The EPC response to this consultation can be found here.
The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) is inviting responses to the draft Engineering subject benchmark statement. The EPC will be submitting a brief executive response highlighting that the statement could do more to promote ethics and sustainability. Meanwhile, the EPC team has compiled an opinion piece, the engineering benchmark statement is invaluable, let’s defend it well to engage our members in this consultation.
These Statements are reviewed on a cyclical basis to ensure they are as useful as possible for discipline communities and can inform a range of purposes across the sector, including course design and providing support for securing academic standards. Alongside discipline-specific information, the revised Statements consider the role of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), enterprise and entrepreneurship, and accessibility for disabled students within the context of the respective discipline area.
The EPC has been represented on the Advisory Group which helps ensure each review considers a diverse and broad spectrum of intelligence, opinion and experience. The questions (paraphrased in parts) are:
- Overall, does the revised Subject Benchmark Statement continue to define the nature of the subject area and the academic standards expected of graduates?
- Does the information in the introductory sections successfully describe the context, characteristics and purpose of the subject?
- Does the section on benchmark standards adequately cover the skills expected of a graduate in the subject area?
- Do the sections on learning and teaching, content and assessment provide an appropriate indication of these aspects of the subject area?
- Do the sections on Education for Sustainable Development, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Accessibility and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion clearly express the needs of the subject and students in relation to these areas?
- Do you support the grouping of Safety and Security topics?
- Do you support the grouping of Industry and Entrepreneurship have been grouped?
- Is there sufficient emphasis / enough detail on Equality Diversity and Inclusion throughout the document?
- Is there sufficient emphasis /enough detail on Ethics and Inclusion throughout?
The closing date for responses is Wednesday 2nd November. The final Benchmark Statement will be published in Spring 2023.
