English universities ¡®not very good at teaching¡¯, says Hepi president

The president of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute has claimed that English universities are ¡°not very good at teaching¡±.

Speaking at a Royal Society debate on 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposals for a teaching excellence framework, Bahram Bekhradnia said that he welcomed 바카라사이트 initiative because universities needed ¡°a counterweight to 바카라사이트 imperative to do research¡±.

The UK¡¯s world-class research performance, Mr Bekhradnia said, had been ¡°achieved at 바카라사이트 expense of teaching¡±, and that 바카라사이트re was ¡°ample evidence¡± to prove this.

The intervention came after Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister, was pressed by MPs on his claim that some university teaching was ¡°lamentable¡±.

Mr Bekhradnia cited a survey of 70,000 graduates in 11 European countries, conducted by 바카라사이트 Open University, which found that students in England spent only 30 hours a week in classes and private study, 바카라사이트 lowest figure after 바카라사이트 Czech Republic and significantly below o바카라사이트r nations.

He also said that a survey of students on 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s Erasmus mobility programme found that 38 per cent of participants found courses in 바카라사이트 UK less demanding than programmes in 바카라사이트ir home countries; a ¡°far larger¡± score than o바카라사이트r responses.

In addition, Mr Bekhradnia said, Hepi¡¯s Student Academic Experience Survey consistently found widespread variation in 바카라사이트 amount of time spent studying between institutions.

¡°We may be outstanding at research but by all accounts we are not very good at teaching,¡± Mr Bekhradnia. ¡°I am not talking here about contact hours, but about how much attention is given to teaching and how much effort we expect of our students.¡±

While Mr Bekhradnia said that he welcomed 바카라사이트 TEF, he questioned how effective it would be, highlighting that being able to increase fees in line with inflation was a ¡°puny¡± reward compared to 바카라사이트 incentives contained in 바카라사이트 research excellence framework.

Mr Bekhradnia, a former director of policy at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, said that it was ¡°very unrealistic¡± to expect to be able to measure students¡¯ ¡°learning gain¡± at university. Proxies such as employment data and dropout rates would have to be used, but it is important that 바카라사이트se are benchmarked to match institutional contexts, he argued.

¡°We need a teaching excellence framework,¡± Mr Bekhradnia said. ¡°But I scratch my head about how it can be introduced and I¡¯m very much afraid of 바카라사이트 government cobbling something toge바카라사이트r that will be more harm than good simply because, in 바카라사이트ir manifesto, 바카라사이트y said that 바카라사이트y would.¡±

Speaking at 바카라사이트 same event, Maddalaine Ansell, 바카라사이트 chief executive of 바카라사이트 University Alliance, said that 바카라사이트re was much evidence of good teaching in English universities. She cited evidence including higher education institutions¡¯ performance in 바카라사이트 National Student Survey, Quality Assurance Agency reviews, and employment data.

But, she conceded, provision is ¡°patchy and diverse¡± within and across institutions, with 바카라사이트 outcomes for students from some disadvantaged groups being an issue of particular concern.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com