This Collaborative Enhancement Project generated a cross-institutional reflection on the development of Competence-Based Education across the HE sector.
The work of the project team led to the creation of a website which explores the impact of implementing a Competence-based Framework across a range of higher education providers.
The Competence-based Education website includes a collection of tools, guides, and information to empower and support you on your adoption of a competence focussed approach.
The website houses a suite of case studies focusing on how the project’s collaborative partners have implemented competence-based education, including how they have responded with real-world solutions to common, sector-wide challenges in assessment. The reflective pieces include examples across the following areas:
In addition to the case studies, the team have created a set of practical materials that support colleagues who are interested in adopting Competence-Based Education in their own contexts. This includes guidance and resources on introducing, developing, levelling and refining competencies and what the opportunities are in your own place of work.
The competence-based education model shifts the focus from what students know to what they can actually do.
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.
This new website will also become the home for outputs from a related ongoing Collaborative Enhancement Project focusing on the development of a Competence-based Assessment Framework, which commenced in Spring 2024 and will run until December 2025.
Project lead: University of Hull
Project partners: Oxford Brookes University, University of Cambridge, Bishop Burton College and Hull University Students’ Union
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.