Personal development planning

NTU regulations and guidance on PDP
The Dearing Report of 1997 recommended that all higher education institutions (HEIs) develop a Student Progress File. This consists of two parts: a transcript, recording student achievement and a means by which students can monitor, build and reflect upon their personal development (PDP).

HEIs are required to make a PDP framework available for all students on HEFCE award-bearing programmes. It is also incumbent on HEIs to provide support to students for this activity. However, engaging with PDP is the responsibility of the individual student.

Although the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) does not state that PDP is compulsory, it is not suggested that it should be promoted as ‘optional’ either. If a student declines to engage with PDP, it is suggested that they be counselled as to the disadvantages of non-engagement. However, as PDP is the responsibility of the student, it is they who will ultimately make the decision.

Support
Programmes have responsibility for ensuring that students are made aware of PDP, that they are guided to the PDP framework (in Toolkits), and that PDP opportunities within the curriculum are highlighted at the beginning of each level of study.

Students should be encouraged to engage with some level of PDP activity on a regular basis.

Other forms of provision (such as tutorials, skills or career planning modules) are decided at local level by individual Schools and programmes.

Assessment
There is no obligation to formally assess PDP. Equally, programme teams may elect to use PDP activity as the basis for assessment tasks, if appropriate.

Definitions 
Student Progress File (SPF)

• Consists of two elements: a transcript and a means of Personal Development Planning (PDP)

Transcript 

• Record of student achievement produced by Registry

Personal Development Planning "a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development"  QAA, Policy statement on a progress file for higher education, May 2000.

The rationale for the SPF is that it provides:

• a record of all that the student has learned during their time at university; and,
• a process whereby the student can reflect on what they have discovered, regarding their future development and progress.

For more on the QAA’s recommendations for PDP please see: Policy statement on a progress file for higher education.