Briefing: how are universities protecting degree standards?

Universities UK has today [Friday 21 January 2022] published a new briefing outlining the continued progress universities are making in tackling grade inflation.

This briefing documents progress across the sector, explains the impact of the pandemic on the proportion of first and 2.1 degrees awarded, and highlights that there is more work to be done.

UUK’s last progress review looked at the steps universities had taken following the publication of a statement of intent in 2019, which saw universities across the UK agree new commitments to address grade inflation.

Examples of progress made across the sector has included:

• Universities in England and Wales publishing over 113 publicly available degree outcome statements, reviewing trends over several years. Many set out ambitious actions to continue protecting degree standards.
• Universities reviewing their use of algorithms, the set of rules which bring together the marks of a student into a degree result, using the new UKSCQA principles.
• The sector sharing degree classification descriptors, helping to provide students with a clear summary of the standard that must be reached for each classification.
• Under the direction of UUK and Guild HE, QAA is currently undertaking work to strengthen the external examining system.

Case studies from seven universities also showcase the tangible difference made at an institutional level following the publication of a statement of intent.

UUK will continue to highlight best practice in addressing grade inflation from our members and will issue further guidance where necessary.

ENDS

1. Chis Hale, Director of Policy at UUK, wrote a blog for HEPI in April 2021 covering degree classification, grade inflation and COVID: lessons from 2019-20.