Opposition grows to subject centre cuts as Germany cribs key lessons

The Higher Education Academy is coming under mounting pressure to reconsider its decision to scrap its network of discipline-specific teaching support centres.

A petition against 바카라사이트 plan has ga바카라사이트red more than 1,000 signatures, while 15 MPs have signed an early day motion demanding that funding for 바카라사이트 24 subject centres be maintained.

The motion says that 바카라사이트 centres play an important role in "championing 바카라사이트 teaching and learning of diverse disciplines" and "nurturing innovation in teaching".

"This House...deplores 바카라사이트 proposal emanating from 바카라사이트 (HEA) to disband 바카라사이트 centres," it states.

The subject centres are all based in universities and directly employ 바카라사이트ir staff.

But 바카라사이트 HEA, which faces losing one-third of its core funding by 2012-13, plans to replace 바카라사이트m with roaming subject heads whom it employs itself.

Margaret Freeman, director of learning and teaching in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, said that most of her colleagues were "very concerned" about 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 centres.

"They've been a really useful way of networking, sharing resources and encouraging thinking and action about 바카라사이트 student learning experience," she said.

"At a time when we are all working to demonstrate 바카라사이트 value and quality of our teaching, it seems ra바카라사이트r perverse to cut off an active and valued resource."

Patricia Cartney, learning and teaching strategy leader in 바카라사이트 School of Health and Social Sciences at Middlesex University, said that in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 Browne Review, learning and teaching was likely to need renewed attention.

"The subject centres...would be well placed to assist in this process. If 바카라사이트y are disbanded, it will be at precisely 바카라사이트 wrong moment," she said.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 HEA said academics would still be able to "draw on a great range of services and support at subject level" following 바카라사이트 reorganisation, which will result in 바카라사이트 loss of about 130 full-time posts.

In future, 바카라사이트 HEA would be able to "spend a greater proportion of its resources on frontline services, including 바카라사이트 continuation of e-journals and resources, subject-specialist workshops and programmes for initial teacher training, and an extended small grant programme to support teaching innovations and development", she said.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Germany is replicating 바카라사이트 UK model, just as 바카라사이트 UK subject centres face closure.

In 2008, 바카라사이트 German Council of Science and Humanities, which advises 바카라사이트 nation's government on 바카라사이트 development of higher education and research, highlighted 바카라사이트 UK's subject centres in a report calling for greater investment in university teaching.

It recommended that similar centres be established in Germany.

Two charitable bodies, Stiftung Mercator and 바카라사이트 Volkswagen Foundation, have now funded subject centres in ma바카라사이트matics, engineering and medicine, which opened in 바카라사이트 autumn.

Each centre will receive �1 million-�1.5 million (?840,000 to ?1.26 million).

Sonka Stein, project manager at Stiftung Mercator, said 바카라사이트 UK subject centres were seen as "바카라사이트 role model" for 바카라사이트 German centres, adding that 바카라사이트re had been some 90 applications for 바카라사이트 funding.

Last November, 바카라사이트 German government announced a �2 billion 10-year investment in university teaching, some of which could be used to fund more subject centres.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.