Curriculum Management FAQs

Will people still be able to access CAPIS after 26 September 2024?

Yes, but only with ‘view only’ access. All new course proposals for 2025/26 and future years will need to be raised through Akari.

Is all course information being transferred from CAPIS to Akari?

See the "Data held in Akari" section below.

When will Akari be rolled out to all departments, schools and institutes?

We have created a visual timeline for the project. 

All new course and programme proposals for 2025/26 (optional courses) and 2026/27 (programmes and compulsory / core courses) have been submitted through Akari since September 2024. 

This year's Annual Course Guide Review took place in Akari between February and May.

A third phase of the project is due to be rolled out in June 2025, in which users will be able to see reports in Akari. 

In its fourth phase, due to be completed in September 2025, Akari will be integrated with other systems such as SITS, CMIS and the LSE website. 

If you need guidance in using Akari, please contact the TQARO team on tqaro@lse.ac.uk.

Will Akari contain any new fields of information beyond what has been held in CAPIS? If so, how will these be populated?

Which fields in Akari will appear in course guides and which fields won't?

Please see a guide to the fields which can be edited in Akari and will appear on course guides.

Departments were previously able to create and maintain course data in CAPIS, but what about programmes? Will programme data also be captured in Akari?

Akari will now hold all curriculum management information for programmes as well as courses. Previously, new programme information was captured via a Word Document, and programme regulations were maintained separately by TQARO. All programme data points will now be in Akari, and no Word Document proposals will be used. 

I’ve heard LSE assessment terminology will also be changing?

How do new users get access to Akari? How do I make sure they have editing rights to the relevant courses and programmes in our department?

New users should send an email to the DTS Service Desk (tech.support@lse.ac.uk) to request access to Akari, copying in your line manager.  DTS will then create an Akari account and will email TQARO to confirm this has happened. 

 A member of TQARO will then get in touch with the user to share their log in details and instructions for accessing the system. If the user requires editing rights to specific courses and programmes, they should provide a list of courses/programmes to TQARO who will ensure they get added as an editor to these.

You can see which Roles are available in Akari itself, with an explanation as to what these roles are.

Where can I go now for support? 

While the training sessions have now concluded, support is still available. You may wish to speak with a colleague in your department who attended a training session, as they might be able to share useful insights.  

 Additionally, you can find help in the following locations: 

• Support in using Akari

• Support relating to curriculum management processes

If you need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact tqaro@lse.ac.uk.

Will departments, schools and institutes need to change their current ways of working? 

Generally no, although those in departments responsible for the Course Guide Review will experiences some differences in using the Akari system. 

Departments may want to review their processes in light of the introduction of Akari. How departments, schools and institutes run internal curriculum management processes is agreed locally under the devolved quality assurance framework, with Department Teaching Committees responsible for approving changes to existing provision, as well as considering proposals for new courses and programmes.

What do the processes for making changes look like in Akari?

For the difference between minor and major changes, please see this quick reference guide. 

 Minor changes

• Minor changes to a course can be made directly to the course record and do not require TQARO approval. Once editing is complete, the editor can either:

  • Approve the course, thus confirming that their Department Teaching Committee has had oversight of it.
  • Submit the course for Departmental Approval.
• Minor changes to a programme will be made by submitting a Minor Programme Change request in Akari. TQARO will then review and action the changes. 

 Major changes 

• Major changes to a course or programme have the same edit and approvals process. Both will be made by submitting a Major Change request in Akari. TQARO will then review and action the changes. 

 In-year changes 

• In-year changes to a course or programme have the same edit and approvals process. Both will be made by submitting a Major Change request in Akari. TQARO will then review and action the changes. If the changes will have an impact on prospectus information the Prospectus team will need to be notified as well. 

 Suspension 

• Courses can be suspended in Akari as part of the annual data collection for Timetables in early Winter Term. The suspension of compulsory or core courses requires Department Teaching Committee approval and should not be made in-cycle.  

• Suspension of a programme requires Department Teaching Committee approval and consultation with APRC via Annual Monitoring, and should not be made in-cycle. Please submit a Suspension Request in Akari. 

 Withdrawal 

• Courses can be withdrawn in Akari as part of the annual data collection for Timetables in early Winter Term. The withdrawal of a compulsory or core course requires Department Teaching Committee approval and should not be made in-cycle. Once a course is withdrawn, it cannot be reinstated. 

• The withdrawal of a programme requires Department Teaching Committee approval and consultation with APRC via Annual Monitoring, and should not be made in-cycle. Once a programme is withdrawn, it cannot be reinstated.  Please submit a Withdrawal Request in Akari.

I want to download a PDF version of a course or programme so that I can circulate it to colleagues via email. Can I do this?

Yes, Akari can save a course or programme record as a PDF. This can be done from the Review (Version Comparison) screen.

• Select "Review (Version Comparison)" from the ellipsis menu of a course or programme record. 
• You can input comments directly into the Review (Version Comparison) screen if the department’s preference is to keep communications within the system. 
• If you would like to continue saving as a PDF, select the printer icon at the top right-hand corner of the screen.
• This will generate a PDF version of the page. 

What are the deadlines for submitting new course and programme proposals in Akari?

The deadlines for submission of new proposals to TQARO for consideration by the relevant sub-committee, USSC, GSSC or RDSC, remain unchanged. Please see Sub-Committees and Deadlines.

Will we still be required to input a rationale for the devolved responsibilities? Is it assumed DTC Chair approval has been obtained prior to submitting these changes? 

A rationale is no longer required when submitting these kinds of changes, and DTC approval is assumed when making the changes on Akari.

How can I preview course guides in Akari?

In response to user feedback, we developed a report in which Akari users can now view the information visible on course guides. Please see guidance outlining how to access it.  

 This report can be generated at any stage of the review process, enabling users to check and reference the information available at that point in time. It can be accessed by any Akari user.  

 Whilst this replaces the “Preview” functionality in CAPIS, it doesn’t work in exactly the same way and there are some things to bear in mind:

• Akari will display the content but not the layout of the course guide in the Calendar. The project team is currently working on configuring the link between Akari and the LSE website as part of the work on integrations and will share an update as soon as it’s possible to see what the course guide will look like in the Calendar.
• The project team has formally requested that Akari develop the ability to export the page, but this feature isn’t currently available. We recommend viewing the report in Akari, but if you would like to copy and paste content into Word, this works more effectively when the page is landscape.

See information on reports in Akari.

Which systems are being linked?

Akari is being linked to the LSE website (Calendar), SITS and CMIS.

You can find an overview of the systems being integrated on the project webpage.

I've heard the project is facing challenges - what are they?

Each system has its own architecture, data model, and integration capabilities. Ensuring these link to each other accurately, smoothly and in line with the needs of all teams can lead to many types of challenges.   

Some integration components are proving more complex than anticipated, which has meant additional work to resolve these issues, affecting an already tight timescale.

Is Course Finder being decommissioned?

Yes - in response to challenges which have arisen, we have unfortunately had to make the difficult decision that we can no longer support Course Finder. This decision has not been taken lightly and follows consultation with representatives from across the School.   

While it has been helpful in providing students with a more personal course planning experience, students are able to identify course choices through other means. It is also a legacy system which would require additional resource to maintain.  

We understand this change may be disappointing and will affect staff, as well as continuing students, in practical ways. We know some of you have integrated references to it in course materials or student communications.  

Further information will soon be shared as to practical next steps to take to support its decommissioning.

Will the publication of the Calendar be on time?

We currently expect the Calendar to be published slightly later in August, towards the end of the month. While there is always a possibility of minor shifts due to unforeseen challenges, the project team is working hard to keep to the planned timeline. 

Weekly updates are being shared with Academic Managers, the Edu-Leaders list, and the PMA Forum. Any changes to timelines will be communicated promptly.

Will the start of the academic year be affected?

At this stage, we remain on track and do not expect any impact to the start of the academic year. The team is focused on maintaining this trajectory and is taking proactive steps to manage timelines and mitigate risks. 

 We will continue to share weekly updates with key groups, and will communicate any changes promptly and transparently, should they arise.

Do we need to recheck our data in Akari?

Yes, when webstaging links are shared, we will ask departments to review their data. A more thorough check than usual may be needed this year due to the exceptional nature of the transition. Your attention to detail is greatly appreciated and won’t be required at this level every year.

How will we know which data is "final"?

The data published in the Calendar will be the agreed final version for academic years up to and including 2025/26.

What happens if we spot an error after the Calendar has been published?

If you notice any issues after publication, please email tqaro@lse.ac.uk with a link to the relevant page(s) and a brief description of the issue. We’ll review and address it as quickly as possible.

How will this impact what students and prospective students see online?

There may be some minor visual changes to Calendar pages, which you will be able to preview via webstaging links. Otherwise, the student experience of the Calendar will remain consistent.

Are students likely to be affected?

With the project on track, students should not experience any changes. The only exception to this is that continuing students will see the decommissioning of Course Finder. 

 A specific plan for the decommissioning of Course Finder is being developed and will be shared with departments before the end of July. 

 Any other potential impacts on students will be communicated as early as possible through the weekly updates.

Can I request new exams for January 2026?

The January exam period is currently full. Requests for new January exams can only be considered in accordance with the ‘one-in-one-out’ policy.  

In the meantime, please provide any expressions of interest for new January exams on this spreadsheet by the end of Spring Term 2025. This will help us assess the level of unmet demand and scope out options. This should not be considered as a first-come-first-served waiting list, although we will of course consider these expressions of interest should additional capacity be secured.   

Work is ongoing to consider whether further expansion of the January period can be achieved, and the outcome of that work is scheduled for consideration in Autumn Term 2025. If agreed, any change to the January exam period capacity is not likely to come into effect until January 2027 at the earliest. 

Can I request new exams for Spring 2026?

Although the ‘one in, one out’ policy is still in place, it is not currently being applied to new Spring exams. Departments are free to add new Spring exams for 2026 during the annual course guide review or as part of a new course proposal, without seeking approval.  

The number of Spring exams will be kept under review and it may be necessary to return to applying ‘one-in-one-out’ to new Spring exams in future.  

When adding new Spring exams, Departments should bear in mind the following:  

• Exams may be scheduled any point in the six-week exam period. With more exams in the Spring period, inevitably more of them must be scheduled in the later weeks of the period. Although in Spring Departments may make timetabling requests to schedule particularly large courses, which are meeting the UG or 9/10-month MSc mark submission deadline, early in the period, this can’t be guaranteed.  

• With more exams overall, and more unique course/exam combinations, the chances of individual students having a ‘challenging’ exam schedule increases (e.g. two exams in one day, exams on consecutive days, multiple exams in a week, etc). Departments should be ready to manage student expectations on this.

What steps do I take if I would like exams to be delivered as e-Exams?

Departments may opt to have existing exams in the January period, and existing or new exams in the Spring period, delivered as e-Exams. E-exams are in-person invigilated exams completed by students on their own device, using the software Digiexam according to the School’s agreed standard settings.  

 For more information about e-Exams please refer to the e-Exam staff guidance and student guidance or contact ssc.exams@lse.ac.uk.   

 Requests for centrally scheduled e-Exams or online exams which are 24 hours or shorter can be made by selecting the appropriate exam option in the ‘Mode’ field in Akari during the Annual Course Guide Review process. Please confirm timetabling capacity with ssc.exams@lse.ac.uk or tqaro@lse.ac.uk before updating Akari.

 As a reminder, the following types of online assessment will be scheduled centrally alongside in-person exams:  

• Assessments which are 24 hours or shorter, of one of the following types:
  • 24-hour window online assessment, with a shorter expected effort time within this
  • Time-limited online assessment with a common start time for all students
  • Time-limited online assessment to be taken at any time within a 24-hour window
  • This will apply only to assessments of the above types which take place in the January or Spring exam periods, and these same assessments when they occur in the August UG IRDAP and PGT January RDAP or May/June RDAP2. 

How can I use Akari to communicate DTC decisions?