Summary of Strategy

The CUSU strategy accompanies selected parts of the University's Strategy and articulates CUSU's role in it, which is often complementary in aim but divergent in approach.

List of Abbreviations:

College AAOs: College JCR/MCR Academic Affairs Officers

CUSU AAO: CUSU Academic Affairs Officer

CUSU EO: CUSU Education Officer

CUSU FLO: CUSU Faculty Liaison Officer

FBMs: Faculty Board Members

General Board EC: General Board's Education Committee

LLP: The Learning Landscape Project

Senior Tutors' EC: Senior Tutors' Standing Committee on Education

TfLN: Teaching for Learning Network

Please note that this summary is interactive, by clicking on the Strategic Aim you will take yourself to that aim, alternately continue through the strategy by clicking on the "Next Section" link at the bottom of the page.

Strategic Aim	(Ongoing) Action	Appropriate bodies and student representatives
1. CUSU Strategic Aim One: Improving Learning Opportunities for Students
1.1 Preparing to Learn in Cambridge
1.1.1 Provision and coordination of skills courses a. College responsibility b. University responsibility c. CUSU responsibility	§ Support and lobby for the increased provision of skills courses across the University and Colleges. § CUSU to continue making exam skills provision and updating skills support on the CUSU website for the immediate future.	§ CUSU AAO § CUSU EO § CUSU FLO *through:* § Senior Tutors' EC § General Board EC § College AAOs § Student FBMs § PSPG
1.2 Provision of Stimulating Programmes
1.2.1 Examine whether the Tripos structure remains fit for purpose	§ Examine flexibility of the Tripos system, availability of subjects and whether the system is suited to the contemporary Cambridge student. § Participate in discussions on the Bologna Process & the Burgess Report.	§ CUSU AAO *through:* § General Board EC § CUSU AAO § CUSU EO *through:* § College AAOs § Student FBMs
1.2.2 Examine whether teaching methods appropriately underpin the programmes offered, and enable students the best opportunities to learn	§ Support and facilitate the work of the LLP to build a rounded and up-to-date database of how contemporary Cambridge students learn and are best taught.	§ CUSU AAO § CUSU EO § CUSU FLO *through:* § LLP Steering Group.
1.3 Excellent Learning Resources
1.3.1 Ensuring that learning resources, in particular e-learning resources, are appropriate for the education provided	§ Support and facilitate the work of the LLP. § Lobby for the use of applications and tools (e.g. CamTools, PDP) in Faculties. § Lobby for the development and availability of online Lecture notes and resources where insufficient.	§ CUSU AAO § CUSU EO § CUSU FLO *through:* § LLP Steering Group § Student FBMs
1.4 Appropriate Assessment
1.4.1 Explore further how to encourage effective feedback on summative assessment bearing in mind the full range of feedback mechanisms available in Faculties, Departments and Colleges	§ To encourage Faculties to adhere to the recommendations from the General Board Education Committee of giving a break down of marks received for each question taken and making model answers available where appropriate. § To encourage making use of formative assessment such as mock exams a standard practice across Colleges where appropriate.	§ CUSU AAO § CUSU FLO *through:* § Student FBMs on Faculty Boards and Student Staff Consultative Committees. § CUSU AAO § CUSU EO *through:* § College AAOs
1.4.2 Reviewing the appropriateness of assessment methods bearing in mind the full range of assessment methods available	§ Investigating the suitability of current methods of assessment in the University. § Investigating the current policies regarding resits and special circumstances.	§ CUSU AAO § CUSU EO *through:* § Senior Tutors' EC § General Board EC § College AAOs
1.4.3 Exploring better ways of alerting students to the dangers of plagiarism and provide guidance and support to enable students to avoid plagiarism	§ Encourage plagiarism to be taught out of the system and a mature use of Plagiarism Detection Equipment (PDE).	§ CUSU AAO § CUSU FLO *through:* § Plagiarism Steering Grp § General Board EC § Student FBMs
1.5 Feedback and representation.
1.5.1 Improving feedback mechanisms and student representation of Academic Affairs in Colleges	§ Illustrate and disseminate better feedback and representation mechanisms across Colleges.	§ CUSU AAO *through:* § Senior Tutors' EC § CUSU AAO § CUSU EO *through:* § College AAOs
1.5.2 Improving feedback mechanisms and ensuring effective student representation in Faculties	§ Illustrate and disseminate better feedback mechanisms across Faculties and Departments.	§ CUSU AAO § CUSU FLO *through:* § Student FBMs
2. CUSU Strategic Aim Two: Recognition, Support and Reward for Teachers
2.1 Support and Training
2.1.1 Improving quality and uptake of Supervisor Training	§ Encouraging the better uptake and quality of training.	§ CUSU AAO with GU *through:* § Senior Tutors' EC § Student FBMs
2.1.2 Promoting Pedagogic Support within the University	§ CUSU to continue to push for greater pedagogic support, through the Review of Learning and Teaching Support and in other relevant committees.	§ CUSU AAO *through:* § Review of Learning & Teaching Support § General Board EC
2.1.3 Supporting innovation and dissemination of good teaching practice as a means to engage more experienced teachers *Case study:* Department of Plant Sciences	§ Support the building of TfLN activities and other proven good teaching practices into a sustainable pedagogy support structure within the University.	§ CUSU AAO *through:* § Review of Learning & Teaching Support § General Board EC
2.2 Reward and Recognition
2.2.1 Explore appropriate structures to ensure recognition of and reward for teaching excellence and an expectation on all established academic staff to take part in learning and teaching activities	§ To support institutional changes which value and reward excellence in teaching, such as those proposed in Chemistry.	§ CUSU AAO *through:* § General Board EC.

Next Section: Strategy

Previous Section: Mission Statement

Return to Index