Our student-centred approach to education
At the University of Sheffield, we're immensely proud of our student-centred approach to education. We continuously adapt our teaching and curricula to meet student needs, ensuring a dynamic and impactful experience which is upheld by common expectations.
Our commitment to education
We are extremely proud of our education culture at Sheffield. It's something you can truly feel across our campus - it's consistently highlighted by what our current students and alumni tell us about their experiences, and it's a significant draw for new students and staff joining our community.
We firmly believe that while all education is inherently student-centred, our commitment to this principle must be dynamic and evolving. We continuously adapt our teaching and student support to the diverse backgrounds of our students and the ever-changing world around us. This proactive approach ensures our educational methods remain impactful and relevant for everyone.
What "student-centred" means for us
Student-centred education means placing the needs and interests of our students at the very heart of everything we do.
This encompasses all aspects of their university journey - from our innovative teaching methods and comprehensive assessment and feedback processes, to the overall campus experience, our user-friendly virtual learning environment, and our robust student support community. It also extends to how we approach employability, preparing students for successful futures.
Being student-centred means actively listening to our students, responding to their feedback, and understanding their aspirations. It means communicating with clarity and consistency.
When students feel truly empowered and engaged, they are better able to reach their full potential and stretch their ambitions. By understanding and responding to their needs, we foster a strong sense of belonging.
We recognise the valuable expertise students bring to their educational journey and meet this with the expertise of our dedicated staff who support, enable and inspire them.
Ensuring a consistent and excellent student experience
To uphold and continuously develop this ethos, we are committed to establishing and maintaining strong standards across all our educational practices.
These standards create a common framework of expectations for both students and staff, ensuring a consistent and equitable Sheffield student experience. This is about harmonisation, not homogenisation; we celebrate our disciplinary differences, but they are united by clear, commonly-held expectations recognised and upheld by all.
This approach creates an environment where diverse groups of students can succeed together. We are bold in setting consistent standards for assessment and feedback, focusing on clarity, specificity, transparency, and timeliness. Our virtual and physical learning environments are designed with the student experience as a priority.
We also carefully design our curricula, imagining the entire student journey through our programmes rather than just individual modules. This includes clear programme structures, learning that builds foundational knowledge, and well-defined programme-level expectations.
This comprehensive approach sets the stage for dynamic, research-led teaching that inspires a lifelong pursuit of knowledge, while also preparing our students unequivocally for the world beyond higher education.
We believe there's a vital balance between student autonomy and clear structure, ensuring fairness for all while responding to an ever-changing external landscape. This is a focused and intentional commitment to delivering the very best education for all our students.