HEAR new activity proposal protocol and guidance notes

It provides an opportunity to understand, articulate and quantify the skills and experiences that students have gained from activities beyond their academic studies whilst at university.

1. Activity: generic term which covers all academic awards, prizes, additional recognised activities and additional awards which can be recorded in section 6.1 of the HEAR. The activity will be completed by a full programme undergraduate who commenced study from September 2014 or a full programme taught postgraduate student who commenced study from 2017 onwards.

The activity name is the headline that will be displayed in Section 6.1 of the student’s HEAR.

Example name: PAL Leader

2. The description will appear on the HEAR and is limited to 400 characters (which includes spaces). The description should be SMART or STAR based and outline the skills that students develop and the impact from undertaking the activity.

Example description

Peer Assisted Learning is an international model for peer-led learning called Supplemental Instruction. PAL Leaders are trained to facilitate in pairs. PAL Leaders deliver a weekly 50-minute session for under 20 students and attend regular debrief sessions with PAL staff. Leaders develop skills including communication, time management, leadership, teamwork, group dynamics and facilitation.

3. The activity must correspond to one of the three categories identified in the national HEAR implementation guidance hear.ac.uk, namely:

• 'Additional Awards' (accredited performance outside the academic curriculum, e.g. co-curricular modules/courses/training programmes or structured award/certificate programmes)
• 'Additional Recognised Activities' (unaccredited activities which represent achievement and/or learning);
• 'University, Professional and Departmental Prizes' (both academic and non-academic)

4. The activity must not be a formal part of a student’s degree or a taught postgraduate programme or be credit-bearing.

5. The activity must not be formal employment, with the exception of the following types of University/Students’ Union activities at Goldsmiths:

• ambassadorial roles and student representation roles
• programme related roles
• research-related roles
• teaching-related roles
• sports coaching
• or employment experience that is part of a University-recognised programme

6. The activity must have run its full cycle at least once in the form in which it is being proposed on this document and must be an ongoing activity, not a one off.

7. The activity must be open to all full programme undergraduate or post graduate taught students at the University or all students within a specific academic cohort in accordance with our Equal Opportunities Policy. Exceptions are made for certain representative roles which may be restricted to ensure democratic representation of the student population as a whole, for example Women’s Officer. The process for accessing the activity must be transparent.

8. This is the criteria. An activity must be verified in accordance with an agreed set of criteria that outlines the process for completing the activity in terms of objective and quantifiable outcomes.

Example PAL Leader criteria:

• Be available to attend a 1.5 hour briefing in May
• Be available to attend 2 days of training in June
• Provide 20 hours of face to face study sessions across the academic year (primarily in autumn and spring terms)
• Participate in session preparation prior to and debriefings following PAL sessions

9. The activity must be overseen and verified by a member of staff, or an officer of the Students’ Union, or a trusted external agency. 

The activity verifier is responsible for:

• Providing information to students about the activity and the opportunity to gain recognition on their HEAR for their participation
• Verifying that the students have completed the criteria
• Submitting details of students who have requested the activity is recorded on their HEAR to the HEAR Coordinator within the agreed timeframe
• Update the HEAR Coordinator of any change to the activity, activity verifier (contact details or role change)

10. Activities which are validated in an academic year will be added to the list of recognised activities in the following academic year. Students will not be able to verify new activities retrospectively.