Academic policy and guidelines

ACADEMIC POLICY AND GUIDELINES

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)

It is possible to bring and receive credit for previous learning experiences towards your Amsterdam Tech programme. The process to apply for credit for external learning is called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The RPL process can include previous learning that has occurred in any of a range of contexts (including school, college or university or through life and work experiences). After careful assessment, the university can recognise your prior learning through the award of credit and/or exemption from a module or modules in a programme at Amsterdam Tech at the bachelor’s and master’s level.

TYPES OF RPL

CREDIT TRANSFER

Credit transfer is when you put credits from another higher education (university-level) qualification towards a new qualification. We can accept credits from qualifications you've completed in the last 5 years. Higher education qualifications include Bachelor's degrees, postgraduate diplomas, and Master's degrees.

PRIOR CERTIFICATED LEARNING

Prior certificated learning is university-level learning that happened outside of Amsterdam Tech. This can include professional development and employment-based awards, or qualifications awarded by another education institution.

PRIOR EXPERENTIAL LEARNING

Prior experiential learning relates to knowledge and skills you've gained through experience. For example, through employment, reading and research, life experience, non-credit courses, voluntary work etc. If you think you have covered the content of a module/ modules via any of the three types of learning above, you can apply for RPL.

HOW DO YOU APPLY FOR RPL?

1- Contact your admissions consultant about your application.

2- Complete the RPL application form by the required deadline.

3- Collect supporting evidence in your portfolio that clearly outlines the nature of your achievements and demonstrates that the achievement is your own.

RPL PORTFOLIO EXAMPLE STRUCTURE

It’s important you present your RPL portfolio in a logical way so it highlights your knowledge, skills and experience to assessors.

Here’s an example RPL portfolio structure you can use when you put your portfolio together:

Title page: Include your name and the modules/projects your RPL relates to

Table of contents

Personal information: Include address, and contact information

Summarise all learning activities of each module your RPL applies to: Summarise all the formal and informal learning activities that you had regarding a module, and indicate the learning outcomes that you think apply to the module you are seeking recognition for, by cross-checking the ELU programme’s learning outcomes.

Support with Learning Evidence: Include all the learning evidence that demonstrates and proves you have gained the relevant skills. This should include concrete artefacts, pieces of work, project deliverables clearly demonstrating a direct connection with the learning outcomes in the programme curriculum. You can use this template for your learning evidence.

Reflective Account: It’s essential that each learning experience you include in your RPL portfolio contains evidence that you’ve reflected on and applied what you’ve learnt. Please find more information below.

Appendices: Include copies of certificates and other evidence such as assessments or written feedback

CHOOSING WHAT EVIDENCE TO INCLUDE

When you’re deciding what evidence to include in your RPL portfolio, make sure it meets the following criteria:

Current – no more than 5 years old or presented with further evidence that shows how you’ve kept up-to-date and built on your learning

Authentic – your own work or own contribution

Relevant – to the subject area of the module and the module’s learning outcomes

REFLECTING ON YOUR EXPERIENCE

Use these questions to help you identify and reflect on relevant learning experiences:

What major events have you undertaken in your studies/experiences?
What are your thoughts and feelings about these events, now and at the time you did them?
What new skills have you developed as a result of these events? For example, have you changed your attitude? Would you act differently if the same situation arose again? Have you transferred this learning to other situations such as the workplace?
What new learning has taken place as a result of the experience?
What personal changes have taken place as a result of your learning? For example, are you more confident?

FURTHER RPL PORTFOLIO TIPS

Don’t assume the reader will have an understanding of the points you’re making, or know the modules/projects you’re referring to.
Make sure your portfolio reflects an academic approach at the level you’re seeking credit for.

HOW MUCH DOES THE APPLICATION COST?

Applying for RPL is 100 EUR.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Once you have completed your application and your portfolio, please submit it emailing your admissions consultant. We will write to you with a decision within 4 weeks. Once approved, recognition of prior learning is valid for a limited period (up to five years) which will be stated in the letter.

ACADEMIC APPEALS PROCEDURE

This guide is intended to help explain the Academic Appeals process. If you are considering making an Academic Appeal, perhaps because you do not agree with your enrolment status or another decision of the Academic Board, you are encouraged to read this guide with care.

This guidance document has been prepared by the University’s Academic Board and please remember that every Academic Appeal is considered individually, and general statements noted below may not apply in all circumstances. Academic Appeal might take up to four weeks to process. All appeals are kept confidentially by the university.

ACADEMIC APPEALS

An academic appeal is a procedure which allows you in certain circumstances to ask for a review of a decision relating to your academic progress or award. Circumstances in which you may submit an appeal include the following:

· a decision on progress has been taken which prevents you from continuing your studies, usually a decision to terminate your registration

· a decision has been taken which requires you to interrupt your studies

· a decision has been taken not to make an award to you and the consequence is that your studies will be frozen or terminated

· a decision to award a lower qualification to you than that for which you are registered, for example if you are registered for a master’s degree and are recommended for a certificate.

In an Academic Appeal, any claims that you make must, generally, be supported by compelling evidence. The type of evidence that is acceptable varies significantly, but generally includes medical certificates, statements by academic staff about particular events, copies of specific regulations, detailed personal statements, confirmation from authorities that you were involved in a particular incident. Contemporaneous, independent and medical evidence is very important and is often given greater weight by an Appeal Panel. It is also important that the evidence indicates the significance of the impact on you – and relates to specific time periods.

It is your responsibility to provide the evidence for the Appeal Panel to consider – the University will not approach doctors or others on your behalf.

GROUND FOR APPEAL

You may not appeal if your results are not as good as you had hoped or worse than you believe you deserve. Appeals which simply challenge the academic judgement of internal or external evaluators are not permitted. The grounds for appeal are summarised below:

there were circumstances materially affecting your performance, for which supporting evidence exists, which were not known to the Academic Panel or other academic body at the time of the decision and which were not reasonably practicable to make known beforehand
there appears to you to be evidence that there has been a procedural irregularity in the conduct of assessment or assessment procedures of such a nature as to create a reasonable possibility that the result may have been different if it had not occurred

A ‘procedural irregularity’ means that the examining and assessment process was not conducted according to the university’s guidelines and procedures. Examples might include errors in an assessment grading or with the administration of an examination, or a failure to calculate the marks correctly or to consider any mitigating circumstances submitted by you before the due date.

there appears to you to be evidence of prejudice or bias on the part of the evaluators or in the assessment process

It is important to note that the regulations on mitigating circumstances require programme participants to notify their faculty of any matters which may be relevant to their academic performance, for example, personal or medical circumstances, at the time they occur and to supply supporting documentary evidence, such as medical certificates. Unless there were very good reasons why you were unable to notify your faculty members or supply evidence at the time it is likely that an appeal will be disallowed.

You should note that the University may operate systems of double scoring or moderation to ensure that there are adequate checks on the accuracy and appropriateness of marking and to help prevent prejudice and bias. Additionally, scores are awarded to a learner’s work based on the academic judgement of the evaluators in conjunction with an agreed assessment criterion in the form of rubrics relevant to the assignment in question.It is also important to remember that the University has a competency-based model learning which encourages the learners to always increase their mastery levels and scores through second submissions per the Resubmission Policy stated in the Learner Handbook.

HOW TO SUBMIT AN APPEAL

If you decide that you have eligible grounds for appeal, you should complete and submit an appeal form with supporting documentary evidence. Please ensure that you complete the Academic Appeal form as required rather than submitting a statement or letter of appeal.

Your deadline to submit an appeal will be 10 University working days from the results release date. Please note that not submitting it by the stated deadline will normally result in the appeal being disallowed.

You must appeal on your own behalf and it is your responsibility to obtain the required evidence. The University will not contact doctors, your company or others on your behalf. If you require help in compiling your appeal, your community manager is able to provide support and advice but cannot write your appeal for you.

It is important that you submit evidence to support your appeal. This must be new evidence i.e. not just copies of evidence already submitted and considered by the Academic Board. Where medical evidence is submitted this must be from a qualified medical practitioner. If you are resident overseas you must ensure that any medical evidence is submitted in English. If it was not written in English, you must supply a certified translation. The University undertakes checks to ensure that evidence submitted is genuine.

The Appeal Panel will check whether your appeal contains eligible grounds. Information or a report from your faculty members (facilitators or mentors) may be obtained to assist this decision. If your appeal does not demonstrate eligible grounds you will be notified in writing and either advised that the appeal cannot be accepted or offered the opportunity to supply more information or evidence within a stated timescale.

If you are informed your appeal does not demonstrate eligible grounds, then you will be given the opportunity to request a review of this decision. To do so you will have to show that there was a procedural irregularity in the way your appeal has been considered or it appears that evidence of an eligible ground of appeal has not been fully considered. Your request will be considered by the Appeal Panel who will either decide no valid ground for further review has been established and conclude the appeal process at this point.

APPEAL PANELS

Appeal Panels consist of the three members of the Faculty nominated by the University. Programme participants do not attend appeal panel meetings. Cases are considered on the basis of the documentation they have provided.

APPEAL DECISION

You will usually receive formal notification of the outcome of the panel’s consideration of your case within seven working days of the meeting. The outcome letter will explain the reasons for the Panel’s decision. The outcome letter will also highlight the opportunity to request a review of the Panel’s decision, if you believe that there was a procedural irregularity in the way your appeal has been considered or that there is evidence within the appeal which it appears has not been fully considered. Your request will be considered by a senior member of the Appeal Panel who will either decide no valid ground for further review has been established, and conclude the appeal process at this point, or refer your appeal to a Review Panel.

Once the University’s appeal procedures have been concluded you will be issued with a “Completion of Procedures Letter”.