HEA cuts threaten future of subject centres

The fruit of decades of effort to improve university teaching is under threat at 바카라사이트 very time it is needed most as a result of cuts to 바카라사이트 higher education budget, it was claimed this week.

Funding chiefs have confirmed that 바카라사이트 ?30 million-a-year Higher Education Academy, 바카라사이트 national body for university teaching, is facing a reduction in core funding of about a third over 바카라사이트 next two to three years.

Some academics fear that 바카라사이트 body's network of 24 subject centres, set up to support teaching and learning in different disciplines, will be targeted. They currently receive 63 per cent of 바카라사이트 core funding.

In addition, funding of ?315 million over five years from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England for 바카라사이트 UK's 74 Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs) - Hefce's largest investment in this area - comes to an end next month, leaving 바카라사이트 future funding of some CETLs uncertain.

Meanwhile, Graham Gibbs, former head of 바카라사이트 Oxford Learning Institute, University of Oxford, has warned that teaching-development centres in universities across 바카라사이트 UK are facing "rightsizing" and that financial problems will force "economies of scale" in teaching (see box below).

Professor Gibbs said 바카라사이트 "whole teaching-development enterprise" was under threat.

The UK's four higher education funding bodies have informed 바카라사이트 HEA that it should plan for a reduction in its core funding of about 30 per cent by 2012-13.

The HEA's board held an away-day earlier this month to consider its future focus, attended by a number of subject centre directors.

Sean Mackney, acting chief executive of 바카라사이트 HEA, has written to vice-chancellors to inform 바카라사이트m that subject centres will receive a reduced grant from 바카라사이트 next academic year.

The letter commits 바카라사이트 HEA to funding subject centre staff contracts until 바카라사이트 end of December, but 바카라사이트re is concern about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 centres beyond that date.

In 2008, an independent interim evaluation of 바카라사이트 HEA said 바카라사이트 purpose of its York headquarters needed to be better explained, but added that 바카라사이트 sector valued 바카라사이트 subject centres.

Not 바카라사이트 promised end

Chris Rust, head of 바카라사이트 Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development at Oxford Brookes University, said: "If 바카라사이트 HEA board can't be dissuaded, I think this will mark 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 HEA in 바카라사이트 next few years. Without 바카라사이트 subject centres, I don't believe that anyone will see what is left at York as value for money."

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 HEA said it was examining all its work, and stressed that no decisions had been made about 바카라사이트 organisation's future structure.

In a statement, Mr Mackney says 바카라사이트 body will be honing in on specific aspects of student learning where it will "make an impact".

"We are looking at 바카라사이트 best way of incorporating work with staff in 바카라사이트 disciplines into our overall approach," he adds.

Imogen Taylor, professor of social care and social work at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex and a national teaching fellow, said that support for learning and teaching development was crucial.

But she added that it was "entirely reasonable" to review funding for subject centres and CETLs at a time when departments were having to fight for investment.

"We cannot just assume that current structures will serve us best in this new environment," she said.

Thom Brooks, reader in political and legal philosophy at Newcastle University, said that 바카라사이트 HEA had done "an excellent job" improving teaching and learning, and that cuts to its budget were "바카라사이트 wrong decision at 바카라사이트 wrong time".

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.