Assessment & Grading

The WU Executive Academy aims to implement an assessment strategy that cascades along a goal hierarchy: based on WU Executive Academy’s Mission & Values (see Who we are | Executive Academy Support for lecturers) program aims are developed for each program. These program aims translate to learning goals and learning objectives. A summative assessment of the program’s learning outcome is done through the master’s thesis assessment.

Learning goals and outcomes are not only designed at a program level, but for each module separately considering knowledge, skills, and competencies. To assess the learning outcome accordingly, relevant assessment methods have to be applied.

➔ The Academic Director is your first point of contact for any questions you may have around the overarching program aims and learning goals.

Learning goals and outcomes highlight for the students (and the Academic Director) what should be achieved throughout the module (Bloom’s taxonomy may serve as a guideline to adequate formulation and classification).

➔ The Academic Director gets to see your syllabus and will align your module with all others and the overall program aims.

The course type assigned in the curriculum determines basic rules for the module assessment strategy. Most modules are so-called “PI” (prüfungsimmanent). WU Vienna regulates the assessment approach for each course type.

For a “PI”, at least three assessments are required, none of which should dominate the grade. For most of the modules, the assessment structure follows “pre-/core-/post-module” assignment to evenly evaluate student performance across the learning journey.

➔  The Academic Director informs you, in case a different course type was chosen (which would require a different assessment set-up).

The assessment method(s) should allow to measure the learning outcome specified in the syllabus

To comprehensively address learning goals and cater to various learner types, the use of diverse assessment types, including exams, case studies, presentations, group projects, and practical assignments, is encouraged.

The assessment should mirror the participants’ professional background, enabling a meaningful transfer of the acquired knowledge from the module to real-world business scenarios.

You are strongly encouraged to integrate transversal topics such as responsible leadership, stakeholder perspectives, ethics, sustainability etc., as far as they relate to your discipline, into your assessments.

These themes are expected to be inherent components of the module content, ensuring a holistic approach to learning and evaluation.

You are encouraged to maintain a balanced approach between individual and group assessment.

Individual assessments allow students to evaluate their academic progress independently, while group assessments offer an effective means of evaluating transferable management skills, including leadership, managing ambiguity, effective communication, and teamwork.

Encouraging personal growth through self-reflection and self-awareness, the incorporation of peer and self-assessment is advocated.

Peer assessment as part of the overall grade has been used in the EMBA programs for some time and is also rolled out to the MBA programs.

➔ You will see this as a predefined component in your grading sheet. However, you have the flexibility to determine the percentage weight assigned to this component in the overall grade.

Formative assessment within the module serves as a tool for students to self-monitor their progress and identify areas for improvement.

➔ You are therefore asked to provide timely, detailed, and specific feedback, aligning with WU Vienna’s regulations requiring grading and feedback completion within four weeks after the module. This comprehensive feedback is essential to support students on their learning journey.

Based on Austrian University Act and WU Vienna’s rules and regulations, students can formally contest only a negative grade, if they can demonstrate that the examination procedure was fatally flawed

In case students have received a positive grade and are not satisfied with the outcome, they have the option to retake the course from scratch within six months.

There are recommended approaches if students complain about their grade (for individual and within group assessment). In any case, through extensive feedback, students will better understand the specific grade they received and mitigate frustration and complaints to the Academic Director.

A comprehensive assessment scheme is provided by the WU Executive Academy to ascertain consistent grading standards across all programs and modules.

➔ See also other parts in Assessment & Grading

WU Vienna has no policies in place, which provide a guideline for adequate grade distribution in a cohort; this is due to the autonomy that is granted to individual faculty according to the Austrian University Act.

➔ You are encouraged, however, to acknowledge a certain grade distribution in the cohort to display fairness and equity, support student motivation discerning excellent and other work and to maintain quality and rigor of the program.

The WU Executive Academy strives for continuous improvement in the assessment strategy, policies and procedures.

➔ You are encouraged to reach out to the Academic Director/Dean with suggestions, comments and ideas.