Degree Accreditation Consultations

Over the past three years the Society of Biology has carried out a range of consultations to ensure the views of the full breadth of our membership and stakeholders are considered in the design of the Accreditation Programme.

Consultations

Consultation on the Expansion of the Accreditation Programme

August - October 2011

In-built flexibility has ensured that the Accreditation Programme remains inclusive and applicable across the range of the biosciences, and we aim to expand the number of disciplines covered over the next few years.  The Society consulted on the strategy for expanding the Accreditation Programme, seeking the views of stakeholders across the breadth of the biosciences on priorities for the first stage of our expansion.  

A written consultation was open during August and September 2011. Please click here to access the consultation document.

This was followed by a Stakeholder Consultation event on the 17th October 2011.  The event featured presentations from the Genetics Society, Society of General Microbiology and the British Ecological Society on the potential for accreditation in these areas as well as breakout discussions on priorities and strategy for expanding the Accreditation Programme.   

Please click on the links to see the presentations from the event and the meeting report.

Launch & Consultation Event : Framework for the Accreditation of UK Bioscience Degrees

October 2010

Representatives from the bioscience and wider science community gathered in London for a day of presentations and discussion on the Society of Biology's newly developed Accreditation Framework. The meeting was attended by nearly 100 delegates from Universities, Business & Industry, Government, Learned Societies, Research Councils, Funding Bodies and Sector Skills Councils and was a unique opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the design of the Accreditation Programme and help guide its future development.

For the full coverage of the event, including the meeting report and videos of the key note speeches by the Rt. Hon. David Willetts MP and Dr Mark Downs click here.

Industry Survey on Accredited Degrees

August - December 2010

The industry survey ran from August to December 2010 and sought the views of UK industry on the employability of bioscience graduates through our Industry Survey on Accredited Degrees. It was an opportunity for business's needs to shape an Accreditation Programme, which aims to help employers identify those bioscience graduates with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for employment in today’s bioscience-related industries.

A report of the Industry survey is available here.

Student Survey on Accreditation

July - August 2010

The Student Survey ran from July to August 2010 and gave students and recent graduates the chance to share their opinions on a range of topics including the factors affecting their degree choice, their experiences of practical work at university and their feelings toward employment. The results of the survey will help guide the design our Accreditation Programme and in turn we hope Accreditation will help students make better informed choices about the higher education they need for future scientific careers.

Thank you to all 1081 students who took part and congratulations to the winner of our prize draw, Claire from the University of Birmingham. Claire is a third year Human Biology Student and the lucky recipient of £30 iTunes voucher! Read the full news story here...

A report of the student survey is available here.

HUBS Spring meeting: the recognition and accreditation of bioscience degrees

May 2010  

The Heads of University Biological Sciences (HUBS) held their 2010 Spring Meeting on the recognition and accreditation of bioscience degrees.  

For more information about the event click here and you can read the report of the meeting here.

Online Accreditation Consultation

December 2009 - February 2010 

The Society of Biology held a large online consultation early on in the design of the Accreditation Programme to ensure the views of the full breadth of our membership and stakeholders were considered.  Nearly 300 representatives from learned societies, academia, industry, Government, students and teachers responded to our first survey.

Consultation Workshop

October 2009  

The Society held a consultation workshop at the ABPI offices, attended by higher education institutes, learned societies, Government departments, research councils and funding bodies.   A report of the workshop is available here .