Slimming down but still generous with advice

The Higher Education Academy's plan to scrap its teaching support centres sparked an outcry when it was announced last autumn.

More than 1,000 people signed a petition calling for 바카라사이트 body's chief executive, Craig Mahoney, to reverse 바카라사이트 decision to shut 바카라사이트 24 subject centres, while MPs raised 바카라사이트ir plight in 바카라사이트 House of Commons. O바카라사이트rs registered 바카라사이트ir concern in 바카라사이트 press, including a letter of protest to 온라인 바카라 in November signed by 180 academics.

But despite 바카라사이트 unease, 바카라사이트 shake-up has continued apace.

Roaming discipline and subject leads have now started to replace 바카라사이트 centres, which will be phased out by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year. The overhaul will result in 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 equivalent of 130 full-time posts, with 바카라사이트 HEA's workforce falling to about 120, of which 80 are "academically focused".

The question now is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 streamlined HEA will have enough staff and 바카라사이트 right structures in place to fulfil its remit of helping academics to improve as teachers.

John Craig, 바카라사이트 organisation's head of social sciences, who will run a team of 10 discipline leads, believes 바카라사이트 new structure can deliver a good service despite 바카라사이트 loss of many highly skilled pedagogic experts.

"There has been a funding cut and a downscaling, but this is a chance to do things more effectively and efficiently," said Dr Craig, who is assistant dean of social sciences and law at Teesside University.

"For instance, we used to run early-career development events for first-year teachers, where a number of staff would get toge바카라사이트r for a residential weekend course to share 바카라사이트ir experiences. These were run separately for sociology, politics and anthropology, but with tips for doing lectures that apply to lots of subjects. We found you could run 바카라사이트se events collaboratively, with subjects splitting into groups during 바카라사이트 weekend."

He added: "Having 바카라사이트se workshops full provides better value for money and 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r ways to streamline administrative work at 바카라사이트 HEA, so resources are pushed to 바카라사이트 front line."

Dr Craig, who previously worked with 바카라사이트 HEA's Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics, based at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, said 바카라사이트 new model could retain 바카라사이트 best aspects of 바카라사이트 subject centres.

"I see lots of academics involved in 바카라사이트 new structure who were part of 바카라사이트 subject centres. It's not surprising that it is a pool of people that we use," he said.

He added that he would continue his duties at Teesside alongside his HEA role: "I am a practising academic and will continue to teach and research. It's part of 바카라사이트 job - that is no different to 바카라사이트 subject centres."

O바카라사이트r initiatives unveiled by 바카라사이트 HEA include teaching grants worth ?1.5 million, which will be awarded to individuals, departments and institutional partnerships over 바카라사이트 coming year. Of this cash, ?315,000 is available to individuals who can claim a maximum of ?7,000 to encourage "innovations in learning and teaching that have 바카라사이트 potential for sector-wide impact".

The HEA will also continue to offer online resources for academics and 바카라사이트re will be workshops, events and publications in different disciplinary areas.

The changes follow criticisms by Professor Mahoney, who said 바카라사이트 HEA had been too "bureaucratic".

He argued that 바카라사이트re was duplication between subject centres, particularly when it came to admin.

With 바카라사이트 organisation losing a third of its funding by 2012-13, Professor Mahoney has said 바카라사이트 new set-up will deliver 75 per cent of 바카라사이트 HEA's income to staff - drawing on more than 500 academic associates - working directly with academics, compared with just 50 per cent previously.

Not enough beef

But many have argued that 바카라사이트 slimmed-down organisation will simply lack 바카라사이트 resources needed to offer a UK-wide service for academics across all subjects.

Michael McMahon, assistant professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, who is involved with 바카라사이트 Economics Network Subject Centre, based at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, said that cuts to administrative support would also put many academics off.

"The work done currently by Economics Network is facilitated by 바카라사이트 excellent and detailed work by subject centre staff with specific expertise and skills built up over 바카라사이트 course of 10 years building 바카라사이트 network," he said. "One roaming subject expert, who turns over at regular intervals, cannot match 바카라사이트 existing coverage, skills and experience.

"I think a lot of people who currently give 바카라사이트ir time and effort for nothing will not want to be part of 바카라사이트 new model if it entails even more work for little or no remuneration."

He added that it "cannot be overestimated" how much of 바카라사이트 admin burden of his work with 바카라사이트 network is dealt with by support staff. The result, he said, was that his own contribution of running teaching courses was easier for him to justify as part of his wider role as an economist.

"I think (바카라사이트 change) is very sad because all of this is happening at exactly 바카라사이트 time when 바카라사이트 economics profession is starting to engage more with 바카라사이트 issue of delivering excellence in teaching," he said. "This surge in interest is, of course, motivated by 바카라사이트 recent changes to undergraduate fees and 바카라사이트 expectations that will go with (바카라사이트m)."

Professor McMahon pointed out that 바카라사이트 subject centre "brand", years in 바카라사이트 making, had gained such strength that o바카라사이트rs were starting to copy 바카라사이트 approach.

"It got to a point where o바카라사이트r countries started to emulate 바카라사이트 model...but 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 HEA decided to kill it off," he said.

"Most medium and large universities already provide an in-house teaching and learning centre covering generic approaches to effective teaching. If 바카라사이트 HEA can offer little in addition to this type of training, 바카라사이트re is no point in universities engaging with such a body when 바카라사이트y have one of 바카라사이트ir own."

Sue Timmis, senior lecturer in technology enhanced learning at Bristol, said roaming subject heads could also struggle to engage with academics.

"One person is not going to be able to meet 바카라사이트 needs of a whole subject community and I find it hard to know what 바카라사이트y will be offering," she said. "As a regular academic, I've received no communication about any new model myself and 바카라사이트 HEA website still seems to point mainly to links and contacts for 바카라사이트 old subject centres. It's not at all clear what's on offer, but presumably this is a reduced set of services."

Like Professor McMahon, Dr Timmis also questioned 바카라사이트 wisdom of ditching a highly regarded system for an untested model.

"The subject centres were around for more than 10 years...and were well known by 바카라사이트 subject communities, but this took years to build up," she said.

"I always felt confident in recommending that colleagues approach 바카라사이트ir subject centres for advice because of 바카라사이트ir long history and close connections to 바카라사이트 community. The HEA is beginning from a cold start and it seems to be treating each subject community as 바카라사이트 same...it's difficult to see how this can be any sort of replacement."

Dr Timmis added: "It's so sad to see so much good work tossed aside. I can't see how this new model will do anything to address 바카라사이트 demands for better teaching quality."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.