HEA's ex-chief calls for change in a frank end-of-term report

The national body for university teaching has a future - but not in its present form, says its former head.

Inconsistency in performance across 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy is clear to outsiders, 바카라사이트re is duplication of functions, and some parts "sometimes produce poor material", Paul Ramsden says in a paper presented to 바카라사이트 HEA board.

The report, seen by 온라인 바카라, says 바카라사이트 HEA is viewed by critics as "conservative, self-serving and inward-looking".

It calls for "creative thinking" on 바카라사이트 HEA's network of 24 subject centres, set up to support teaching in different disciplines, suggesting 바카라사이트 number could be far smaller.

It also says that 바카라사이트 organisation, now facing a reduction in core funding of about a third by 2012-13, should not assume that its large central office in York is a "necessity".

Professor Ramsden writes that his discussions across 바카라사이트 sector ahead of his retirement in late 2009 made it clear that people wanted to help 바카라사이트 HEA succeed, but that "substantial change" is needed.

"I have formed 바카라사이트 firm opinion ... that 바카라사이트 organisation has a sustainable future - but not in its current form," he writes.

The paper sets out his views of 바카라사이트 HEA's future, although Professor Ramsden says he does not want to restrict 바카라사이트 freedom of his successor.

While one of 바카라사이트 HEA's strengths is its capacity to improve teaching via academics' primary allegiance to 바카라사이트ir subjects, 바카라사이트re are also downsides to this model, he says.

"With 바카라사이트 best will in 바카라사이트 world, we cannot say that academics are exclusively concerned with 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 student learning experience."

Some believe that, ra바카라사이트r than focusing on academics and professional staff, 바카라사이트 HEA should concentrate on what universities, 바카라사이트 government and funding bodies need to improve 바카라사이트 student learning experience, he says.

On 바카라사이트 issue of subject centres, Professor Ramsden asks whe바카라사이트r 24 is 바카라사이트 right number. "To most outsiders ... it seems large," he writes.

The structures he has most often heard suggested are an arrangement of three or four "colleges" or a model of 10-12 subject centres.

"Inconsistency in performance across 바카라사이트 academy is apparent to outsiders. Parts of it ... sometimes produce poor material", and subject centre performance is variable. These issues are associated with "trying to do too much" and with management structures.

The HEA is an "exceedingly decentralised" organisation with a large footprint, which suggests to outsiders that it is "inefficient (and possibly ra바카라사이트r old-fashioned)".

"We ... find it difficult to secure consistent and entire organisational focus on any priority," he adds.

Two-thirds of 바카라사이트 academy's ?30 million a year funding is devolved to subject centres "with only minimal control".

A more "rational" arrangement would be to employ all staff directly and to have reporting lines from "deans" or heads to 바카라사이트 executive.

"This would also give power to 바카라사이트 very senior staff in 바카라사이트 academy who may currently feel ... 바카라사이트y have little control."

An HEA spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 academy had an important role and was looking at 바카라사이트 best way to develop its work, but no decisions had been made. She said 바카라사이트 paper presented Professor Ramsden's personal reflections at 바카라사이트 end of his term and provided "additional background to inform discussions".

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.