The Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) is a formal degree transcript that provides a full record of your university achievements, including both academic and extra-curricular learning and experience.
It’s an electronic document that can be accessed online while studying for your degree or after you’ve graduated and are applying for employment or further study.
HEARs will be issued to all undergraduate students, starting with the undergraduates who started at Westminster in September 2014. You will have to activate your Gradintelligence account in order to access your HEAR and share it with employers. You can find more information about this below.
The HEAR serves as a formal means for the University to recognise your achievements and participation in University life outside the formal curriculum. It not only records programme details, marks and degree classification but also details of time spent studying abroad, prizes and awards, volunteering activity and more.
We also encourage you to consider how you can make the most of your HEAR, for example by thinking about engaging in extra-curricular activities that the University can verify, to help them demonstrate wider experience and skills.
In the face of an increasingly competitive environment, the HEAR will be a key resource for helping employers and others to appreciate the breadth of your capabilities.
The HEAR will contain the overall module mark achieved. Only passed modules and condoned credit modules will show on the HEAR. Alongside the HEAR, you will continue to receive an academic transcript and award certificate.
The HEAR is being issued to University of Westminster undergraduate students (not including students on courses at partner institutions) who commenced their studies from September 2014 onwards. If you started your studies before September 2014, you will not be eligible for the HEAR but will receive a full academic transcript along with your award certificate.
For further information, please visit the official HEAR website.
Section 6:1 additional achievements
The HEAR provides us with an opportunity to record additional achievements outside of your studies. Details of these other activities will be recorded in section 6.1 ‘Additional Achievements’ in your record. This means that the HEAR enables you to present a much more rounded view of how you spent your time at Westminster and supports you in demonstrating your potential to employers.
If you are a member of staff and know of an extra-curricular activity that should be included in section 6.1, please complete the
If you have any queries regarding the form, please email [email protected].
Only recognised activities will be included, from these three categories of additional achievement:
Academic prizes
These include University, college, departmental and course prizes. Prizes awarded by external bodies can also be included, on the condition that the prize can be verified by the University. These prizes are largely based on academic achievement. Read more about Academic prizes.
Westminster Distinctiveness Awards
There are a range of opportunities for personal and professional development available at the University. These can be added to your HEAR as Westminster Distinctiveness Awards once they have been completed and verified. These awards are largely based on non-academic achievement. Westminster Distinctiveness Awards come in many forms. Check out the personal and professional development opportunities available to you. All awards come with a HEAR.
Other types of achievement
This category will include other recognised activity not linked to an award. These include:
Microsoft Office Specialist
We provide the opportunity to gain the internationally recognised Microsoft Office Specialist certification in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Each individual software application requires attendance on a one-day training programme. Upon successful completion of the training course and mock exams, students can take exams to gain the qualifications.
For more details, visit the Microsoft Office Specialist training page.
Adobe Certified Associate
We offer you the opportunity to gain the internationally recognised Adobe Certified Associate certification in Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and Premiere Pro. Each individual software application requires attendance on a two day training programme. Upon successful completion of the training course and mock exams, students can take exams to gain the qualifications.
For more details, visit the Adobe Certified Associate training page.
Exchanges
Students participating in exchanges, internships and other opportunities abroad (that are not credit bearing) can have that experience accredited on the Higher Education Achievement Report. Further details will be provided later in 2016.
For more details, visit our student exchanges page.
How to access your HEAR
We are working in partnership with Gradintelligence, part of the Tribal Group who supply our student record system, to produce HEARs. HEARs are virtual documents that can be accessed via Gradintelligence while you are studying at the University and after you have left, there is no charge to access Gradintelligence or receive a HEAR.
HEARs are electronic documents that can accessible via the Gradintelligence website. You will be able to share your HEAR with potential employers or other universities, and can also use the system to build a CV and search for employment.
You will need to register with Gradintelligence so that you have a secure way of accessing your HEAR.
The Gradintelligence website gives you the option to share your HEAR with employers or institutions by sending an electronic token which enables them to view the HEAR. Details about how to do this are available on the Gradintelligence website.
Further questions and help
If you have any further questions about the HEAR, or need any help with the HEAR please email [email protected].