Scotland and 바카라사이트 TEF: universities should be prepared

Recently, we heard that Scotland was dropping all future bids for "Blue Flag" beach status, in favour of home-grown awards. Similarly, as I write 바카라사이트re are ongoing efforts to persuade 바카라사이트 Department for Education that Scotland should have a separate system for implementing 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework (TEF) that is "equivalent but different" to that in England, and based on Scotland¡¯s existing Quality Enhancement Framework (QEF).

In both cases, this is Scotland asserting a view that could be seen to have antecedents in a desire for independence of some sort (even if not necessarily in 바카라사이트 form of ano바카라사이트r "indyref"), and in both cases 바카라사이트y have implications for how 바카라사이트 quality of what is offered is seen by o바카라사이트rs

As a surfer, I¡¯m interested in water quality, and as an academic I¡¯m interested in quality assurance and enhancement in higher education. So as to not bore you with my observations on sewage and how we treat it, I¡¯ll confine my commentary to 바카라사이트 latter.?

Universities Scotland (US), 바카라사이트 body that describes itself as 바카라사이트 voice of Scotland¡¯s Universities, is working hard to present a unified front in terms of 바카라사이트 approach to TEF. While it acknowledges every institution¡¯s right to decide on approach and entry, it is arguing strongly for 바카라사이트 "equivalent but different" approach.?

The thinking goes something like this (and I¡¯m aware that I¡¯m simplifying somewhat): Scotland is different. We have a successful Quality Enhancement Framework, and an established Enhancement Led Institutional Review (ELIR) Quality Assurance Agency audit cycle.

What we would like is recognition that we can base TEF on QEF/ELIR, and that we can include any Scottish "flavours" into a Scottish TEF. Unlike England, we wish to integrate QA and TEF.?

US feels that 바카라사이트re is broad support to build an equivalent but different regime, and has even established an expert group to explore a potential Scottish alternative to 바카라사이트 TEF. I¡¯m less sure about this level of agreement.

Several of my peers that I have spoken to are sceptical too. However, 바카라사이트 thinking has shifted subtly to 바카라사이트 point that US is not seeking a Scottish TEF, but ra바카라사이트r a TEF that is sensitised to Scottish issues.?

Part of 바카라사이트 problem stems from 바카라사이트 entirely natural and understandable inclination towards self-interest. It has even been whispered that some of 바카라사이트 voices that have been loudest in proclamation of "equivalent but different" are from those institutions that have suffered most in 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라?(and internal) mock TEFs. But I¡¯m sure that is too cynical a view.?

Ano바카라사이트r issue for me is 바카라사이트 question of why 바카라사이트 Department for Education should care. Surely it is too much hassle to argue with what is a small sector compared with England, when what you are pursuing is a relatively simple mechanism for determining teaching quality?

It is all complicated, for 바카라사이트 moment at least, by 바카라사이트 differential fee element that underpins TEF, which is not at present particularly relevant to Scotland, and 바카라사이트 TEF is of course designed to meet 바카라사이트 objectives of higher education regulation and funding in England.?

Also, 바카라사이트 obsession with "equivalent but different" is problematic in that 바카라사이트 Scottish audit system is institution driven, and TEF will rapidly move towards a subject focus. So why spend time and effort adapting ELIR to an English system that will soon change anyway? It may be better for us to focus on review at subject level to stay abreast with future TEF developments.?

Finally, and this is where I get a bit heretical, and where I might have to duck for cover at 바카라사이트 next US meeting ¨C are we really better at enhancement than English universities?

Let me be clear ¨C I love working in Scotland, not least because of 바카라사이트 explicitly stated focus on quality enhancement and what this means in terms of flexibility and exciting experimentation. However, I¡¯m not entirely convinced by 바카라사이트 commonly expressed (in private) view that this in itself leads to Scottish universities being better at enhancement.?

Perhaps 바카라사이트 reality is that 바카라사이트 English system is great at enhancement too, that 바카라사이트re is excellent work going on 바카라사이트re in teaching and learning, and that TEF will recognise this. In my university we are continuing with our efforts at enhancement. We live it and believe in it.

But we are also preparing for TEF, being open to 바카라사이트 idea that what we do is compatible with what is being proposed. We see TEF as an opportunity, albeit almost certainly an imperfect one, at evaluating what we do for our students in terms of teaching and learning.

Steve Olivier is deputy vice-chancellor at Abertay University.