The Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) provides a single comprehensive record of a learner’s achievement, as recommended by the Measuring and Recording Student Achievement Steering Group in the Beyond the Honours Degree – the Burgess Group Final Report (October 2007). The HEAR enables institutions to provide a detailed picture of student achievement throughout a students’ time at university, including academic work, extra-curricular activities, prizes and employability awards, voluntary work and offices held in student union clubs and societies that have been verified by the institution.
The HEAR is an electronic document produced by a higher education institution that provides a record of student achievement during their period of study. In its printed paper form it is no longer than six pages. It adheres to a template (please see images below), incorporating the European Diploma Supplement, and is verified by the Academic Registrar or equivalent officer. It may be accessed at any time during a student’s career with the institution and afterwards.
The HEAR is made available at the time of graduation, at which point its main purpose is to capture the totality of a student’s performance and to enable a student to represent a wide range of their achievements to employers and postgraduate tutors, thereby enhancing their employability.
The HEAR can also function as a formative tool, which may be available and used from a student’s entry to higher education and throughout their higher education experience. It may be used:
- as a basis for reviewing progress and planning future activities, whether individually or with support from a tutor;
- to support student engagement in opportunities beyond the curriculum;
- as an aide memoire for students in making applications which may be needed before the final award is made, e.g. for sandwich placements and internships; permanent employment; further study or training opportunities;
- by employers and tutors to verify statements made by the student (subject to the appropriate permissions).
The HEAR has the potential to fulfil students’ increased expectations for readily accessible public information. It incorporates detail on degree content and module marks, including assessments, such as timed examinations, presentations and group work. The provision of this richer record of student activity ‘adds value’ to the student experience through its potential to encourage students to make the best use of their time at university.