The University of Birmingham has changed the academic teaching year framework from September 2020 onwards.

The new academic year will have two semesters and each will include 11 weeks of learning and teaching, a period of assessment and support, and an end of semester assessment period. 

There will also be a ‘UoBe Festival’, formerly named enrichment week, which will fall between the end of semester one and the beginning of semester two. According to the university’s website, this festival ‘aims to provide students with the space and time within the academic year to participate in a wide range of exciting and unique opportunities that personally interest them at that particular point in their lives.’ 

The shortened Christmas and Easter breaks (changing from four weeks to three), as well as the introduction of January exams, has worried some students.

Biomedical Science student Caitlin Lewis told Redbrick, ‘my biggest concern is only having three weeks at Christmas to catch up and revise for my exams, on top of seeing my family and friends and getting a part time job that will only hire me for three weeks.’ 

She further explained, ‘It’s a lot of time pressure; after working hard all semester and then not having a chance to have a proper break, it isn’t really fair.’ 

Another student, Patrick Gibbs, told Redbrick that although he is unsure how the proposed changes will affect him personally, ‘international students have expressed concern about being able to spend less time at home when their tickets are so expensive.’

Guild Student Education Officer Amanda Sefton recently released a video explaining the effects of ‘NATY’ (the New Academic Teaching Year) on students, emphasising that there will still be Christmas and Easter breaks, and that student housing and accommodation will not be affected. 

She also highlighted the positive aspects of January exams, stating that, ‘they are only for what you’ve learnt in semester one, and your May exams are only what you’ve learnt in semester two, that way you don’t have one big exam period,’ meaning that it is ‘less stressful and less hectic.’ 

A spokesperson for the University also gave a statement in response to the concerns of UoB students, saying ‘we continually look for ways to improve the student experience. From September 2020, the new structure of the academic teaching year will balance the exams and major assessment deadlines across the year. 

‘Modules will be taught and assessed within one semester, so all students will receive important information on their module progress half way through the year. There is also additional assessment support time built in to the new timetable, an enhancement of the wellbeing support available at these critical times of the year, and a new UoBe Festival in the inter-semester week to offer a whole host of new opportunities.

‘The revised structure will also ensure that study abroad semesters will become available, opening up this opportunity to those students who can’t afford to study for a whole additional year. We worked with the Guild to develop this new structure and ensure that it benefits more students, offers increased value for money, and is in line with most other major universities.’