4.4.1
To aid the University’s compliance with its obligations as a Student Route (previously Tier 4) sponsor, Student Compliance Services will undertake three Student Route (previously Tier 4) attendance and engagement checkpoints in a rolling 12-month period. These allow further opportunity to analyse engagement data for Student Route (previously Tier 4) students at all levels of study.
4.4.2
Engagement checkpoints are used to take action for students who, although will not have a pattern of consecutive low engagement (and therefore have not been contacted about their engagement previously), may have a generally poor engagement record or patterns of non-engagement and whose continued sponsorship may cause a risk to the University’s Student Route (previously Tier 4) licence without improvement.
4.4.3
A full review of all engagement data will ensure the University is compliant in its responsibilities to the Home Office as a Licenced Student Route (previously Tier 4) Sponsor to and may also highlight students who need additional clarity on their responsibilities as Student Route (previously Tier 4) students. Student Compliance Services will contact all departments immediately before each checkpoint to request any related records or additional information.
For 2023/24 academic year engagement checkpoints are provisionally scheduled as shown below. Student Compliance Services may amend these dates during the academic year.
Checkpoint 1 – Autumn 2024 during Christmas Vacation - This will be a review of all data for Student Route (previously Tier 4) students at all levels of study (undergraduate and postgraduate students, PhD students, students on a period abroad/work placement, students enrolled with The College, Swansea University or ELTS undertaking pre-sessional courses).
Checkpoint 2 – Spring 2025 during Easter Vacation - Data relating to taught students only (undergraduate and postgraduate students, students on a period abroad/work placement, students enrolled with The College, Swansea University or ELTS undertaking pre-sessional courses).
Checkpoint 3 – Summer 2025 during August - UG January entry students and Postgraduate checkpoint. Postgraduate taught student summer monitoring during the dissertation period, a full review of all engagement data held on our RMS monitoring system and request for supervision records from any department who opted out of the use of the standard RMS method. This checkpoint will also include a review of ELTS pre-sessional attendance, March intake Nursing students and students enrolled with The College, Swansea University and review of engagement during the summer assessment period for taught students.
Where Postgraduate Research students are engaging by distance learning (i.e. where a Temporary Leave of Absence Request or Remote Study Request has been approved), it is expected, and the preference, that engagement with monthly supervisory meetings will take place via Zoom/Skype rather than an email or phone call engagement. Students who are found to have less than 50% of supervisory sessions via Zoom will be contacted to establish the reasons and encourage compliance with the Engagement Monitoring Policy, depending on the duration of the leave granted.
4.4.4
Should a student be highlighted at checkpoint, follow-up action by Student Compliance Services may include:
- Compulsory attendance at a Student Route (previously Tier 4) Status Meeting.
- Compulsory attendance at a Student Route (previously Tier 4) Attendance and Engagement Briefing and/or further clarity regarding a student’s attendance and engagement responsibilities.
- Email contact with bespoke warnings/actions outlined.
- Email contact to praise exemplary engagement.
4.4.5
If the student attends a compulsory checkpoint Student Route (previously Tier 4) status meeting or briefing and provides a satisfactory explanation (and supporting evidence if applicable) to explain their non-engagement, they will be permitted to continue on their programme. The student will be required to sign a declaration stating that they will re-engage with their studies. Student Compliance Services will continue to closely monitor the student’s engagement until such a time where they are satisfied that the student has re-engaged with studies (a minimum of three weeks.) Students will be informed of the dates of this re-engagement period at the meeting. A student will be deemed to have satisfactorily re-engaged if their levels of engagement remain within the acceptable threshold during the re-engagement period.
4.4.6
If the student attends a compulsory checkpoint Student Route (previously Tier 4) status meeting or briefing, but then fails to re-engage with their studies in the subsequent re-engagement period (a minimum of three weeks, or the next Supervisory meeting), Student Compliance Services will consider the withdrawal of the student from the University and the withdrawal of Student Route (previously Tier 4) sponsorship in accordance with 4.4.11. If the decision is to withdraw the student from the University, Student Compliance Services will notify the student within five working days of the date of the end of the re-engagement period following the attendance meeting by email to the student’s University and personal email address as detailed on the student record.
4.4.7
If the student attends a compulsory checkpoint Student Route (previously Tier 4) status meeting or briefing but does not provide a satisfactory explanation for non-engagement, Student Compliance Services will consider the withdrawal of the student from the University and the withdrawal of Student Route (previously Tier 4) sponsorship on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with 4.4.11. If the decision is to withdraw the student from the University, Student Compliance Services will notify the student within five working days of the date of the meeting or briefing by email to the student’s University and personal email address as detailed on the student record.
4.4.8
If the student fails to attend a compulsory checkpoint Student Route (previously Tier 4) status meeting or briefing, Student Compliance Services will consider the withdrawal of the student from the University and the withdrawal of Student Route (previously Tier 4) sponsorship on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with 4.4.11. If the decision is to withdraw the student from the University, Student Compliance Services will notify the student within five working days of the date of the missed meeting or briefing by email to the student’s University and personal email address as detailed on the student record.
4.4.9
In the case of 4.4.7 or 4.4.8, if the decision is to continue Sponsorship, Student Compliance Services will continue to closely monitor the student’s engagement until such a time where they are satisfied that the student has re-engaged with studies (a minimum of 3 weeks or the next Supervisory meeting). Students will be informed that they are on this occasion being permitted to continue with studies subject to satisfactory re-engagement within the re-engagement period and the end date of the re-engagement period by email within five working days of the date of the missed meeting or briefing to the student’s University and personal email address as detailed on the student record. A student will be deemed to have satisfactorily re-engaged if their levels of engagement remain within the acceptable threshold during the re-engagement period.
4.4.10
In the case of 4.4.7 or 4.4.8, if the decision is to continue Sponsorship, but the student fails to re-engage with their studies in the subsequent three weeks, Student Compliance Services will withdraw the student from the University and withdraw Student Route (previously Tier 4) sponsorship. Student Compliance Services will notify the student within five working days of the end of the re-engagement period following the checkpoint meeting/briefing by email to the student’s University and personal email address as detailed on the student record.
4.4.11
In considering the withdrawal of Student Route (previously Tier 4) sponsorship at checkpoint, Student Compliance Services will review any evidence provided and the outcome of the interview (if applicable) before withdrawing sponsorship. Student Compliance Services will review the data from across the different engagement modes in regard to the overall contact points met, regularity of submission, consecutive missed engagement and any evidence supplied by the student and their Faculty/School regarding their engagement in their programme of study. Every effort will be made to take full account of all extenuating circumstances and the challenging conditions students are currently facing when considering whether continuing to sponsor the student poses a risk to the University’s Sponsor Licence.