Student Charter

City of London College is committed to fostering a learning community founded upon partnership, mutual respect and shared responsibility. The Student Charter establishes the principles that underpin the relationship between the College and its students, setting out the commitments that each makes to support a positive, inclusive and successful educational experience.

The Charter reflects the College’s values and provides a shared understanding of the expectations that contribute to academic success, personal development and an effective learning environment. It complements the College’s governance, academic governance and quality assurance arrangements by reinforcing the importance of collaboration, accountability and continuous enhancement.

The Student Charter applies to all students and should be read alongside the College’s academic regulations, policies and procedures.

Purpose of the Student Charter

The Student Charter provides a framework for partnership between students and the College by defining the principles that support a respectful, supportive and academically focused learning community.

The Charter seeks to:

promote mutual respect and professionalism;

establish shared expectations and responsibilities;

encourage active participation in learning and College life;

strengthen student engagement and partnership;

support equality, diversity and inclusion;

promote academic integrity and responsible conduct; and

contribute to continuous enhancement of the student experience.

These principles provide a common foundation for positive relationships across the College community.

The College’s Commitments

Through the Student Charter, the College commits to providing:

high-quality learning, teaching and academic support;

a safe, inclusive and respectful learning environment;

fair, transparent and consistently applied policies and procedures;

opportunities for student engagement and representation;

accessible support services that promote wellbeing and student success;

timely communication and access to appropriate information; and

opportunities for students to contribute to institutional enhancement through feedback, consultation and partnership.

These commitments demonstrate the College’s responsibility to support students throughout their educational journey.

Student Commitments

The Student Charter also recognises that students have an important role in creating a successful academic community.

Students are encouraged to:

engage actively with their studies;

attend and participate fully in learning activities;

uphold the principles of academic integrity;

treat fellow students, staff and visitors with respect;

contribute constructively to the College community;

comply with college regulations, policies and procedures;

participate in feedback and student engagement activities; and

take shared responsibility for maintaining a positive learning environment.

These expectations promote a culture of partnership and shared responsibility across the institution.

The Student Charter and Governance

The Student Charter forms an important component of the College’s wider Governance Framework by supporting effective relationships between students and the institution.

The Charter complements the Student Representation Framework, Student Engagement Framework and Student Feedback and Consultation arrangements by providing a shared statement of expectations that informs institutional culture, governance and academic quality.

Feedback from students and staff contributes to the periodic review of the Charter, ensuring that it remains relevant, responsive and aligned with the College’s strategic objectives and the evolving expectations of the higher education sector.

Supporting Student Success

City of London College believes that successful higher education is built upon partnership, trust and shared commitment. The Student Charter reinforces these principles by establishing a clear understanding of the responsibilities shared by students and the College in creating an environment where all learners can succeed.

By embedding the Student Charter within its governance and quality assurance arrangements, the College promotes an inclusive academic community in which students are valued as active partners in learning, institutional development and the continuous enhancement of the educational experience.

The Academic Governance Framework establishes clear reporting lines and responsibilities for academic decision-making, quality assurance, student outcomes monitoring and enhancement activities.

The framework ensures that academic assurance is provided to the Board of Governors through structured review, monitoring and reporting arrangements. Academic governance operates independently of day-to-day management while maintaining close working relationships with academic and professional services teams across the College.

Academic Board

As the College’s principal academic authority, the Academic Board provides academic assurance to the Board of Governors and supports informed decision-making on matters affecting students, programmes and academic quality. It is responsible for overseeing academic standards, the quality of learning opportunities and the continuous enhancement of the student academic experience.

The Academic Board provides strategic leadership for academic matters and receives assurance from committees and academic teams regarding programme performance, assessment outcomes, student achievement, progression, retention and academic quality.

Key responsibilities include:

Maintaining academic standards.
Monitoring academic quality and student outcomes.
Approving academic policies and procedures.
Reviewing programme performance and enhancement activities.
Overseeing assessment and progression arrangements.
Monitoring student engagement and academic support.
Considering recommendations arising from quality assurance activities; and
Providing academic assurance to the Board of Governors.

Quality Assurance and Academic Standards

The College operates a structured approach to quality assurance designed to maintain the integrity and consistency of its academic provision.

Quality assurance activities include:

Programme monitoring and review.
Assessment oversight.
External examiner engagement where applicable.
Academic policy review.
Student feedback analysis.
Annual monitoring and evaluation activities.
Review of learning resources and student support arrangements; and
Continuous improvement planning.

These arrangements help ensure that programmes remain academically rigorous, aligned with relevant regulatory and awarding body requirements, and capable of delivering positive outcomes for students.

Academic Quality, Progression and Enhancement

The College is committed to ensuring that students are supported to achieve successful academic outcomes and make meaningful progress throughout their studies. Academic governance therefore extends beyond the maintenance of academic standards and includes active monitoring of student achievement, progression, retention and the overall effectiveness of the learning experience.

Through its academic governance arrangements, the College regularly reviews information relating to:

Student achievement and attainment.
Student progression and continuation.
Assessment performance and trends;
Student engagement and participation;
Graduate outcomes where applicable;
Student feedback and satisfaction; and
The effectiveness of academic and support interventions.

This information enables the College to identify areas of good practice, respond to emerging risks and develop targeted enhancement activities that support student success.

Where opportunities for improvement are identified, action plans are developed, implemented and monitored through the academic governance framework. Progress against these actions is reviewed regularly to ensure that improvements lead to positive outcomes for students and contribute to the continuous enhancement of academic provision.

The College seeks to foster a culture of evidence-based decision-making, continuous improvement and shared responsibility for student success across all areas of academic activity.

Student Voice and Representation

Students play an important role within the College’s academic governance arrangements.

The College actively encourages students to contribute to the development and enhancement of academic provision through a range of formal and informal mechanisms.

These include:

Student representatives.
Student feedback surveys.
Programme-level discussions.
Staff-student engagement activities.
Student participation in governance processes; and
Student consultation on academic and support matters.

Student feedback and representation are integral components of the College’s academic governance arrangements. Students contribute to discussions regarding programme quality, learning resources, student support and the wider academic experience through established representation and engagement mechanisms.

Student feedback is reviewed regularly and informs decision-making across academic and student support functions.

The College is committed to ensuring that students have meaningful opportunities to influence the development of their educational experience.

Reporting and Accountability

The Academic Governance Framework operates through a system of regular monitoring, reporting and review.

Information relating to academic quality, standards, student outcomes and enhancement activities is considered through the academic governance structure and reported to the Board of Governors through established governance arrangements.

This process provides assurance that:

Academic standards are maintained.
Students receive a high-quality educational experience.
Risks to academic quality are identified and managed.
Student outcomes are monitored and improved; and
Academic policies and procedures remain effective and fit for purpose.

Through these arrangements, the College seeks to maintain a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and academic excellence.

Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Academic governance at City of London College is designed not only to maintain standards but also to drive continuous enhancement. Through regular monitoring, review and evaluation, the College seeks to identify opportunities for improvement, respond to student feedback and ensure that academic provision remains relevant, effective and aligned with the needs of students, employers and the wider higher education sector.