Edinburgh University to offer ‘package of safety measures’ for assessment this semester

Edinburgh University has introduced a “package of measures” for assessment this semester to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.

The measures will cover a number of areas including coursework extensions, special circumstances, and progression of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught programmes.

In an email to students, Assistant Principal Tina Harrison said: “The package of measures we have introduced is designed to ensure that all students have an opportunity to demonstrate their performance in assessment, and to prevent the pandemic from having an unreasonably negative impact upon your degree outcomes.”

This announcement comes as a response to students calling for universities across the country to offer a “no-detriment” policy or academic safety to respond to the ongoing effects of Covid-19.

As part of the new policy, coursework extensions for up to seven days will be granted automatically, which means they don’t have to provide a “valid” reason.

The university has also created a simpler system for applying for special circumstances including removing the requirement to provide formal documentation or medical evidence.

The university has expanded the undergraduate honours classification borderline, so students who have a 57-59 per cent may be considered for a 2:1, and students who have a 67-69 per cent may be considered for a first.

Students progressing in between years one and two and also in in their honours years will also now be allowed to  to gain credit for a larger volume of failed courses.

The Board of Examiners can now compare your academic outcomes to previous years’ performance to see if your year “appears to have been unreasonably depressed.”

The university is also introducing similar measures to postgraduate degrees.

More information on the new system can be found here.

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