CEL was asked to review the Generic Assessment Criteria (EDQ Document 6F) after concerns were shared by staff and students about the outdated language and tone of the document. A review group consisting of representatives from Faculties, Education Development and Quality (EDQ) and the Students Union has worked collaboratively with the CEL Theme Leader for Assessment and Feedback to review and revise the criteria. The revised format will be considered at Quality Assurance and Standards Group (QASG) and Academic Standards Committee (ASC) in May.

An opportunity to find out more and to comment on the draft revisions was provided in a workshop at the recent CELebrate conference and suggestions have been incorporated.

The new version has been updated in the following ways:

• Landscape table format to enable easier comparison between mark bands
• Clearer language that refers to the work and not the student
• A statement for feedback and feedforward for each mark band to provide more explicit feedback for
• A consistent description of each band of achievement at all levels (Levels 4-7) eg outstanding for high first, excellent for first, very good for upper second.
• The preface to the criteria, which are intended to be used by staff, academics and external examiners, has also been updated to improve clarity.

We hope the new version will be approved for the coming new academic year.