School of Humanities | Sgoil nan Daonnachdan

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has published this year's set of Subject Benchmark Statements: revised editions of the Statements for  Accounting, Finance, Philosophy, Music and Education Studies, as well as for Librarianship, Information, Knowledge, Records and Archives Management, and Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, and a new Statement for Public Policy and Public Administration.

Andy Smith, Quality & Standards Manager at QAA said: "Subject Benchmark Statements are curated by QAA as the UK-sector-led descriptors of taught disciplines. They 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, and are used as reference points in the design, delivery and review of academic programmes.

"We're hugely grateful for the work of all those who join the advisory groups and particularly the chairs and deputies who engage so enthusiastically and meticulously to produce statements that are so valued by their subject communities."

Two College of Arts & Humanities colleagues contributed to the panels for two of the new Subject Benchmark Statements. 

Dr David McMenemy, Reader in Information Studies at the School of Humanities | Sgoil nan Daonnachdan was Deputy Chair for the panel for the new edition of the Librarianship, Information, Knowledge, Records and Information Management Statement.  

Dr Derek H. Brown, Reader in Philosophy at the School of Humanities | Sgoil nan Daonnachdan was Deputy Chair of the Philosophy panel.

Dr McMenemy said: “The important work done by the Advisory Group represents a thorough overview of the previous Librarianship, Information, Knowledge, Records and Information Management subject benchmark statement to include a focus on important new cross-cutting themes including generative artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship and employment, and sustainable development.  The Advisory Group involved representation from across the discipline in academia, alongside professional colleagues, and representation from professional bodies. It’s been a great privilege to be Deputy Chair of the Advisory Group over the past 18 months, and I am immensely proud of the new benchmark statement and delighted to see it now published.”

Dr Brown said: "The new Philosophy Benchmark has been rewritten from the ground up to reflect the very different philosophical and societal context in which we are today compared to when the last version was written. Among other things, the new Benchmark captures the importance of Philosophical study to other academic areas, to equity and diversity, to sustainable development, to employment, and to generative artificial intelligence. I am incredibly proud of the work that our team of professional Philosophers and private sector representatives produced over the last 18 months."

The new Statements can be found here.

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First published: 10 April 2025