Have your say on QAA’s revised Subject Benchmark Statements - consultation now open
| Date: | October 9 - 2025 |
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Higher education staff and students, employers and professional, statutory and regulatory bodies (PSRBs) are invited to respond to a consultation on six draft Subject Benchmark Statements, which have been reviewed by expert Subject Advisory Groups with the support of QAA.
Subject Benchmark Statements describe the nature of study and the academic standards expected of graduates in specific subject areas. They show what graduates might reasonably be expected to know, do and understand at the end of their studies.
They are intended to fulfil a range of purposes - including as reference points in the design, delivery and review of academic courses. They also sit alongside a suite of resources such as the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, Qualifications and Credit Frameworks and Characteristics Statements in supporting aligned approaches to quality across the UK nations.
QAA leads the development of Subject Benchmark Statements and reviews them on a cyclical basis to ensure they continue to serve as useful points of reference for their respective discipline communities. To ensure each review considers a diverse and broad spectrum of intelligence, opinion and experience, each Subject Benchmark Statement is reviewed by an Advisory Group comprising members of the academic community, employers, PSRBs and students.
The Subject Benchmark Statements open for consultation are:
- Architecture
- Art and Design
- History of Art, Architecture and Design
- Social Policy
- Sociology
- Social Work (also available in Welsh)
How to respond
The consultation documents are published on our consultation web page and responses should be submitted via the online survey for each Statement.
The closing date for responses is midday on Friday 21 November 2025. We plan to publish the final Statements in April 2026.