The need for Higher Education providers to make clear and accurate information available to students has grown in importance following policy changes. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has clarified the legal obligations of higher education providers in respect of information that we must make available to prospective and current students, all of which must be done in a consistent and transparent way, making it easier for prospective students to compare information for different programmes.
The undergraduate applicant cycle runs approximately 18 months in advance of admission (applicants can start to complete an application as early as May the year before entry, though can't actually submit it to UCAS until September). Current undergraduates choose their modules for the next academic year towards the end of April each year, through the Online Option Choice system. Both of these groups of users need relevant, accurate information to inform their future plans; there is thus a need to ensure that the right people are reading the relevant information for their current and/or intended study. This requirement also needs to be considered in light of the internal work needed to produce this information, for example the need to complete Programme Validations before a programme specification is published.
The Rollover and Publication of Programme and Module Information for students and applicants Policy was approved by AQSC in July 2017.