Information for students

Goldsmiths’ validation

The degree programme on which you are enrolled has been designed by your home institution. Through the validation partnership with Goldsmiths, your programme has been considered through a peer-review process to be of the appropriate standard and quality to lead to an award from Goldsmiths.

The approval process will have involved a visit to your institution from a panel of academics and practitioners to consider the programme documentation, resources, teaching, learning and assessment processes. The panel will have also met with students, programme staff and senior management. You might have been invited to contribute to the validation of your programme through attendance at a student meeting.

Programmes are validated by Goldsmiths for a maximum of five years. A re-approval process will be undertaken towards the end of that period.

Academic link

Each validated programme is appointed with an Academic Link (AL) from the corresponding department at Goldsmiths.

The role of the AL is to strengthen the collaborative partnership. ALs undertake activities alongside academic colleagues at your Institution to mutually enhance the student learning experience and staff development at both institutions.

ALs also contribute to the internal moderation of student assessments and attend assessment meetings at the end of each academic year (up to five years for each new partnership). This further supports Goldsmiths in ensuring that academic standards at Partner Institutions are consistent with those set for awards conferred at the same level at Goldsmiths.

Student engagement

During the early approval stages of new collaborative arrangements, Goldsmiths reviews the student engagement processes employed by prospective partner institutions to ensure that appropriate processes are in place for students to participate individually and collectively in quality assurance and enhancement activities. These include student representation on decision-making committees as well as structured opportunities for considering and discussing student feedback, such as staff-student meetings.

Following enrolment, your institution will have provided information to you regarding how to get involved and will provide periodic updates on how student feedback is considered and responded to.

Quality assurance processes

As the degree-awarding body, Goldsmiths is responsible for ensuring that the academic standards of the validated programmes delivered by its Partner Institutions are in line with equivalent programmes offered by Goldsmiths and other UK Higher Education Institutions. Goldsmiths also has a responsibility to ensure that the quality of learning opportunities offered to students at Partner Institutions are consistent with those offered to students on campus in London.

This means that Goldsmiths works with your Institution in setting and approving the quality assurance processes for your programme, which include the following:

Assessment processes  

Goldsmiths academic staff contribute to the internal moderation of student work each year, working alongside colleagues at your Institution and attending relevant assessment committees. A senior academic from Goldsmiths also serves as a member of each Partner Institution’s Board of Examiners, where students’ final awards and progression decisions are confirmed.  

External Examining  

Goldsmiths is responsible for appointing an External Examiner to each validated programme. External Examiners provide carefully considered advice on the academic standards of the programme, the integrity of the assessment process and can offer advice on good practice and opportunities for quality enhancement. The annual report of the External Examiner is considered by the programme team and relevant committees at your Institution, as well as Goldsmiths’ Academic Partnerships Committee and Quality and Standards Committee. 

The name and position of the External Examiner appointed to your programme will be provided by your Institution. It would not be appropriate for students to make direct contact with the External Examiner regarding their individual performance in assessments. Such issues should be raised through your Department or Faculty, and if they cannot be resolved through this route, dealt with through the appeals or complaints procedures. Partner Institutions will ensure that students receive access to the annual report of the External Examiner; often this is through student representation on the academic committees at which the reports are discussed. 

 

Equality and diversity  

Goldsmiths expects Partner Institutions to have equality and diversity and student support policies and procedures that meet the requirements of the legislation in force in the country where they are located, and which are broadly compatible with those of Goldsmiths. This includes providing all students on a programme with appropriate support; ensuring that the teaching, learning and assessment methods used to deliver the programme are inclusive enough to enable students’ individual learning needs to be met and reasonable adjustments to be made as required.  

Complaints and academic appeals  

If you have a matter of concern, this should be raised with your Institution in the first instance. The programme documentation/handbook issued to you by your Institution should include information on the complaints and academic appeals processes in place.  

If you have exhausted all procedures at your institution and are still dissatisfied with the outcome, you may escalate this to Goldsmiths depending on the nature of the complaints. Your Institution will provide you with full details of how to do this. 

Calculation of undergraduate degree classification  

Please check with your Institution for the algorithm for determining the final grade and classification.  

Degree certificates  

Upon successful completion of your programme, Goldsmiths is responsible for producing your degree certificate, which will include Goldsmiths’ name and seal. Your Institution will issue the certificate to you and will be responsible for verifying degree certificates, transcripts and qualifications to external organisations such as employers.  

If you need verification directly from Goldsmiths, please follow the instructions on Certificates, transcripts and award letters.

Personal data  

When you enrol on your programme your Institution will inform you the details how Goldsmiths may store and use personal data relating to you. Goldsmiths is committed to ensuring that data is managed and protected in line with the law and that the rights and freedoms of individuals are secured.

See how Goldsmiths handles personal data.