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Common Awards (Theology, Ministry and Mission)
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Student Representation

How can I have a say in the running of Common Awards at a national level? 

The Common Awards Management Board (CAMB) is a committee with responsibility for and oversight of the quality and standards of the overarching Common Awards partnerships and programmes. The membership of the Board includes students from TEIs who represent the whole of the Common Awards student body. Student representatives are able to contribute to Common Awards decision-making, policy development and the ongoing monitoring and development of Common Awards on a national level.  

If you have any feedback you would like the Management Board to consider, you can submit this to one of the CAMB student representatives at any point. The Board takes the issue of anonymity very seriously; individual students will not be named in any student feedback considered by the Board, and any identifying information will be removed before feedback is considered.

Who are the current CAMB student representatives and how can I contact them? 

The current CAMB student representatives and their contact details are as follows:

What is the specific role of a student representative on the Management Board? 

Student representatives are elected for one year. The role of the student representatives is: 

  • to be present at the relevant meeting(s) of the Common Awards Management Board that they have agreed to attend 
  • to gather and collate feedback from students at TEIs, and submit items of student feedback to the Chair of the Management Board 
  • to provide an oral update at the meeting on any feedback they have received from students at TEIs 
  • to report back to students on matters raised and discussed at the Common Awards Management Board. 

How can I become a CAMB student representative? 

The Common Awards team usually facilitates an election process for CAMB student representatives in February, and those elected will begin their role from the following September. Any Common Awards student can nominate themselves for election. The self-nomination form will be sent to your TEI to forward to all students. 

How does the voting work during a CAMB student election? 

Once candidates have come forward, each TEI individually holds an election process for students to vote on their chosen candidate. Following their election process, each TEI then provides the Common Awards Team with a list of all candidates who received votes in ranked order. Once ranked preferences have been received from each TEI, the Common Awards Team uses a Single Transferable Vote system to identify the three candidates with the highest number of votes across all TEIs. 

 

What support is available for CAMB student representatives? 

We will reimburse travel and subsistence costs for student representatives and will provide advice and support to representatives throughout the year.  

How can I have a say in the running of my TEI? 

Each TEI also runs its own election process to elect student representatives at a TEI level, and you can ask your own TEI about how to get involved in this. CAMB student representatives are put in touch with TEI student representatives to share feedback and good practice.  

How do I know which issues are appropriate for the Management Board to consider?  

It is sometimes difficult for students to know which aspects of their programme depend on Durham, and which depend on their local institution, and so difficult to know how to direct feedback. See our How Does the Common Awards Shape Your Programme page for more information on where responsibility falls.  

Examples of the types of student feedback that would be appropriate to be raised at the level of the Management Board: 

  • Student views on the content and design of the overarching Common Awards programmes and modules and the methods of teaching and assessment 
    • For example: do students feel there is a sufficient range and depth of modules available? Are the assessment methods balanced and appropriate and is it clear what is expected of students for each assessment type? Do students feel the programmes allow them to develop the necessary skills and subject knowledge? 
  • Student views on Common Awards policies and processes that they have experience of (for example, admissions, Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL), concessions, academic complaints) 
    • For example: are these processes clear and unambiguous to follow? Is sufficient information provided? 
  • Student views on the operation of the Common Awards Scheme more broadly 
    • For example: what things do students feel are going well and are there any areas that could be improved? Are there any areas of good practice that they wish to highlight? 

We wouldn’t expect to take student feedback to the overarching Management Board regarding TEI-specific issues, such as issues relating to the resources, staffing or programme delivery at any individual TEI. These types of issues should be considered at TEI Management Committees.