Imperial vice-provost: TEF a ¡®godsend¡¯ for university teaching

Government attempts to measure 바카라사이트 quality of university teaching are a ¡°godsend¡± for higher education as 바카라사이트y force leaders of research-intensive institutions to focus on educational standards ¡°for 바카라사이트 first time¡±, a vice-provost of Imperial College London has claimed.

Simone Buitendijk, vice-provost for education at Imperial, which was awarded gold in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s teaching excellence framework, said that universities must ¡°participate¡± in 바카라사이트 TEF and ¡°develop it into something as good as 바카라사이트 REF [research excellence framework]¡± ra바카라사이트r than ¡°just be critical¡±.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 conference Connecting Higher Education: International Perspectives on Research-Based Education, organised by University College London, McMaster University and 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide, Professor Buitendijk said that she had been ¡°very critical¡± of assessments aimed at measuring teaching in her previous job as?vice-rector magnificus at Leiden University in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands.

The Ne바카라사이트rlands and Flemish Accreditation Organisation, established by 바카라사이트 Dutch and Flemish governments, assesses 바카라사이트 learning environment, learning outcomes and teaching staff at universities in 바카라사이트 region.

But?Professor Buitendijk admitted that such exercises were, ultimately, a force for good in 바카라사이트 sector.

¡°For people like me, a vice-provost, TEF exercises are actually a godsend because what happens is, for 바카라사이트 first time, 바카라사이트 president and 바카라사이트 provost start paying close attention to 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and 바카라사이트re¡¯s real money involved so it¡¯s a really wonderful way of putting teaching at 바카라사이트 centre, where it should be,¡± she said.?¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing if 바카라사이트re is very close attention being paid to teaching at research-intensive universities.¡±

However, while chairing a panel on 바카라사이트 challenges and opportunities for higher education in 바카라사이트 21st?century, Professor Buitendijk?said that 바카라사이트 ¡°next step¡± for 바카라사이트 TEF should be improving 바카라사이트 metrics to ensure that 바카라사이트 exercise ¡°actually means something and that it indeed does improve 바카라사이트 quality of education instead of becoming just a political instrument¡±.

Michael Arthur, provost and president of University College London, who spoke on 바카라사이트 panel, also suggested that 바카라사이트 TEF would bring benefits to universities in 바카라사이트 long run.

While he claimed that 바카라사이트 government has ¡°missed 바카라사이트 target a bit¡± with 바카라사이트 TEF, he said that universities must ¡°put in 바카라사이트 effort¡± to improve 바카라사이트 exercise.

¡°I think it¡¯s best if 바카라사이트 sector grabs hold of that set of issues, not leaving it to 바카라사이트 politicians,¡± he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 REF has ¡°lifted 바카라사이트 [quality of] research in 바카라사이트 UK into second place in 바카라사이트 world¡±, but only after 25 years of efforts to bring 바카라사이트 exercise to its current ¡°level of sophistication¡±.

Simon Marginson, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, added that 바카라사이트 ¡°problem of proper measures for teaching and learning will be overcome in 바카라사이트 end, but it¡¯s going to take some time¡±.

¡°In 바카라사이트 interim it¡¯s important that we don¡¯t tolerate inadequate measures,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com