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This article is about the assessment of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degrees that were developed in the UK in the 1990s. The article is based on a content analysis of the 16 DBA programmes in the UK at the end of 1999. It evaluates the assessment methods found against: the assessment of students’ achievement on traditional Doctor of Philosophy degrees (PhDs); the guidelines on the assessment of DBA candidates produced by the Association of British Business Schools; and the espoused intended learning outcomes of the DBA programmes themselves. The main conclusion is that there is a tension in the assessment methods employed by DBAs through their relationship with the traditional PhD. The tension is captured in the question: should programme developers follow the assessment methods of the “gold standard” PhD or should they use assessment methods that assess the learning outcomes of the DBA that distinguish it from the traditional PhD?

This article is about the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degrees that were developed in the UK during the 1990s. It looks at the range of programme structures, content and learning support used. The article is based on a content analysis of the 16 DBA programmes in the UK at the end of 1999. The main conclusion is that there is a tension in the form and function of DBAs through their relationship with the traditional PhD. The tension is captured in the question: To what extent do programme developers follow the design of the ’‘gold standard” PhD and to what extent do they design a programme aimed at meeting the learning outcomes of the DBA that distinguish it from a PhD?

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main problems in assessing reflective learning and to seek ways of tackling them. Lessons are sought from HE’s long engagement with critical thinking that can be transferred to reflective learning. A solution to the problems is offered that is based on a questioning approach to reflective learning. In so doing, the paper explores the nature of reflective learning and advances the idea that the distinction between “surface” and “deep” learning can be generalised to the domain of reflective learning. It concludes with some implications for the development of reflective learning.

Supervised work experience within courses of post‐school education has grown rapidly over the last 40 years. A strong commitment to the principle of “sandwich” education has been matched in recent years by an increasing concern about how to manage the placement period to help the students involved to gain most value from the experience. Looks at the problem from the perspective of the academic institution. Specifically, it suggests an answer to the question: how can the academic institution manage the sandwich placement experience of students more effectively? Considers the application of a management development approach called action learning to support sandwich placement students and enhance their learning from the sandwich experience.

Considers the role of higher education with reference to the development of students as people rather than simply receptacles for knowledge. Charts the author’s development as an educationist and suggests a current total of six learning aims which he sees to be of central importance in higher education, including such factors as disseminating up‐to‐date knowledge and facilitating personal development of students.