Join Now - Complete an application form

Why be a member?

The full range of what is on offer to member institutions is set out in SEEC - What we do.

SEEC membership is open to organisations that provide education and training at higher education levels, and their associates. In the main, members tend to be universities and colleges of further and higher education that use academic credit and credit accumulation as the basis for their courses. Businesses and companies, professional bodies, and private and public sector organisations who work with academic credit at higher levels are also members, as well as a growing number of professional and academic consortia.

Membership is by annual subscription, which varies according to the category of membership, and the scale of its higher education provision.

“We’re in a professional forum…”

In a survey we carried out in 2006, amongst members, the general view was that being a member of SEEC kept the institution in touch with the HE debate and policy-making forums, and gave valuable professional development support, including the range of practical workshops and seminars. They valued the contact with colleagues in the same fields, especially in rapidly-developing areas such as credit frameworks, European approaches and e-learning for student support.

“An exchange of information about credit…”

The benefit of being a member of SEEC is that one can get involved in the national and international practice of exchange of information and opinion about how credit is used:

“We can influence …”

Members are included in national consultations, ensuring a role in influencing policy for higher level learning in all sectors, such as the 2006 Burgess Group work, and QAA codes of practice development.

Academic debate about important issues, such as recent changes in national and international professional qualifications frameworks, find a common forum in SEEC’s various activities.

“The diversity of colleagues…”

The people who come to SEEC events, and who engage in SEEC-related activities in their workplaces, come from all disciplines and areas of study, and a range of faculties and departments:

“A practical support network…”

Colleagues can join the range of Network Groups which are discussion and research groups maintained by practitioners. These meet regularly, and share news and research, supporting each other in curriculum development, course design and and dissemination of good practice. They often work on innovative joint projects, online and paper publications. The Network Groups are held at no charge to the institution, nor to the member of staff.

Staff can also attend the Professional Development Events at preferential rates, usually half the cost to non-members.

Membership categories

There are two categories of institutional membership. Generally, there is no membership category for individuals, although there is some allowance for colleagues who have been active in SEEC through a member institution to carry on as a private or co-opted member.

Full membership is for universities and colleges of further and higher education that use academic credit, and credit accumulation and transfer, as the basis for their Foundation Degrees, undergraduate courses and postgraduate provision.
Companies, professional bodies, private and public sector organisations that offer accreditation at higher levels are also eligible for full membership.

Full membership includes a place on SEEC’s General Council, its means of governance. Representatives meet three times a year, and at the Annual General Meeting in the summer.

The full range of discounts and other benefits include reduced fees for colleagues attending Professional Development Events, and the SEEC Conference, and a discount on publications. The fee is scaled to relate to the number of fulltime equivalent higher level learners in the whole institution.

Associate membership is for colleges and university departments that do not provide a full range of credit-rated educational provision, so that the number of fulltime equivalent higher level learners is low.

It is also open to organisations such as private training companies who might not use credit themselves, but who do offer credit-rated provision through a full member partner. Other associations such as advisory bodies, skills councils, awarding bodies, and professional associations can take on associate membership, and benefit from the professional dialogue and activity with credit-based HE providers.

Associate membership offers reductions in costs for the full range of seminars and workshops that make up the Professional Development Events, and the SEEC Conference. There is no representation on SEEC’s General Council.

Membership Costs 2007 -2008

• full membership for institutions with more than 1000 FTE: £1550
• full membership for institutions with fewer than 1000 FTE: £800
• associate membership: £800

How to join SEEC