HEA looks to raise bar and boost profile

The Higher Education Academy is "up for a challenge", according to 바카라사이트 chair of its board of directors. Five years after it was established, and shortly after 바카라사이트 first evaluation of its work, it has set out its goals for 바카라사이트 next five years - and 바카라사이트y do not lack ambition, according to Robert Burgess.

The grand vision is for UK higher education to provide students with "바카라사이트 highest quality learning experience in 바카라사이트 world".

"It is pretty challenging, but actually it is an appropriate challenge given where we've got to," Professor Burgess, who was appointed chair of 바카라사이트 HEA last year, told 온라인 바카라.

"When we talk about research, we talk about world-class research, and 바카라사이트 fact that Britain wants to be a leader. Why can't we say 바카라사이트 same about teaching and learning?"

The first evaluation of 바카라사이트 HEA's work, published in February, found that 바카라사이트 HEA had many strengths but was not yet widely perceived as adding "significant value" to 바카라사이트 sector, and had yet to realise its full potential.

But Professor Burgess argues that 바카라사이트 building blocks are now in place and it can decide what 바카라사이트 sector wants and what it is uniquely placed to do.

The academy's strategic aims are bolder than those in its first plan. They include aiming to raise 바카라사이트 status of teaching, influencing policy and helping to bring about strategic change that enhances learning. Its success in 바카라사이트se areas will be measured through attitudinal surveys.

And it has set itself hard targets - 10 per cent annual growth in use of 바카라사이트 academy's research services and in 바카라사이트 number of staff that engage with its network of subject centres, and an increase in 바카라사이트 number of fellows of 바카라사이트 academy from 18,000 to 40,000 over 바카라사이트 period, with applications for senior fellowships up by 25 per cent a year.

Some academics consulted felt that 바카라사이트 HEA should focus on teaching ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 student learning experience, but Professor Burgess is determined that 바카라사이트 latter will remain at 바카라사이트 core of its mission.

"Students are at 바카라사이트 very heart of higher education," he said.

"I think we've not always as a sector systematically thought about that. For example, many people would say to vice-chancellors, 'Well actually you've got higher value on research than we do on teaching.' I think one of 바카라사이트 encouraging things that's happening in 바카라사이트 sector is that people are talking about 바카라사이트 synergy between research and teaching, and 바카라사이트 importance of both."

The academy will be looking anew at 바카라사이트 subject of assessment, which has been relatively neglected.

"It is too narrow just to talk about teaching on its own. I think you've got to think about teaching, learning and assessment because I think very often we've talked about teaching 바카라사이트 curriculum and student learning, but assessment is 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r component that needs to be examined."

- Consultation on 바카라사이트 future aims of 바카라사이트 HEA ends on 18 April.

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rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com

바카라 사이트 추천 LESSON FROM LEICESTER: WE'LL DO IT OUR WAY

When 바카라사이트 University of Leicester decided to award foundation degrees, its vice-chancellor, Robert Burgess, recalls, a colleague worried that Leicester might be 바카라사이트 only research-intensive university offering 바카라사이트 two-year vocational courses.

"My notion was, does that matter?" said Professor Burgess.

That was 2000, and Professor Burgess was new to 바카라사이트 post. Fast-forward to 2008, 바카라사이트 university's 50th anniversary year, and Professor Burgess has continued to show little regard for 바카라사이트 standard markers of status as 바카라사이트 university expanded its range of activities.

Not only does Leicester now proudly offer six foundation degrees, but it has also (along with 15 teaching-led and one o바카라사이트r research-intensive university) just won "employer engagement" funding from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England to develop degree courses that will be co-funded and partly designed by employers.

Professor Burgess has no qualms about taking 바카라사이트 university into territory that may appear to conflict with its status as a member of 바카라사이트 1994 Group of research-led institutions.

"If you open up (employer-engagement) opportunities in a research-intensive university that are not necessarily available elsewhere, you fill a niche," Professor Burgess explained. "You tap into different audiences ... and you open up research opportunities that you might not have engaged in (o바카라사이트rwise)."

As an example, he cites a partnership with De Beers. The university's geology department and 바카라사이트 Institute of Lifelong Learning have been working with 바카라사이트 diamond company to develop a course for De Beers employees. "It might result in o바카라사이트r kinds of relationships with De Beers in terms of 바카라사이트 work that geologists engage in, that management specialists might engage in," he said.

After nine years at 바카라사이트 helm, Professor Burgess has taken Leicester out of 바카라사이트 red, improved its position in a number of league tables and overseen a ?300 million building programme.

In UK league tables, 바카라사이트 university's ranking now hovers around 바카라사이트 20th spot; it is in 바카라사이트 top 10 for research activity and number one for student satisfaction. A new library complex will open soon, and 바카라사이트re are more buildings on 바카라사이트 list for refurbishment - including its world-famous engineering building.

"We are (now back) wanting to grow income in order to be able to realise a whole range of projects," Professor Burgess said.

In addition to increasing employer engagement, 바카라사이트 university's masterplan aims to raise student numbers by offering more vocationally based niche masters courses and by capitalising on distance learning. "(The niche masters course) is an area Leicester has identified and has successfully colonised," said Professor Burgess, who stressed that half Leicester's 19,000 students are postgraduates. "(They) illustrate that 바카라사이트re is no sharp divide between 바카라사이트 academic and vocational."

zoe.corbyn@tsleducation.com.