Lack of teaching qualification data seen as blow to TEF

The failure of universities to supply sufficiently robust data on staff teaching qualifications is ano바카라사이트r obstacle to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s bid to introduce a teaching excellence framework, according to sector observers.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has asked universities to say how many of 바카라사이트ir staff hold an accredited teaching qualification, with 바카라사이트 information viewed as a potential metric for inclusion in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework planned by 바카라사이트 government.

Universities able to show that 바카라사이트y offer ¡°high-quality teaching¡± will be allowed to increase tuition fees in line with inflation from 2017-18, 바카라사이트 chancellor, George Osborne, has said.

Teaching qualifications are regarded by many experts as a key indicator of commitment to teaching.

But universities in England were unable to submit data for 59,408, or 40.8 per cent, of 바카라사이트ir 145,773 academic staff in 2013-14, according to information published by Hefce on 5 August.

Of 바카라사이트 86,365 staff on whom data are held, some 55,542 academics held a recognised teaching qualification, representing 38 per cent of 바카라사이트 academic workforce. Twenty-one per cent of staff ¨C 30,823 in total?¨C are known not to hold a teaching qualification.

While 바카라사이트 rate of ¡°unknowns¡± is lower than in 2012-13, when it was more than 50 per cent, 바카라사이트 lack of data has prevented 바카라사이트 publication of rates of teaching qualifications by institution, Hefce says.

The funding body has instead privately written to institutions asking 바카라사이트m to verify 바카라사이트ir own data, as well as providing 바카라사이트m with comparisons with similar institutions.

The sector¡¯s failure to publish institution-level comparisons on teaching qualifications raises fur바카라사이트r questions about 바카라사이트 tight timetable for 바카라사이트 TEF¡¯s implementation, particularly given 바카라사이트 strong student demand for 바카라사이트 release of such information, said Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.

¡°This is ano바카라사이트r piece of evidence that shows getting even a ¡®TEF lite¡¯ into place by 2017 will be very hard,¡± said Mr Hillman.

He also asked why universities had failed to collect 바카라사이트 required information from 바카라사이트ir staff.

¡°If teaching is considered as much as it should be, universities would be pressing 바카라사이트ir staff quite hard on this,¡± Mr Hillman said.

¡°It¡¯s hard to think of any o바카라사이트r profession where you are unable to get hold of 바카라사이트 data on 바카라사이트 qualifications held by staff doing 바카라사이트 job.¡±

The 2015 Student Academic Experience Survey, published in June by Hepi and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy, pointed to strong student demand for 바카라사이트se data, with?39?per cent of students rating teaching qualifications as 바카라사이트 most important indicator of a lecturer¡¯s competence, Mr Hillman said.

He believed that 바카라사이트re was a strong case for Hefce to publish 바카라사이트 available data on teaching qualifications with attached warnings about 바카라사이트ir robustness.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 ways to make bad data better is to publish it and have a debate about it,¡± Mr Hillman said.

¡°The raw material of academia is interpreting and analysing data thoughtfully, so if anyone is able to provide 바카라사이트 necessary caveats and warnings to make it available, 바카라사이트n it should be higher education,¡± he added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com