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Formerly the Academic Writing Requirement - Updated February 12, 2026

What's new? A draft of the Core Writing & Research Requirement proposal was presented to Senate for advice on February 6, 2026. The proposal outlined the direction of the new requirement and the shared competencies that will form its foundation.

Background

In 2024, UVic initiated a comprehensive review of the Academic Writing Requirement (AWR), a long-standing university requirement that has not undergone significant review or substantive updates in over a decade, to ensure that undergraduate students develop foundational academic skills early in their programs. This review was undertaken in response to several key factors:

• Student readiness: Analysis showed that some students admitted with high school grades were not consistently prepared for university-level academic work.
• Timing of skills development: A significant proportion of students completed the AWR after their first year, limiting its effectiveness as an early academic intervention.
• Consistency and clarity: There was a lack of shared university-level learning outcomes and mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of the requirement institutionally.
• Alignment with contemporary teaching and learning practices: Rapid changes in digital environments, information practices, and the emergence of Gen AI has reshaped how students engage with reading, writing, and research, creating a need for explicit, early instruction in ethical, responsible, and academically appropriate use.

The AWR Working Group conducted research, consulted broadly across the university, and reviewed practices at comparator institutions. The outcomes of the review included:

• The development of six university-level Core Competencies that define foundational academic skills:
  1. Written and multimodal communication;
  2. Active reading and listening;
  3. Information and digital literacy;
  4. Critical thinking;
  5. Research skills; and
  6. Academic integrity
• A recommendation to replace the AWR with the Core Writing & Research Requirement, which is flexible, non-prescriptive, and embedded within disciplinary contexts.
• Guidance on how to implement the new requirement in ways that support student success, program alignment, and institutional consistency.

This review laid the groundwork for the proposal presented to Senate in February 2026.

Project timeline & milestones

Phase 1: Review and consultation (2024)

• The AWR Working Group conducted research and reviewed practices at comparator universities
• Consulted broadly with faculties, administrative units, and student services to understand challenges and opportunities with the existing requirement
• Identification of gaps in timing, consistency, and assessment of foundational skills
• Development of guiding principles for a new approach

Phase 2: Proposal development (2025–2026)

• Drafting of the Core Writing & Research Requirement proposal based on findings and consultation input
• Engagement with key units, including the Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Management (OREM), Learning and Teaching Innovation (LTI), UVic Advising, and faculty leadership.
• Presentation of the proposal to Senate for information in February 2026.

Phase 3: Feedback and approval (2026)

• Incorporation of Senate and campus feedback
• Planned Senate approval in April 2026

Note: Final approval will prompt detailed implementation planning, including course alignment and ongoing evaluation.

Campus engagement

Throughout the review and proposal development process, consultations with faculty, staff, and administrative units (see Summary of consultations below) have been central to the design of the Core Writing & Research Requirement.

Key themes from campus engagement include:

• Broad support for a mandatory, first-year foundational skills requirement
• Importance of program-level flexibility and portability of courses
• Alignment with academic standards and student success
• Clear communication of expectations to students to support timely completion

Implementation

The implementation of the Core Writing & Research Requirement is subject to Senate approval. Core-designated courses will follow standard curriculum approval processes for new courses.

The implementation phase will:

• Ensure courses align with the six shared competencies
• Maintain flexibility across disciplines while ensuring program alignment and portability
• Include ongoing review and evaluation to assess effectiveness in supporting student skill development
• Emphasize a culture change to communicate the importance of early completion of foundational skills

Resources

• MEMO: Core Writing & Research Requirement proposal presented to Senate (February, 2026)
• Summary of consultations

Members

• Elizabeth Adjin-Tettey, AVP Academic Programs (sponsor) 
• Cindy Holder, Acting Associate Dean Academic, Humanities (co-chair) 
• Todd Milford, Department Chair, Curriculum and Instruction (co-chair) 
• Nancy Ami, Manager, Centre for Academic Communication 
• Shailoo Bedi, Executive Director, Division of Learning and Teaching Support and Innovation 
• Erin Kelly, Program Director, Academic and Technical Writing 
• Kim McLean-Fiander, AWR Advisor, English 
• Karen Munro, Director, Engagement and Learning, UVic Libraries 
• Carleigh Dean, Project and Communications Officer, VPAC (support) 

If you have questions about the AWR review, please contact cmdean@uvic.ca.