Students’ low scores ignored by universities

UNIVERSITIES are ignoring students’ lowest module scores, a report has found, as it warns that the practice could lead to grade inflation.

Dozens of institutions use the “discounting” mechanism to leave out the courses in which undergraduates get the poorest results when calculating a student’s final degree classification, according to a survey of universities.

A report was conducted by Universities UK, the vice-chancellor membership body, and Guild HE, a group for leaders of higher education institutions, after concern that institutions were seeking to boost results by manipulating their degree algorithm.

It found that there was widespread variations in how universities calculated degree classifications, including how much weight was given to modules in different years of study – known as the degree algorithm.

“This project was undertaken because of concerns that design decisions on degree algorithms were being systematically used to inflate the proportion of first or upper second-class degrees awarded,” the report said.

While it found “limited evidence” to suggest this is the case, the report concluded that there must be more accountable governance in place to oversee the issue of degree algorithms.