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Assessment

Assessment of competence often proves challenging due to factors such as limited understanding, awareness or confidence in alternative assessment formats, staff buy-in to the use of competence-based assessment or, as a result of accrediting body requirements.


Clear support and guidance will enable competence-based assessment strategies to be developed that are effective at a disciplinary level. In turn, this will help to address broader challenges to the sector – such as Generative Artificial Intelligence, the hidden curriculum, plagiarism and inclusive education.

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This project will create an online resource, including the Competence-Based Assessment Framework and a suite of other resources that support adoption and share good practice.



Planned outputs

  1. A website hosting the Competence-Based Assessment Framework, which will have been tried and tested in a range of higher education providers
  2. A holistic set of support materials, developed from in-person workshops, that will facilitate use of the online framework. Student participation in the workshops will ensure that the student voice is included in these resources
  3. Case studies highlighting how institutions have responded with real-world solutions to common, sector-wide challenges with assessment in Competence-Based education curricula
  4. A project evaluation report, including an update on the progress of the partner institutions in adopting Competence-Based education
  5. A Competence-Based Assessment Symposium where insights, guidance and resources from the project will be shared

Blog post: Introduction to the C-BAss framework

In their blog post, Dr Andrew Holmes and Dr Dom Henri from the University of Hull discuss the C-BAss framework. This framework is intended for use by program teams to help them design and implement effective and efficient competence-based undergraduate or postgraduate degree programs.

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PODCAST - Competence-based education

QAA's Dr Kerr Castle and colleagues from the University of Hull compare the core concepts of competence-based education with those of traditional educational models.

Listen to the podcast

Lead institution: University of Hull


Partner institutions: Bishop Burton College, Cardiff University, University of Chester, Newcastle University, University of Leicester

Other Collaborative Enhancement Projects

QAA supports a number of projects every year, covering a range of topics and interest areas. Each is led by a QAA Member, working in collaboration with other members institutions. You can find more information on all projects, and access resources and outputs, on our website.

Find out more