T-SPARC Project (JISC)

The JISC-funded Technology Supported Processes for Agile and Responsive Curricula (T-SPARC) project at Birmingham City University has sought to transform the institutional culture and practice of curriculum design and approval.

Our intention has been to move from a position where curriculum design is undertaken primarily as a prelude to an end-point approval, to one that embraces iterative collaborative design from which approval cascades. Furthermore, we have sought to develop technology that supports this approach within an online environment, and to enrich the design process with technology-based tools which enable teams to work with a wider range of stakeholders.

The project has run for three years and nine months - the JISC's longest programme to date. The funding period ended in July 2012 and the project is now moving towards an embedding phase where new processes and systems are being introduced through a series of pilots.

Following the successful design and approval of nine programmes in 2011/12 using the new processes and systems, a second series of pilot programme design and approvals are planned for January 2013. It is envisaged that they will incorporate programme teams from each of the University's six faculties.

For more information, visit the Curriculum Design pages or contact Oliver Jenkins.