Degree Outcomes Statement

Introduction

The University of Derby was established on 14 January 1993 and became an exempt charity on 30th November 1995. Our academic structure has evolved in response to external policy, funding drivers and changing patterns of student demand, including online provision. We operate across sites in Derby, Chesterfield, Buxton and Leek (the University divested the Leek Campus with effect from August 2025), as well as having academic partnerships in the United Kingdom and internationally. The wider University Group includes University of Derby Buxton (formerly Buxton & Leek College), which provides further and higher education qualifications, Derbyshire Student Residences Limited (which has resources to support students accessing digital resources at their halls of residence) and Derby Theatre (our established professional learning theatre).

We are exceptionally proud of our reputation as an applied university of today and for tomorrow, and everything we do continues to be driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, staff, and the region. Our long-standing reputation for teaching excellence has received national recognition, with the University being awarded Gold in the most recent Teaching Excellence Framework Exercise by the Office for Students (OfS) 2023. We are fully committed as an institution to providing flexible study modes, either through online, on-campus or off-campus delivery, which can open opportunities for prospective students including those from under-represented and disadvantaged groups to take part in higher education.

This is the fifth publication by the University of its Degree Outcomes Statement. This document supersedes the previous version which published degree outcomes data for academic years up to and including 2021/22. This version adds data from the Academic Years 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25.

Institutional degree classification

Number and proportion of first or upper-second class awards (5-year trend)

HESA qualifiers population - includes all domiciles and modes. Unclassified degrees are excluded. Figures rounded to the nearest 5 in line with the HESA standard rounding methodology. Source: HESA Student.

The proportion of students achieving a first or upper-second class degree in 2024/25 was 7.2%points higher than in the previous year. This improvement was largely driven by a ~11%point increase in the attainment rates for BAME students. Some of the activity underpinning this improvement is detailed below. The steep increase in 2024-25 follows more modest increases in the previous two years. It should be noted that in each of 2022/23 and 2023/24 improvements were recorded in the average grade achieved by BAME students, demonstrating the systematic and sustained nature of the improved attainment. In these earlier years however, the improved attainment had not reached the tipping point of the grade boundary for an upper-second class award.

Attainment of first and upper-second class degree data (UK domiciled, full time only) over the last three years (2022/23 to 2024/25) by the following characteristics. Source: OfS APP dataset and HESA Student.

Awarding Gaps

Strong progress has been made in addressing differential outcomes for students with a declared disability (awarding gap decreased to 0.3pp in 2024/25). The increased use of digital tools, blended learning models, recording of sessions have contributed to this improved picture.

Efforts to eliminate the ethnicity awarding gap are led by the Provost, Learning & Teaching, with strategic oversight provided by the Access and Participation Steering Group. Alongside the strong improvements in the BAME attainment rates observed in 2024/25, access, participation and equity considerations are becoming embedded in everyday thinking and practice across the University, which is a significant cultural shift. Key activities in 2024/25 included:

• Strengthening APP accountability and governance through: (a) the Access and Participation Steering Group (APSG), which oversees the development, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of APP objectives and activities, and (b) College APP Groups which ensure that local plans align with APP objectives and are effectively implemented and evaluated.
• The Vice Chancellor and Provost, Learning & Teaching held biweekly meetings with Heads of School to ensure that strategic priorities were progressing and to provide impetus and support to the activity being stimulated through the APSG and College Groups.
• College-based workshops and sprint sessions, which included understanding awarding gaps, theories of racism, programme design and inclusive curriculum, and belonging and mattering to enhance the design of induction activities.
• Deepening the impact of unconscious bias training through small-group discussions that allowed reflection on lessons learned, behavioural changes, and unexpected insights.
• The Awarding Gap staff survey offered valuable insights into how colleagues across academic and professional services perceive their role in advancing inclusive practice, leading to a series of priority areas for action.
• Behaviour change and systems approach to awarding gaps, with a new working group supporting efforts to close the awarding gap by taking a whole-system view and identifying opportunities to embed inclusive practice across the University.
• A successful OfS Innovation Fund bid led by the College of Health & Social Care, in partnership with an industry learning-software provider, to address awarding gaps by improving student experiences on NHS placements.
• A new Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) Toolkit that provides practical, evidence-informed activities that can be embedded into in-person teaching to improve belonging, engagement and outcomes for students from underrepresented groups, contributing to efforts to close awarding gaps.
• Evaluating the University’s financial support offer to better understand impact and to maximise benefit for APP student target groups.

To support the eradication of awarding gaps, the APSG continues to work closely with colleges in driving change. Progress is reported regularly to the Academic Board to assure effective monitoring, staff engagement and improved outcomes for students. The University remains committed to eradicating these awarding gaps as set out in the recently updated Access and Participation Plan 2024/25 to 2027/28.

Assessment and marking practices

The Academic Framework of the University is set out in the Academic Regulations for students on taught programmes. The Framework is approved by Academic Board. It includes the awards that can be made, characteristics of these awards and the credit framework, which are all aligned to national frameworks and the OfS Sector-recognised standards (Part A: Threshold standards for qualifications at all levels). The Academic Regulations are readily accessible to both students and staff through the University website. The Regulatory Framework Committee (a sub-committee of Academic Board) has responsibility for reviewing the regulations on an on going basis and recommending enhancements.

The Academic Regulations apply to all taught programmes that lead to awards of the University. The assessment regulations encourage use of the full marking scale and define the award classifications to be applied to all undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes and the threshold academic standards required for progression and awards. Assessment Boards operate to oversee the assessment procedures and to ensure that assessment decisions are made in accordance with the University’s Academic Regulations and are consistently applied.

All summative assessments are subject to internal verification and moderation, with external scrutiny also applied to those elements that contribute to honours classification. These processes seek to ensure that the tasks set are appropriately aligned to the intended learning outcomes and relevant academic level and that academic standards are comparable with other institutions across the sector.

The University works with external experts in several ways. Validation panels include an external subject specialist who advises on the appropriateness of academic standards of proposed awards in line with external benchmarks. External Examiners comment on changes to the curriculum, Academic Regulations, internal moderation, academic standards (including comparability of standards of student achievement), the operation of assessment boards and academic partnerships via their annual report.

Assessment outcomes are regularly monitored by the Academic Development and Quality Committee (ADQC) and Academic Board to evaluate the effectiveness of our academic strategy to support student success. This includes twice yearly reports on assessment outcomes and standards of student achievement to ADQC and Academic Board, enabling both senior committees to maintain effective oversight of academic attainment and patterns of student performance across the University on a regular basis.

Regulatory changes to implement aggregate pass for undergraduate modules

Regulatory changes were approved by Academic Board in July 2022 and June 2023 to revise the grading basis of individual modules to require only a cumulative pass where modules contain more than one component of assessment. Prior to this change, students were required to achieve a pass mark of 40% for a module and a minimum mark of at least 35% in each component of assessment to pass the module overall. This change was applied to undergraduate modules at all levels of provision (levels 3-6 inclusive) and became effective from 2022/23 for modules at levels 3 and 4 and 2023/24 for level 5 and 6 modules. The requirement to achieve a minimum mark of 35% in specific assessment components in addition to passing a module overall has been retained for programmes and modules where Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements specify levels of achievement that must be demonstrated in individual components of assessment. Exceptions of this nature are scrutinised by the Regulatory Framework Committee and approved individually, based on evidence of PSRB requirements.

Review of Academic Regulations 2024/25

The University commenced a ‘root and branch’ review of the Academic Regulations in the latter part of the 2023/24 academic year. The review was completed during 2024/25 and a new single set of Academic Regulations covering all taught provision was published for the start of the 2025/26 academic year.

The starting point for the review of the regulations was the degree classification algorithm. The Academic Regulations Review project board sought assurance that the existing undergraduate degree classification algorithm met the ‘principles for effective degree algorithm design’ published by the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment (UKSCQA). The University’s degree classification algorithm was mapped against the models of appropriate algorithm practice on year/stage weighting, discounting of modules, borderline practice and zones of consideration, rounding up of marks and the use of multiple algorithms for individual students. The mapping confirmed that the existing undergraduate classification algorithm (see Section 3 below) fully aligned with the principles of effective algorithm design and each of the recommended models of practice. The review of the classification algorithm and confirmation of its alignment with the UKSCQA principles was reported to the University’s Academic Board in July 2024. This included confirmation that current practice was compliant with Condition B4 (Assessment & Awards) of the OfS regulatory framework in respect of maintaining the credibility of university awards over time. Academic Board approved a recommendation that the degree algorithm therefore remain unchanged through the regulations review process.

The regulations review was completed in autumn 2024 with proposed changes approved by Academic Board in January 2025. Key changes included:

• Combining the University’s award and credit framework
• Inclusion of minimum credit requirements at award level in the credit framework
• Undergraduate and taught postgraduate assessment regulations combined into a single set of regulations for all students
• Introduction of a late submission window for assessment
• Retakes (i.e. re-studying a module and taking the assessment ‘as if for the first time’) – first attempt at assessment in a retaken module to be uncapped

Classification algorithms

The University publishes the degree algorithm annually in the Academic Regulations made available to all students, staff and external examiners. For students on undergraduate degrees the Honours classification is based on the weighted average of the 120 Credits at each of Level 5 (20%) and Level 6 (80%), grade boundaries are set at 10% intervals from 40% (Third Class) to 70% (First Class). If the weighted average falls within the borderline range, Assessment Boards consider borderline cases. If the weighted average falls into the range (48+, 58+, 68+) the profile of marks will be reviewed and where at least 60 credits at level 6 is at or above the threshold mark, the higher classification will be awarded.

For 2021/22, in recognition that the restrictions introduced to help manage the impact of the pandemic may have negatively affected student performance in previous years, a temporary change to the regulations was approved to allow the classification to be determined from the better of:

• The standard award algorithm of 20% Level 5 and 80% Level 6 or
• 100% Level 6 performance

From 2022/23 the degree classification algorithm reverted back to the standard algorithm (pre-pandemic) for all students.

Academic governance (including for awards delivered through partnership arrangements)

The Vice-Chancellor is accountable to the University’s Governing Council as Chief Executive and to the Office for Students as Accountable Officer. They are supported in this by the University Executive Board (UEB), and the University Leadership Group (ULG). In their capacity as Chief Academic Officer, the Vice-Chancellor chairs the Academic Board, our sovereign academic body, which has established sub-committees that have clear duties and responsibilities concerning aspects of academic quality and standards.

Academic Board has responsibility for the awards of taught and research degrees; the approval, implementation and review of policies and procedures; and the promotion of enhancement. The Academic Board delegates detailed work to a suite of subcommittees, such as the Academic Development and Quality Committee (ADQC) which is responsible for oversight of academic standards and quality.

The Academic Regulations address all regulatory aspects relevant to the maintenance of academic standards of taught provision. Variations and exemptions to these are recorded in the relevant programme specification, discussed at validation, and approved by the Regulatory Framework Committee. The Regulatory Framework Committee monitors and recommends the approval of revisions to the academic and regulatory framework, which are approved by Academic Board.

Continual Monitoring is the primary means by which the University assures itself on an on-going basis that academic standards and quality are maintained. The continual monitoring process has been aligned to the OfS conditions for registration. The process involves the evaluation of evidence including student feedback, performance data such as assessment outcomes, external examiner feedback and module evaluation for example. All monitoring and review activity and outcomes are overseen by ADQC, which has lead responsibility for implementation of the University’s quality assurance policies and procedures and provides assurance to Academic Board of alignment and compliance with external regulatory requirements.

All University academic partnership arrangements (UK, international and apprenticeships) are operated and monitored through the University’s quality processes. The University applies a risk-rated due diligence process to any prospective new partner to ensure that the partner meets the University’s internal and external requirements. Management of academic partnerships is detailed in the partner contract and compliance document/operational manual.

Teaching practices and learning resources

The University of Derby is committed to delivering higher education opportunities which are equitable, inclusive and open to all who have the ambition and desire to learn and progress. A wide range of programmes are available across all levels in a variety of study modes.

During 2022, the Curriculum Design Framework (CDF) and Learning, Teaching and Assessment Framework (LTAF) were approved by Academic Board, these Frameworks apply to all programmes and modules regardless of their level, mode of study or location of delivery.

The CDF and LTAF offer a conceptual model for the design and delivery of qualifications of the University of Derby. The adoption of principles and outcomes-based models supports academic innovation and agency across the diversity of the pedagogic and epistemological approaches relevant to a modern applied university.

The CDF sets out the core institutional themes and principles that inform the design, content and structure of the provision. The drivers for the Framework are clearly embedded in the Pillars of the University Strategic Vision:

• Moulding the next generation of Game Changers
• Being a force for positive impact
• Opening doors for everyone

The CDF contains four core design themes which should be evident in all of provision. Each programme of study, leading to an award of the university should address each of the design principles in a manner appropriate to the subject, academic level and mode of study.

• Research and Innovation led
• Education for Sustainable Development embedded
• Inclusive by design
• Scaffolding Personal Development

The LTAF sets out the core factors that need to inform the way in which learning is enabled and assessed. The drivers for the Framework are clearly embedded in the Values of the University Strategic Vision:

• Value People
• Bold
• Future Focused
• Brilliance

The LTAF takes an outcomes-based approach to defining the core experiences that should be included in all programme delivery and assessment. These are presented as five Factors of Success and can be applied at all levels of the programme design process and as relevant to each learning interaction as well as at a whole programme level. Each programme of study, leading to an award of the university should address each of the Factors of Success in a manner appropriate to the subject, academic level and mode of study.

Each programme and learning event should consider:

• Sense of Belonging
• Sense of Purpose
• Self-Efficacy
• Resilience
• Engagement

The Factors of Success are multi-factorial and interact with each other. Whilst each factor is relatively easy to define it must be recognised that concepts are complex and will vary between individual students and will change with time. The purpose of the LTAF is to challenge those delivering and assessing programmes to consider how each learning engagement has been constructed to address each of the factors.

The University’s Strategic Framework identifies ‘valuing people’ as one of four core values and commits to providing development opportunities for staff to ensure they ‘achieve beyond their expectations’. This is further articulated in our People Strategy (2020) which notes that “we will invest in our staff to ensure they are qualified and professionally accredited through effective use of apprenticeships, attainment of teaching qualifications and HEA accreditation and other indicators of teaching and professional quality” (p.8). Therefore, Fellowship (FHEA) is a contractual requirement for all new permanent members of lecturing staff and an expectation for more longstanding lecturing colleagues at the University. Our recruitment information explains that those who join the University (or those within the University who move from a temporary to permanent role), and who do not currently hold FHEA, SFHEA or PFHEA, must achieve Fellowship professional recognition within 24 months of appointment. Line managers will discuss this requirement as part of the induction process. There is also a monthly admissions meeting which brings together colleagues from HR with the Academic Practice and Leadership (APL) and Pathfinder leads to discuss the route to FHEA for each new colleague. Senior Lecturers are encouraged to pursue SFHEA, when they have built up the requisite levels of experience, and this is monitored through our internal Development and Professional Review processes (annual appraisal). SFHEA is written into job adverts for Senior Lecturers and is an ‘essential’ requirement for Associate Professor appointments via our Learning and Teaching route.

At the start of the 2023-24 academic year, 81% of full-time, permanent lecturers held one category of Fellowship professional recognition (the majority holding FHEA). Recent data shared by Advance HE shows that the University continues to track above the sector average for the percentage of academic staff with Fellowship. The proportion of all academic staff employed at some point during the previous academic year holding Fellowship recognition was 61%. There are also three colleagues who are National Teaching Fellows.

Our teaching staff continue with their scholarly and professional practice through engagement with external stakeholders such as employers, industry partners, Professional, Statutory & Regulatory Bodies and external examiners.

We recognise the role of assessment and feedback in enabling students to have positive degree outcomes. Given our applied focus in education, we embed authentic assessment approaches in our programmes through formative and summative feedback, and a varied range of assessment types e.g. presentations, exhibitions, performances, group work, practical assignments, case studies, and viva voce examination.

Identifying good practice and actions

The University has a long history of sharing examples of innovative and good pedagogic practice through a central programme of academic staff development, and an online community of practice. Following a hiatus during the pandemic, the annual Learning & Teaching Conference was restarted in 2022 allowing the sharing of innovative practice as well as pedagogic research. Students have been active participants in the Learning & Teaching Conference since 2012.

Every year a refreshed programme of staff development is put in place to prepare academic staff for the forthcoming academic year, focusing upon the Curriculum Design and Learning and Teaching and Assessment Frameworks. It covers areas such as the digital teaching environment that is designed to enhance capability and confidence in staff to deliver to the standards of our institutional Digital Learning Baselines that set the level of required practice to ensure a high-quality student learning experience. The University has procured the AbilityNet programme to address accessibility and inclusivity of digital learning materials.