The RSS has issued a joint statement with other mathematical societies, expressing concerns over the move to online assessment for university students - which some institutions have indicated they may take up permanently.
Over recent years, mathematical science departments have substantially adapted their degree programmes to take advantage of the developments in online learning and assessment technology. This was accelerated by the pandemic, when a lot of teaching had to be moved online, but this trend has continued despite Covid restrictions being lifted.
Our statement - released jointly with the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) and the London Mathematical Society (LMS), and endorsed by the Edinburgh Mathematical Society and Heads of Departments of Mathematical Sciences (HoDoMS) - highlights concerns over academic integrity and the issue of work not being the candidates’ own.
Following
a statement we released on the issue last year, the societies are now aware that a number of universities are planning to remove, either partially or entirely, on-campus examinations and closed-book assessments. Our latest statement stresses that, in the interests of fairness, all learners must be given equal opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge.
The RSS and the other societies call on all universities to support their departments by providing access to the full range of assessment methods, including in-person exams, that are most appropriate for their discipline.
Read the statement in full.