Charrettes for success – a case study of a collaborative workshop approach to driving curriculum change to address awarding gaps

This case study presents the ‘charrette model’ based on work undertaken by the University Alliance (UA), but refined and implemented at the University of Portsmouth to address a key university objective to address awarding gaps between graduates of different ethnicities. First the model and how it can be used to bring staff and students together to co-create solutions to awarding gaps, focusing on what we do in our teaching spaces and curricula will be introduced. We outline how first the UA developed and brought to ‘proof of concept’ a ‘sandpit’ focused on innovative curriculum development for the 21st century, and then the model was further developed as a ‘charrette’ for course teams and students to work together to address the awarding gap at university level. The case study goes on to present further development, where charrette participants concentrate on bespoke and tailored changes at course and subject level, and work with student ambassadors in a focused way. Finally, lessons learned from the roll-out of the charrette model are presented, along with plans for future development, providing suggestions for how to implement a similar initiative in other institutions.