The impact of assessment interns to enhance assessment and feedback practices at the University of Southampton
The impact of assessment interns to enhance assessment and feedback practices at the University of Southampton
Students’ needs have changed over recent years due to the complexity of the higher education landscape within which they are learning and the pressures on their time and wellbeing (Hughes 2023; Neves et al 2024). Students want to feel connected to their institution and community, with this sense of belonging being a powerful driver which is connected to being empowered to act (McIntosh and May 2024). The University of Southampton is running a 5-year strategic project to enhance assessment. Central to this project is an ethos of student co-design and partnership (CHEP 2025). This includes working in partnership with students from specific programmes to enhance assessment locally, but also directly with a group of student interns who have been recruited from diverse disciplines as a core element of the project team. They work in partnership with academic staff as co-designers of assessment, but also as change agents across programmes.
The co-design work with the interns is forging a strong student voice with resulting impact on the project’s direction. The interns’ input has provided immense value and has included building assessment visualisations maps, working to promote surveys, running focus groups, analysis and writing of evaluation reports and supporting student programme panels. This session will enable the interns to share their experiences of the work they have undertaken and insights on how to ensure that co-design and student voice are forged effectively.
Hughes, Claire
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Doyle, Declan
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Wallington, Amy
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Moore, Bobbi
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Walker, Simon
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Albary, Suzanne
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Squire, Louise
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Mustafa, Rameen
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Lam, Chloe
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Millidge, Lucy
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Kontogianni,, Anastasia
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Kondkari, Ashna
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Chowdhury., Shuzeda
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5 September 2025
Hughes, Claire
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Doyle, Declan
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Wallington, Amy
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Moore, Bobbi
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Walker, Simon
4495ae21-f93c-4ae7-bf17-124f82b5777d
Albary, Suzanne
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Squire, Louise
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Mustafa, Rameen
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Lam, Chloe
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Millidge, Lucy
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Kontogianni,, Anastasia
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Kondkari, Ashna
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Chowdhury., Shuzeda
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Hughes, Claire, Doyle, Declan, Wallington, Amy, Moore, Bobbi, Walker, Simon, Albary, Suzanne, Squire, Louise, Mustafa, Rameen, Lam, Chloe, Millidge, Lucy, Kontogianni,, Anastasia, Kondkari, Ashna and Chowdhury., Shuzeda
(2025)
The impact of assessment interns to enhance assessment and feedback practices at the University of Southampton.
Researching, Advancing and Inspiring Student Engagement conference 2025, Glasgow, Glagow, United Kingdom.
04 - 05 Sep 2025.
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
Students’ needs have changed over recent years due to the complexity of the higher education landscape within which they are learning and the pressures on their time and wellbeing (Hughes 2023; Neves et al 2024). Students want to feel connected to their institution and community, with this sense of belonging being a powerful driver which is connected to being empowered to act (McIntosh and May 2024). The University of Southampton is running a 5-year strategic project to enhance assessment. Central to this project is an ethos of student co-design and partnership (CHEP 2025). This includes working in partnership with students from specific programmes to enhance assessment locally, but also directly with a group of student interns who have been recruited from diverse disciplines as a core element of the project team. They work in partnership with academic staff as co-designers of assessment, but also as change agents across programmes.
The co-design work with the interns is forging a strong student voice with resulting impact on the project’s direction. The interns’ input has provided immense value and has included building assessment visualisations maps, working to promote surveys, running focus groups, analysis and writing of evaluation reports and supporting student programme panels. This session will enable the interns to share their experiences of the work they have undertaken and insights on how to ensure that co-design and student voice are forged effectively.
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Published date: 5 September 2025
Venue - Dates:
Researching, Advancing and Inspiring Student Engagement conference 2025, Glasgow, Glagow, United Kingdom, 2025-09-04 - 2025-09-05
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Local EPrints ID: 508968
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/508968
PURE UUID: 89183c62-c05c-4b22-ba71-124fdd603d67
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Date deposited: 09 Feb 2026 17:40
Last modified: 10 Feb 2026 03:26
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Contributors
Author:
Claire Hughes
Author:
Amy Wallington
Author:
Bobbi Moore
Author:
Simon Walker
Author:
Suzanne Albary
Author:
Louise Squire
Author:
Rameen Mustafa
Author:
Chloe Lam
Author:
Lucy Millidge
Author:
Anastasia Kontogianni,
Author:
Ashna Kondkari
Author:
Shuzeda Chowdhury.
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