Urgent Communication to our Students on Changes to Assessment
To all IADT students:
At this difficult time for you and your families, IADT's primary concern is for your health and wellbeing. For that end, IADT will remain closed until April 19th as advised by the Departments of Health and of Education. As a result, all scheduled on-campus written exams and assessments have been replaced with alternative modes of assessment.
Your continued engagement with your studies through online and remote provision is commendable. The innovation and commitment displayed by our staff and students in completing their studies in such challenging circumstances is applauded.
As always, our priority is for the safety and welfare of our students, staff, and communities. We also assure you that you will not be academically disadvantaged through the necessary changes.
You may have seen the communication from Technological Higher Education Authority (THEA) regarding the principles which will guide us in setting alternative assessments. All THEA are working cohesively, and in conjunction with the national agency, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), to maintain support for our learners and we are committed to assessing our students in a manner that upholds the academic integrity of our awards.
The academic and management teams in IADT have been working hard since our closure on March 12th, to develop a range of alternative assessment processes to allow our students to complete their studies and progress through online and remote provision. These changes have been ratified at Academic Council and students will be contacted directly by their Faculty and Lecturers in the coming days to outline in detail, the nature of the assessments which will be set in place of written exams.
We are confident that many if not all of our progression year students (years 1, 2, & 3 of Level 8 programmes and years 1 & 2 of Level 7 programmes) and award year students will complete their revised assessments on time and in accordance with our published Exam Schedules. For award year students in the Department of Design & Visual Arts and the Department of Film & Media we are still exploring a range of alternative assessments, however, given the complexity and variety of practices within these Departments and the uncertainty about when students will be able to return to campus, alternative models and supports towards completion require additional time. We will write directly to these students within the next ten days and provide you with additional clarity.
We understand and acknowledge that these changes to the mode of assessment will be new, and perhaps unfamiliar to all students, and may present difficulties to some students. Once the assessments have been notified to students by their Faculties any student who feels unable to complete the assessment in the form indicated should contact their Head of Department. IADT will make best efforts to accommodate their concern, however, if a student is unable to complete by reason of ill health, access to technology, family responsibilities or any other reasonable concern, they will be entitled to a deferral without any academic or financial penalty.
With our continued support and commitment to you.
Sincerely
Dr Annie Doona David Smith
President President Elect