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July 2024 Bulletin

1 July 2024
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  1. Common Awards Team
  2. Upcoming Dates and Deadlines
  3. Durham University Board of Examiners (Overarching)
  4. Conversion of Marks
  5. Common Awards Student Survey
  6. ZendTo file sharing software
  7. Published information
  8. 2024/25 Calendar

1. Common Awards Team

Please note that the Common Awards administrative team may be less responsive than usual from 26th June – 3th July. During this period members of the team will be involved in marshalling at the University congregation ceremonies.  The Student Event on Mental Health in Ministry and Durham Theological Educator’s Conference will also run from 9th-12th July. Please bear with us and we will respond to queries as soon as we are able to.

2. Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

9th July - Student Event: in-person conference on Mental Health in Ministry, Durham

10th - 12th July - The Annual Conference for Theological Educators

12th July – Deadline for CIS account holders to complete extension request

2nd August - Deadline: TEIs to submit Common Awards Management Committee membership lists and quoracy arrangements, as well as dates for upcoming CAMCs

2nd August - Deadline: TEIs to submit T9 (Staffing List) for 2024/25 academic year

2nd August - Deadline: TEIs to submit Common Awards policies, to include the following:

    • Admissions
    • Accreditation of Prior Learning
    • Academic Progress Notice
    • Academic Misconduct
    • Complaints and Appeals
    • Overlength work
    • Placements
    • Research Ethics (and misconduct)

3. Board of Examiners (Overarching)

In preparation for upcoming TEI Boards of Examiners meetings, please see below for the list of documentation/data reports required by the University following each Board:

  • confirmed module marks for completing students registered on Common Awards programmes (see our guidance on submitting module marks) within 48 hours - report V4 DU - Marks List - 48hr in Moodle;
  • Moodle marksheets for students recommended to the Overarching Board of Examiners within 48 hours;
  • outcomes of the scrutiny of SACs applications (see our guidance on SACs on the website for more information);
  • minutes of TEI Boards of Examiners within 2 weeks of the date of the meeting - please use the agenda and minutes templates Templates and Forms page.  

Confirmed module marks for continuing students (Moodle report V4 January marks ALL Boards) should be returned in January 2025, following all TEI Boards.

4. Conversion of Marks

Ahead of the Board of Examiners, we would like to remind TEIs of the principles surrounding the conversion of marks.

Some assignments, like language tests, might produce quantitative scores. Those scores are not the marks for that assignment. In principle, they will always need to go through some process of conversion – where conversion involves making qualitative judgments about what is meant by different levels of achievement in a quantitatively scored test, and then translating those qualitative judgments into numerical marks in the normal way. 

Further information on Converting Test Scores into Marks is available on our website.

 5. Common Awards Student Survey 2024

We are pleased to report that the overall satisfaction rate for Common Awards students remains very high, with 94.55% of students agreeing that they are satisfied with the quality of their course.  Raw survey data has been shared with TEIs, and further analysis will follow this month.

6. ZendTo file sharing software

TEIs are reminded that ZendTo (the University’s file sharing software) is available to facilitate file sharing with the Common Awards Team. This is particularly useful for file types that cannot be password-protected, such as HTML files.

To use ZendTo visit https://zendto.dur.ac.uk/, select Drop Off and follow the instructions to send files to the Common Awards Team. Files can be encrypted within ZendTo with your usual password for added security.

Please do contact the Team if you have any questions.

7. Published information

TEIs are reminded that all published information for and associated with validated Common Awards programmes and the partnership with the University must be approved in advance by the Common Awards Management Board, on behalf of the University. TEIs are contractually obliged to share all publicity materials that reference Durham University, the Common Awards partnership and/or the Common Awards programmes. 

The Common Awards Team have been asked by the University’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) working group to undertake a review of all published information for and associated with validated Common Awards programmes and the partnership with the University. We would kindly ask that TEIs check all published information of this nature to ensure that it takes into account the following, and that any new material is submitted to the University for approval:

  • That references to ‘Durham’ are in context. i.e. that it is clear that is it the ‘University of Durham’ or ‘Durham University’
  • That it is clear to students that they will receive a Durham University award.
  • The programmes (and modules) listed are accurate:
    • that you have approval to deliver the programmes listed;
    • that the name of the programmes are recognisable (e.g. CertHE in Theology, Ministry and Mission would be fine);
    • that any programmes that have not yet been approved are listed as “subject to approval” or “subject to validation”
  • The correct terminology is used about the University and Common Awards
    • e. the University offers a validation arrangement rather than an accreditation
    • the awards are validated or awarded by Durham University, rather than Common Awards.
  • TEIs cannot advertise a Graduation or Congregation ceremony as students officially graduate from the University. Celebration events are fine.
  • Check any links to the University web pages are correct.

9. 2024/25 Calendar

The Common Awards calendar for the academic year 2024/25 is now available here.

With thanks,

The Common Awards Team