What is HEAR?
The HEAR is a means for recording student achievement in higher education (HE) and is intended to provide more detailed information about a student’s learning and achievement than the traditional degree classification system. It will be issued to students on graduation and will include and extend the existing record of academic achievement – the academic transcript and the European Diploma Supplement. It will be issued to graduates across the sector from 2012-13.
The HEAR contains new, more detailed, information in two key sections:
The HEAR provides details about the contents of the programme studied. This includes: details of the course coverage, knowledge and understanding the student can be expected to have gained; year-by-year breakdown of modules studied and marks obtained; and the main intellectual, practical and key transferable skills that the student should have developed during their studies.
One whole section of the HEAR is dedicated to additional information - rounding out the picture of the student beyond traditional academic achievement. This is verified and validated by the institution in three categories of:
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additional awards
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additional recognised activities; and
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university, professional and departmental prizes.
What does this mean for students' unions?
NUS has produced some resources to help students' unions make the most of HEAR. Take a look at the following tools to see how you can make an impact with HEAR.
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HEAR Action List - This tool highlights some actions students' unions can take to make the most of HEAR and opportunities available to you
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Guide for students – this leaflet explains what HEAR is, what it will look like and provides a useful starting point for students to find out more (click here for the leaflet in Welsh)
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Editable leaflets – we also have both English and Welsh versions of the leaflet which can be edited to fit your institution.