
Secured a record number of student internships: 34 summer and 69 virtual internships, which combined make up an increase of 86% compared to the last year.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

"We are committed to delivering academically excellent programmes to equip our students with the skills and experience to match the requirements of industry and the professions. We work in partnership with our undergraduate students using their feedback to improve the delivery of all modules and the further development of the curriculum. Our vision is to produce high quality graduates with a range of transferable skills that will be sought after by potential employers."

Dr Veselin Rakocevic, Head of Department, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

In 2021/22 we:

Introduced a new elective module on Oil and Gas Industries for Sustainable Development
Ran The Energy Market and Energy Trading module as a core with coursework only and provided the Corporate Energy Management module as an elective
Organised lectures from industry guest speakers to supplement the teaching on our modules
Announced several university and school networking events

In 2019/20 we:

Organised guest speakers from industry to supplement the teaching on our modules
Held several staff-student social events to foster a community spirit across the department
Worked with the Professional Liaison Unit to hold a dedicated Electrical and Biomedical speed networking event
Introduced industrial based design projects in our Design modules
Ran MENG4 Group Design Projects that were mentored by experts from BT.

In 2018/19 we:

Introduced a new programming module
Developed professional lectures to assist final year project work and career development
Organised a field trip to a Transport for London Rail depot and signalling centre
Organised a final year project poster session, providing the opportunity for students to meet alumni and industrial professionals
Offered research-based, voluntary summer internships that provided students with an opportunity to gain professional experience.

Mathematics

"Throughout the design and delivery of our programmes, feedback from students is essential to ensure we provide a high-quality and effective suite of degrees. This has been particularly important the last two years, as we have had to make significant amendments to our delivery due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Over recent years all our degree programmes have been reviewed and revised to provide you with a rewarding educational experience and to equip you for a successful career after graduation. Many of our changes are a direct response to suggestions made by students and we continue to look for ways to improve what we offer based upon your comments and ideas."

Professor Mark Broom, Head of Department, Mathematics

In 2021/22 we:

Refined our teaching delivery, combining the best features of on campus and online learning
Further reduced assessment load and adjusted assessment weighting in response to your feedback
Introduced weekly induction lunches for final year students providing information and advice on various topics, including elective module choices and group projects
Introduced daily drop-in sessions in the common room for help on any subject
Provided enhanced support for exam revision, including extra review sessions, mock exam sittings and revision mailing lists
Reactivated the Mathematics Society
Organised enrichment activities, including the screening of a mathematics-related film and a trip to Bletchly Park
Earned Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) accreditation for the mathematics programmes

In 2020/21 we:

Designed a blended model of delivery combining the best features of on campus and online learning
Introduced a new first year Support Course to help you consolidate essential A level Mathematics skills with a focus on topics that you will need at university
Introduced a new second year module, Programming and Data Science for the Professions, to equip you with industrially relevant skills
Enhanced our start of term ‘boot camps’ to prepare and inspire you for the upcoming year
Reduced assessment load and adjusted assessment weighting in response to your feedback.

In 2019/20 we:

Introduced our new start of term "boot camp" to prepare you for the coming year
Produced a new extensive range of videos and other support materials on all modules to aid your learning
Introduced new easy to use induction material for new students
Introduced a range of new tutorials to support your studies
Introduced personalised timetables for all our students
Improved our communication through regular course update messages and short surveys to respond quickly to your concerns; this led to a new series of tutorials for one module and a reorganisation of other support tutorials in response to your comments.

Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics

"Our main aim is to provide a healthy and fruitful academic environment for all our students and staff. This needs continuous and transparent communication across the board and we listen to your feedback and modify the programme accordingly. Your experience matters to us and the whole University. This is reflected in the changes that have been implemented and the decisions that have been made. Please express your views on the programme and help us improve the future of City.”

Dr Mohammad Omidyeganeh, Programme Director, Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics

In 2020/21 we:

Improved students contact with industry through a series of industrial talks and follow-up Q&As
Improved students workload distribution by adjusting the assessment deadlines throughout the year, despite the difficulties imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic on students and staff
Were granted accreditation by Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for the duration of five years
Arranged regular drop-in sessions with the programme director to hear your feedback and act upon it.

In 2019/20 we:

Adapted our programme to a new online delivery mode. To this end, we peer reviewed all the modules and adjusted the contents, contact hours, type of communications with students and assessment types and weightings. We can now guarantee that the learning outcomes have not been affected
Added new channels for student feedback to the programme and reported action plans and their progress to all students on Moodle, Student Hub and via emails
Managed to extend our accreditation by the Royal Aeronautical Society for another year. The new round of joint accreditation meeting with IMechE will be held in April 2021
Held several social events, including career events, to improve employability, visibility and placement opportunities for students. The highlight of these activities was the poster event with about 20 alumni attending from industry
Peer reviewed individual projects to guarantee sophistication, consistency and resourcefulness for all students.

Postgraduate taught students

Professor David Bolton, Deputy President, City, University of London

In 2021/22 we:

For MSc Computer Games Technology

Included a Project Management module in resposne to an alternative elective module that isn't centered on artifical intelligenc

For MSc Data Science

Introduced a new elective on Natural Language Processing

In 2020/21 we:

For MSc Artificial Intelligence

Introduced electives following feedback from the students
Increased computational power with a dedicated GPU node in the University’s HPC.

For MSc Energy and Environmental Technology and Economics

Improved the clarity of the requirements for different elements of MSc project submissions. A detailed marking scheme is shared with both students and supervisors where the marking criteria have been clearly stated
Changed the submission time of the project selection form to after the delivery of all modules. This will help students to consider more topics and supervision arrangements before deciding on their dissertation’s topic.

For MSc Human-Computer Interaction Design

Changed the coursework and exam weighting for our Evaluating Interactive Systems and Inclusive Design modules, placing greater weight on coursework.

In 2019/20 we:

For all postgraduate taught programmes

Increased use of quick surveys and Staff Student Liaison Committees (SSLCs) to collect your feedback and make changes to help your learning.

For MSc Business Systems Analysis and Design

Streamed elective into three themes: information, systems and technology, providing examples of how these electives inform job roles such as systems analyst, business analyst and e-commerce developer.

For MSc Data Science

Responded to the class representatives’ excellent online surveys and in advance of the Staff Student Liaison Committees (SSLCs), made changes to the structure of the online labs, forming larger breakout groups and trying longer labs
Improved lectures due to feedback from the class representatives.

For Library Information Science

Moved our After Hours series of seminars to an online format, so that students can continue to benefit from practical insight offered by leading practitioners.

Postgraduate research students

Professor Ken Grattan, Dean, City Graduate School

In 2017/18 we:

Launched an Engineering Journal Club led by and for research students
Held School-wide events to foster a sense of community across the entire PhD student community, including induction sessions, a welcome party, the 3 Minute Thesis Competition and a summer party
Provided additional kitchen equipment (fridges, etc.) in CG41, the PhD, post-doctoral and research visitor’s open plan space
Continued to provide dedicated Teaching Support Co-ordinators to look after all matters related to research students and teaching
Implemented a new contract for postgraduate research students who are teaching, meaning they are paid for teaching in addition to any scholarship they receive
Introduced new Establishing a Teaching Persona training, created by LEaD, to help with practical skills for postgraduate research students who are teaching
Distributed over £30k from the Worshipful Company of Saddlers and University of London as conference travel bursaries.

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Informing change on your course

School of Communications & Creativity/School of Policy and Global Affairs

Economics

In 2020/21 we:

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English

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International Politics

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Journalism

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Music

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Psychology

In 2021/22 we:

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Sociology

In 2021/22 we:

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Postgraduate taught students

In 2020/21 we:

For MSc Clinical Social and Cognitive Neuroscience

For Economics Programmes

For MA English

For Journalism Programmes

For MA Publishing, International Publishing, Creative Writing and Publishing

In 2019/20 we:

For MSc Business Economics / MSc International Business Economics

For MSc Clinical, Social and Cognitive Neuroscience

For Economics Programmes

For MA English

For International Politics programmes

For Journalism programmes

For MSc Organisational Psychology

For MA Publishing Programmes (Publishing, International Publishing, Creative Writing and Publishing)

For Sociology Programmes

Postgraduate research students

In 2020/21 we:

For PhD English

For PhD Journalism Programmes

In 2019/20 we:

For Counselling Psychology Doctorate Programme

For PhD Economics

For PhD English

In 2018/19 we:

For PhD Economics

Bayes Business School

Accounting and Finance

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Actuarial Science

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Banking and International Finance

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Business Management

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Finance

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Investment and Financial Risk Management

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Postgraduate taught students

In 2012/13:

Postgraduate research students

In 2017/18 we:

In 2015/16 we:

School of Health & Psychological Sciences

BSc/MSc in Adult Nursing (Pre-registration)

In 2019/20 we:

In 2018/19 we:

BSc/MSc in Child Nursing (Pre-registration)