Higher Education Placement Roles and Responsibilities

The student should:

• Seek out their own appropriate placement (The HE Placement team will give guidance and support with this).
• Inform the HE Placement team as soon as they find a placement. They should provide all contact details of the placement including mentor information.
• Act appropriately at all times as a student representative of the University.
• Adhere to the requirements of the workplace and professional expectations.
• Manage their learning and professional relationships within programme’s expectations.
• Keep a reflective learning log.
• Be aware of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria that link to the placement.
• Alert the placement provider of issues impeding or preventing professional development.

The Placement team will:

• Support students to find suitable placements.
• Undertake pre-placement health & safety checks.
• Liaise with programme leaders/tutors regarding student placement issues or concerns.
• Liaise with employers and placement mentors on student placement progress.
• Undertake placement visits with the student and mentor to review progress and development.
• Keep appropriate records regarding health & safety and placement visits.

The tutor will:

• Teach relevant theories and subject specific topics in relation to work based learning/personal practice development.
• Set out assessment tasks and formative and summative submission dates.
• Discuss with students appropriate placements relevant to the sector.
• Liaise with the HE Placement team regarding student issues relating to placement.
• Deal with issues regarding student behaviour and concerns regarding professional practice.
• Mark and grade student assessments and give timely feedback.
• Discuss and support students where appropriate with requests for extensions and through mitigating circumstance procedures.
• Present student grades to the examination boards.

The mentor will:

• Provide an effective placement learning opportunity.
• Appraise students of agency policies relating to health and safety and other relevant organisational procedures.
• Where possible, include students in learning opportunities that will broaden their experience.
• Assist students to develop the necessary professional skills.
• Verify student Log of Hours.
• Liaise with HE Placement team in the first instance of any complaints or emerging issues.
• Meet with a member of the HE Placement team and student for a mentor meeting during the placement visit.