The university aims to scale back traditional exams and give students more choice in assessment formats, such as coursework, as part of a new framework that discourages over-reliance on exams. Specific changes include instructing staff to focus on ideas rather than grammar in assessments, making assessment culturally responsive to reward the use of culture, language, and identity, and ensuring marking is inclusive and embraces linguistic diversity. Additionally, the university has introduced shorter word limits on some essays, capping them at 1,300 words down from 2,000, to reduce academic stress.
Critics have emerged among students and academics. Students criticized the word caps in an open letter, saying it would stop them properly exploring their subjects. Lecturers have branded the overhaul 'dumbing down', and an anonymous King's College academic warned the changes could leave academics open to challenges from students wanting to inflate their grades. The anonymous academic described the framework as being about sending a message about which side of the culture war the university is on. Dr Edward Skidelsky, a lecturer in philosophy at the University of Exeter and director of the Committee for Academic Freedom, echoed concerns, describing attempts to dumb down assessment in the name of inclusivity as being pushed by university managers against the will of academics and students.
This whole framework, dreamt up by middle management to justify their existence, is about sending a message about which side of the culture war the university is on.
The reforms are driven by the university's diversity and attainment gap goals. Nearly 70% of King's College London students are from ethnic minority backgrounds, and the university committed to 'inclusion' in its official 'access plan', aiming to close the attainment gap between black and white students by 2034. In 2021/2022, black students at King's College were 18.2 percentage points behind their white peers in gaining a First or 2:1 degree.
They seem to be claiming students are snowflakes and can't cope, but students have set up a petition against it.
These young people are looking at the tough labour market and they haven't got time for all this.
This is management trying to be 'down-with-the-kids' and classically getting it wrong.
A student could object to the grade they get on the basis that their 'culture and identity' hasn't been respected.