New podcast explores how revised Benchmark Statements reflect subject developments

In a special podcast released to mark the publication of this year's suite of revised Subject Benchmark Statements, QAA's Quality & Standards Manager Dr Andy Smith talks with two of our Advisory Group Chairs: the University of Westminster's Kate Cheyne, Chair of the Advisory Group for Architecture, and the University of Plymouth's Dr Péter Bokody, Chair of the Advisory Group for the History of Art, Architecture & Design Statement.

The podcast focuses on how recent changes in their subject areas are reflected in the new iterations of their Subject Benchmark Statements – and starts by talking about the impacts of Generative AI on their disciplines.

"We're thinking about where it's positive and where we find it less positive, making sure that we can support the use of Gen AI so that emerging technologies can remain ethical, sustainable and inclusive, allowing students to think critically and carefully," Kate Cheyne says.

Péter Bokody adds that GenAI can be challenging because "we have to change some of our teaching practices" but stresses that it can "bring tremendous potential as well".

It has meant, he says, an increased emphasis on primary material feeding into the curriculum from the very beginning to develop real research challenges using real evidence, in order to ensure that students are not just recycling existing knowledge.

Developments in professional expectations and opportunities have also impacted significantly on the formulation of these revised Statements.

Kate Cheyne speaks of the challenge, at a time when the scope of Architecture's graduate opportunities has significantly expanded, of writing a Statement that can capture the breadth of the discipline but also encompasses the specialism needed to comply with the requirements of professional bodies – to describe a discipline that "needs to be intelligently generalist but still allowing for nuanced specialisation".

In addition to a greater understanding of the importance of inclusive approaches, Péter Bokody says that one of the key professional changes to his discipline has been an increased focus on the value of curatorial skills and therefore on engagements with museums, galleries and heritage sites.

He adds that, for his subject, it is essential that "we remain relevant to society… so that we can deliver all the beauties of the visual material legacy of humanity."

You can listen to the whole podcast – along with the back catalogue of all of our QAA podcasts – on Buzzsprout and other popular streaming platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.