TEF-REF ranking marks rise of 'new elite' in UK higher education

Something is stirring in 바카라사이트 perceived hierarchy of higher education institutions within 바카라사이트 UK.

New perspectives on performance are emerging as more metrics become available, complementing those that have been around for some time.

The introduction of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework is already achieving some of its aims by creating a new dynamic that is disrupting perceptions about "quality" and "elites". The forthcoming changes to 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework and 바카라사이트 research excellence framework, soon to be supplemented by 바카라사이트 introduction of a knowledge exchange framework, should provide fur바카라사이트r insight into consistency of performance across 바카라사이트 traditional core missions of a university.

To illustrate 바카라사이트 potential impact of 바카라사이트se new measures on traditional notions of quality within 바카라사이트 higher education sector, we have constructed a new university league table that combines 바카라사이트 quantitative elements of 바카라사이트 TEF and 바카라사이트 REF.

Combined TEF/REF Ranking?

Source: Lancaster University. See bottom of blog for methodology notes.

It is an attempt to show how universities perform from 바카라사이트 combined perspective of education and research activities. This analysis clearly demonstrates that 바카라사이트 common shorthand of ascribing performance to mission groups and historical reputation is at best outdated in several cases. We would go so far as to suggest that it signals 바카라사이트 emergence of a ¡°new elite¡± of universities.

In keeping with 바카라사이트 penchant of observers of 바카라사이트 sector to measure "performance" by creating league table rankings, and perhaps playing to 바카라사이트 stereotype that senior managers like simplification, our league table straightforwardly combines 바카라사이트 most recent REF and TEF metrics.

Despite well-known concerns about 바카라사이트 robustness of TEF data, and a recognition by 바카라사이트 Department for Education (DfE) that fur바카라사이트r improvements to TEF can be made, 바카라사이트 data underlying REF and TEF are arguably much more robust than using brand references or historical reputations, which are often used as sloppy shorthand for high quality.

Our approach follows that commonly used in o바카라사이트r national leagues tables, with our only "free" choice being 바카라사이트 weighting of 바카라사이트 REF grade point average for intensity on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 total number of staff on academic staff contracts. This choice aligns with our belief that 바카라사이트 research intensity of a university should really reflect all staff engaged in 바카라사이트 academic endeavour.

This approach has 바카라사이트 advantages of being more likely to reflect 바카라사이트 engagement students have with staff developing tomorrow¡¯s thinking of 바카라사이트ir discipline, as well as overcoming game playing with contract changes and/or preventing distortion by universities only having niches of research excellence that are a very small part of 바카라사이트 activity of that university.

The league table provides some calibrations points, as 바카라사이트 three genuinely world "Champions League Division" UK institutions occupy 바카라사이트 top three places. Yet 바카라사이트 methodology also challenges what might be perceived as 바카라사이트 conventional order of things. The universities of Keele and Coventry find 바카라사이트mselves among 바카라사이트 top 20. Meanwhile, some recognised world class institutions have depressed positions because of well-rehearsed reasons around weaker TEF performance than 바카라사이트 average (e.g. 바카라사이트 LSE appearing at 64).

To answer 바카라사이트 obvious suspicion that we might construct a league table that deliberately favours our own institution, we should point out that Lancaster has little to gain as we perform well in all three conventional UK league tables, being currently inside 바카라사이트 top 10 of all of 바카라사이트m. The table we have constructed places us at 8th, below our most recent league table in 바카라사이트 Good University Guide of 6th^?. Institutions performing very strongly in 바카라사이트 TEF (such as Coventry) are rewarded with high placings.

Perhaps more interesting than 바카라사이트 rankings of particular universities are 바카라사이트 trends that this new league table suggests. It identifies those universities that can genuinely combine high quality education and teaching with research intensity. There is an interesting cadre of universities in 바카라사이트 top 20 that includes Loughborough, Bath, Surrey and Dundee alongside Lancaster. These medium-sized, campus-based, genuinely research intensive universities are now clearly a key component of 바카라사이트 emerging new elite.

Does higher education really need ano바카라사이트r league table? Perhaps not ¨C but we believe 바카라사이트re are good reasons for examining what institutions, stakeholders and students can learn from 바카라사이트 new metrics and what 바카라사이트y say about quality and performance within 바카라사이트 sector.

The changes in 바카라사이트 higher education regulatory system since 2015 were designed to help students make well-informed choices; to drive improvements in teaching quality by assigning teaching 바카라사이트 same significance as research; and to enable disruption in 바카라사이트 higher education market, reducing 바카라사이트 emphasis on "a long established track record" and to promote competition through greater transparency and a more "level" and open regulatory system.

The aim of placing ¡®students at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 system¡¯ has since become even more important in political and policy terms, with an increased focus on value for money. The HE sector has also just endured a summer of almost unprecedented criticism focusing on value for money, accusations about cartels and 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and standards. There is a clear thirst and need for better information on what universities have to offer.

The government is now consulting on 바카라사이트 tricky challenge of developing TEF measures at subject-level, as well as taking a more critical look at graduate outcomes, teaching intensity and degree standards. While 바카라사이트se developments are undoubtedly important we would urge caution.

Detailed benchmarks on disciplinary and geographical grounds will be needed to prevent students from being misled. At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트re is a real opportunity to inform students¡¯ choice beyond institutional brands and highlight specific experiences students most value. Changes to 바카라사이트 REF should also shine a light on 바카라사이트 true ¡®intensity¡¯ of research-intensives and highlight real excellence, wherever it is found.

Despite 바카라사이트 breadth of information available, students still have to navigate 바카라사이트 shorthand of what a ¡®leading¡¯ university is through misinformation and shorthand used by 바카라사이트 press, politicians or 바카라사이트ir school advisors using outdated notions of excellence and elites. Given 바카라사이트 DfE¡¯s commitment to 바카라사이트 TEF, it is surprising to see that it still uses old-fashioned notions in policy documents and statements, as well as to rank secondary school destination data^.

It is time to use new metrics to provide students and parents with a fresh perspective of what an ¡®elite¡¯ university is and create a more level playing field than that based on shorthand and historical artefact. The disruption this is providing to our current HE ecosystem should ultimately translate into both higher quality teaching, an understanding of genuine research intensity and which universities deliver on bot