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QUB Recording of Teaching Policy

A new Recording of Teaching Policy will be implemented in Semester 1, AY25/26. Developed under Education Strategy 2030, it sets out a consistent, University-wide approach to the recording of teaching. 

Recorded teaching content plays an important role in supporting accessibility and inclusivity, particularly for students with disabilities, non-native English speakers, and those with caring responsibilities. It supports the University’s obligations under Northern Ireland equality legislation.

ℹ️ The policy was endorsed by Education Committee (Student Experience) in June 2025 and is awaiting formal approval from Academic Council. Once approved, the full policy will be shared with Schools and linked on this page.

Below, you’ll find some background on how the policy was developed and an overview of its key features, including the move to scheduled lecture recording.

Policy Development Timeline

The policy was developed through a clear and collaborative process, shaped by extensive internal and external consultation. Dr Emily Nordmann (University of Glasgow) acted as a critical friend throughout, offering expert input on the research evidence base and examples of effective practice.

  • Summer 2023
    Queen’s adopted Panopto as its institutional platform for the recording of teaching
  • January 2024
    Policy development began with a review of approaches from peer institutions across the sector
  • April 2024
    A Task & Finish Group was established to draft the policy. Membership included academic and professional services staff from all three Faculties, along with representatives from the Students’ Union and University and College Union (UCU)
  • September – December 2024
    A University-wide pilot was conducted to test the draft policy in practice. Feedback from staff and students informed policy revisions
  • January – April 2025
    The final draft was refined and supporting documentation was developed
  • June 2025
    The policy was endorsed by Education Committee (Student Experience) and submitted for formal approval by Academic Council

Scheduled Lecture Recording

From Semester 1, lectures scheduled in centrally bookable teaching spaces on campus will be recorded by default using Panopto and made available to enrolled students via the relevant Canvas module. This applies only to activities designated as ‘lectures’ in the timetabling system, and not to other live teaching formats such as tutorials, seminars, or workshops.

Staff who do not wish to have a lecture recorded will be able to opt out at their discretion via Queen’s Online. Detailed guidance on how to opt out will be shared with Schools. 

Lecture recordings are intended to supplement, not replace, live teaching. Communications to students will reinforce the importance of attendance and engagement in class. 

Key Features of the Policy

  • Applies to all forms of video and/or audio-based teaching, including lecture recording and pre-recorded teaching content 
  • Scheduled recording is only possible with teaching activities timetabled as 'lectures'. Other live teaching formats such as tutorials, seminars and workshops are not included and do not need to be recorded

  • Panopto is the University's preferred tool for recording your teaching, but other supported platforms may be used such as MS Teams 

  • Recordings are only available by default to students enrolled in the relevant Canvas module
  • Students should be notified about lecture recording in advance e.g. via Canvas. Signage and recording lights in teaching rooms will remind them that a recording is taking place 
  • Students must not download, share, edit or distribute recordings without explicit permission. Unauthorised use of recordings constitutes a disciplinary offence and may result in disciplinary action
  • Recordings will not be used for performance management or for disciplinary purposes without staff consent
  • Recordings will not be used to cover industrial action or for business continuity without staff consent 
  • Schools must not use recordings in any way to replace live teaching without staff consent  
  • Lecturers may use their own recordings for professional development purposes
  • Recordings may be published as open educational resources (OER) with appropriate licensing and permissions
  • The University owns the copyright in the recordings themselves. However, staff retain ownership of their scholarly work and personal lecture material. By participating in recorded teaching, staff grant the University a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use that content in line with this policy
  • Staff retain performer rights but grant the University permission to use their performance under this policy
  • Recordings are governed by the Recording of Teaching Privacy Notice and may be removed if they pose a risk to data protection. Staff can contact the Information Compliance Office with any concerns
  • Students with an ISSA may have recordings made available or provided in alternative formats
  • If a student is permitted to record as a reasonable adjustment, this will be outlined in their ISSA. These recordings are for personal use only and must not be shared
  • Panopto provides high-quality automatic captions, which staff can edit if needed
  • Recordings should normally be released within 48 hours, but lecturers can adjust the release time
  • Staff may choose to delay or cancel the release of a recording
  • Recordings are not expected to meet professional production standards and editing is not required in most cases
  • At the end of each year, lecture recordings are archived for 12 months 
  • Staff may delete recordings earlier or request a longer retention period  
  • The recordings of staff who are no longer employed by QUB will not be retained without consent   

Next Steps

The introduction of this policy marks a significant step in supporting inclusive, student-centred learning at Queen’s. The policy will be reviewed after its initial implementation to ensure it continues to meet the needs of both staff and students.