See how we are improving our curriculum, so we can provide the best learning community for our students and staff.

Overview

What it is: A project reviewing our curriculum and how it can evolve to provide the best possible education for our students.

Why it’s better for us: It will offer a curriculum for students that is distinctive, expresses our values and creates communities of learning that engage students.

Why it’s better for the University: It will meet the Sussex values and simplify assessments to reduce the pressures on staff.

When it’s happening: We are aiming to bring our first round of decision to the University Education Committee in later 2023, for some things to be adopted in the new academic year (where regulations permit). Some enhancements will be rolled out after the new Student Information System is in place. Other changes will take place for future cohorts from 2024 onwards.

See what we are focusing on this term.

 

About the project

We are currently reviewing and reimagining our curriculum. Our aim is to improve the curriculum for our students and increase their overall satisfaction with their studies.

This forms part of our Learn to Transform strategy, which will provide students with a transformative, high-quality education and learning experience that will allow them to realise the futures that they want.

We are delivering a programme of open meetings to keep colleagues up to date with progress and share their views on the project as it progresses. Watch our previous open meetings

Upcoming workshops and events 

Principles of Curriculum Reimagined

The four driving principles of Curriculum Reimagined are:

Distinctive

To ensure Sussex’s educational offer is distinctive, expresses our core values, and reflects our research strengths.

Inclusive

To enhance our approach to inclusivity and accessibility, including to ‘design out’ Reasonable Adjustments and tackle Awarding Gaps.

Streamlined 

To streamline the curriculum, and underpinning administrative processes, whilst preserving interdisciplinary choice and best pedagogical practice, including the use of digital technology.

Future proof 

Ensure that our courses prepare students with the modern skills needed for work or further study so they can influence global challenges such as environmental sustainability, smart
technology, and human flourishing. 

Project timeline 

The stages the Curriculum Reimagined project will go through are:

  1. Scope phase

    February – July 2023: This includes consultation with staff, Research and Development (R&D) academic approvals, and outlining our business case.

  2. Planning phase

    July – December 2023: This includes developing our phased implementation plans and seeking academic approval for our final business case. We will start our preparation and enabling works in spring 2023. We are here.

  3. Implement phase

    Depending on the need for change, identified through our consultation process, you may see some changes in place for the start of the academic year 2023/24. Other changes will take longer to realise and will be delivered in last phases throughout 24/25 and concluding in 25/26.

  4. Handover phase

  5. Evaluation phase

     

Curriculum Reimagined is transitioning from scope to plan phase in July 2023

The focus for the next academic year will be:

Summer to Winter 2023

We will focus on:

  • reviewing the elective provision
  • proposing options for academic year structure, including feasibility regarding enhancement week
  • reviewing assessment modes, choice, and inclusive assessment strategy
  • concluding the University’s approach to Blended Learning at Sussex and inform digital teaching and learning
  • reducing cross-threading/cross-levelling of modules
  • designing quality assurance processes for changes that Curriculum Reimagined will bring about.

Winter to Spring 2024

We will focus on: 

  • reviewing minimum student numbers for optional module delivery, running a pilot throughout 2023-24 which we will evaluate throughout the year and finalise policy for rollout in 24/25
  • exploring and developing micro-credential mapping of skills for students
  • preparing to implement the review of assessment modes

Existing projects

Projects that will be feeding into Curriculum Reimagined include: 

  • the new Student Information System.