Academic Programme Engagement Policy

Applies to:	Faculty of Arts & Sciences / The Language Centre List of programmes this policy applies to:
STEM IFP 
University Foundation Certificate (UFC)
MA TESOL
Pre-sessional Course
UG Language Electives (modules not Programme)	

Policy owner:	
Head of Department	
Effective from:	September 2020. (Amended November 2023)	

Engagement requirements	

Timetabled teaching sessions are an essential part of the student learning experience and success. The Department expects students to:
•	attend all timetabled teaching sessions (both face-to-face and online);
•	engage with online resources and asynchronous delivery of teaching material on weekly basis;
•	complete learning tasks and submit assessments within published timescales/deadlines.

Student Visa holders are additionally responsible for complying with UKVI academic engagement requirements as specified in this policy.

Student Visa holders on programmes at RQF level 5 and below (i.e. UFC programme) are required to attend a minimum of 15 hours of daytime (08:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday) classroom-based study.	

Attendance monitoring patterns	

All teaching sessions will be monitored for attendance. Student attendance will be reviewed regularly, with emphasis
•	at the start of the programme; and
•	immediately following extended breaks where students have not been regularly attending (e.g. week 2 of semester 2, the first teaching week), or after an assessment week or placement.

Attendance at face-to-face and sessions and online synchronous delivery will be recorded via Qwickly.

Patterns will be monitored by percentage of attendance across the whole programme during each semester and in each module during its duration. Any records of less than 80% attendance in any of these two criteria, will be below desired levels of attendance. This is 85% for Student Visa holders on the UFC programme. 	

Trigger points for each non-engagement level (excluding Student Visa holders on the UFC programme)	

Following review, the programme team may view a student’s attendance and engagement to be below expectations based on the three broad levels listed below:

Level 1 - Engagement concern:
One or more consecutive weeks of absence and/or non-engagement with learning activities/ formative tasks; or less than 80% attendance across the programme or in any one module.

Level 2 - Sustained non-engagement:
No response to Level 1 concern email, or lack of progress with actions agreed; less than 60% attendance across the programme or in any one module.

Level 3 - Significant non-engagement:
Lack of progress with actions agreed at Level 2; attendance and/or engagement continue to be below expectations or deteriorated; assessment deadlines have been missed.

The above listed reasons for concern (for each level) are indicative and not exhaustive.
In those instances where non-engagement is identified immediately to be sustained or significant, the department Level 1 and/or 2 may be bypassed.	

Non-engagement of Student Visa holders on UFC programme (RQF level 5 and below)	

 To comply with UKVI regulations Student Visa holders on the UFC programme must meet the following attendance requirements:
 
1-	The student must have at least 85% attendance of their classroom-based study in any given month. Where this is not met, the Language Centre must review the reason for the student’s absence. The reason must be recorded along with steps taken to improve the student’s attendance.

2-	Where the student’s attendance falls below 70% for three consecutive months, we must withdraw sponsorship due to lack of academic engagement unless there are exceptional and evidenced reasons for the non-attendance. This is a UKVI compliance requirement.

Process for student reporting absence	

The Department understands that students may face difficulty in attending all sessions, and as such recognises that there will be cases of both planned and unexpected absence.

As a matter of courtesy, students are encouraged, wherever possible, to let us know if unable to attend their sessions by emailing at: efl@edgehill.ac.uk
Please include:
•	Module title and date/time of the missed session(s)
•	Reason for absence

Students who need to be absent during placements, they need to notify their academic department (same process as above) and their placement supervisor.	

Process for assessing programme engagement	

Programme teams will review student attendance and engagement information regularly (weekly for the first 6 weeks of the academic year; fortnightly after that). The Department Administration Managers will be responsible for ensuring all required data will be made available to the programme team.

Information reviewed may include (but not limited to):
•	Attendance at timetabled teaching sessions, including work placements;
•	Meetings with their personal tutor/ project or placement supervisor;	

•	Engagement with the online learning resources and formative learning tasks;
•	Submission of coursework and/or attendance at an examination.

For students with continuing attendance/engagement below the expectations, additional information and action considered may include:
•	Student attendance to Progress Support Meetings (PSM);
•	Engagement and progress with previously agreed action plan aimed to support re-engagement;
•	Disclosure of personal/health circumstances impacting on attendance/engagement.
•	Possible withdrawal of visa sponsorship for Student Visa holders who are non-compliant to this policy and/or UKVI requirements on Academic Engagement.