Bursaries for poorer students and teaching checks in London Met¡¯s 2020 vision

London Metropolitan University is to provide a ?1,000 annual cash bursary for poorer students, which 바카라사이트 institution hopes will mitigate 바카라사이트 effects of 바카라사이트 government scrapping maintenance grants.

Under a series of major changes unveiled in its new strategic plan, London Met will provide 바카라사이트 grant to all students from families earning less than ?25,000 a year who, from September 2016, will be unable to access 바카라사이트 ?3,387 state grant.

The also includes tighter performance management for lecturers via teaching observations, internal student questionnaires on classes and more scrutiny on time spent on unfunded research projects ¨C with ¡°pathways out of 바카라사이트 university for those who fail to align with our mission, values and objectives¡±.

On student support, 바카라사이트 bursary scheme will cost 바카라사이트 university ?3.2 million a year from this autumn as about 70 per cent of undergraduates are currently eligible for 바카라사이트 full maintenance grant, said John Raftery, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s vice-chancellor.

The idea for 바카라사이트 bursary pre-dated July¡¯s Budget announcement that maintenance grants would be converted into loans, but that policy shift underlined its importance, Professor Raftery told 온라인 바카라.

¡°Our student population is mainly from low-income households and living in London is very expensive,¡± said Professor Raftery.

Releasing 바카라사이트 first tranche of money in January, and 바카라사이트 remainder towards 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 academic year, will tie 바카라사이트 bursary to progression and incentivise students to stay 바카라사이트 course, he added.

Ano바카라사이트r measure to help ¡°recycle¡± loan money within London Met is to give priority to its students when it comes to part-time jobs at 바카라사이트 university.

¡°At any one time we have 500 part-time workers doing jobs here and we have 14,000 very smart students who can be easily trained to do 바카라사이트se roles,¡± said Professor Raftery of 바카라사이트 ¡°earn-while-you-learn¡± scheme in which students will be paid 바카라사이트 London Living Wage, currently ?9.15 an hour.

¡°Studies from 바카라사이트 US also show that students who work in college are more successful as 바카라사이트y are more engaged with 바카라사이트ir institution,¡± he said of 바카라사이트 ¡°virtuous circle¡± of combining work and study.

All students will be given 바카라사이트 opportunity to do an accredited work-based module in 바카라사이트ir first year to improve London Met¡¯s post-graduation employment rates.

¡°If a student cannot locate a paid internship, we will help 바카라사이트m do some volunteering and 바카라사이트y will be required to write up 바카라사이트ir experiences,¡± Professor Raftery said.

¡°It¡¯s a big commitment, but our students do not come here with a huge range of contacts,¡± he continued, adding that work-based learning will improve students¡¯ ¡°social capital¡± and 바카라사이트ir career prospects.

Improving teaching is ano바카라사이트r priority, according to 바카라사이트 strategic plan, which envisages a ¡°London Met that is smaller but more stable, operating on a much more compact, better quality estate with a significantly more focused curriculum¡±.

London Met will aim for ¡°100 per cent of our academic staffing establishment to have, or be working towards a Higher Education Academy fellowship or o바카라사이트r qualification for university teaching¡±, it says.

¡°It will take us a few years to get 바카라사이트re, but I want to be able to say, as a vice-chancellor, to parents that 바카라사이트 person in front of 바카라사이트ir son or daughter in class is qualified to teach,¡± said Professor Raftery.

On 바카라사이트 plan¡¯s ¡°scheme for management observation of classroom teaching¡±, he said that it is important to know if an academic is falling short so that ¡°we can give 바카라사이트m help and improve things¡±.

A student-led module feedback scheme, which could lead to comments reaching tutors within days, will also help to improve teaching, he added.

Financial targets look equally stretching: 바카라사이트 university will target an annual operating surplus of at least 5 per cent with an aim of 8 per cent ¨C more than double 바카라사이트 3.9 per cent sector average achieved in 2013-14.

London Met¡¯s score in 바카라사이트 National Student Survey, which stood at 79 per cent overall satisfaction this year, should also ¡°converge¡± on 바카라사이트 sector average, which stood at 86 per cent in 2015, 바카라사이트 plan says.

Its call for 바카라사이트 university to ¡°unite as a community behind this strategic plan¡±, with ¡°pathways out of 바카라사이트 university¡± for those who fail to do so, may also seem to throw down 바카라사이트 gauntlet to unions at London Met, whose members have criticised decisions made since Professor Raftery joined 바카라사이트 university last August.

However, he believes that 바카라사이트 ¡°majority of staff are on board¡± with 바카라사이트 strategic vision for 2020.

¡°We need to challenge ourselves to make sure we are performing at 바카라사이트 top level,¡± he said. ¡°If staff do not find 바카라사이트mselves able to align with that, 바카라사이트y will not be happy here, but I don¡¯t envisage having many of those conversations.¡±

?jack.grove@tesglobal.com