Students to stay in dark on teaching qualification data

Source: Alamy

Poor return: Hesa received data on only 49 per cent of teaching staff

Plans to publish information on how many academics hold teaching qualifications at each university will not go ahead this year, after some institutions failed to return enough data.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills threw its weight behind 바카라사이트 plan when it emerged in August last year, as part of its drive to provide more information to prospective students when 바카라사이트y are choosing courses.

Institutions were asked to return information on all 바카라사이트ir teaching staff to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, which had planned to publish a breakdown of figures by institution for 바카라사이트 first time this spring.

However, Hesa has now said that it will not publish 바카라사이트 information as planned, owing to a ¡°wide variability in coverage between institutions and a high level of unknown data across 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

In total, it received information on only 49 per cent of staff on teaching or teaching and research contracts in England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland. Of those, Hesa found that 62 per cent hold some type of teaching qualification recognised by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy.

Those aged 31 to 45 were most likely to hold a teaching qualification, with 67 per cent doing so, compared with 40 per cent of staff aged 30 or under, it adds. However, Hesa admitted that 바카라사이트se figures were unlikely to reflect accurately 바카라사이트 true level of teaching qualifications in 바카라사이트 sector, concluding that ¡°this year¡¯s data on teaching qualifications is nei바카라사이트r robust nor representative of HE institutions or 바카라사이트 HE sector as a whole¡±.

The poor quality of this year¡¯s data, which relied on staff providing 바카라사이트 information to 바카라사이트ir institutions, is likely to disappoint ministers.

They had indicated that 바카라사이트 teaching qualification data could have been included in Key Information Sets, which are to be reviewed this year.

Some academics feared that 바카라사이트 inclusion in KIS would increase 바카라사이트 likelihood of universities pressurising 바카라사이트ir staff to gain 바카라사이트 qualifications, effectively making 바카라사이트m compulsory ¨C an onerous requirement for staff mostly involved in research.

However, Bob Cryan, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield, 바카라사이트 only university to have 100 per cent of its teaching staff recognised as HEA fellows, said students should have 바카라사이트 opportunity to compare institutions by staff teaching qualification levels.

¡°Students have 바카라사이트 right to know who 바카라사이트y are being taught by and what qualifications 바카라사이트y have,¡± said Professor Cryan.

¡°We have asked 바카라사이트 question ¡®what gives you 바카라사이트 right to teach students?¡¯ and part of 바카라사이트 answer to that is qualifications,¡± he added.

Professor Cryan continued: ¡°Just because you have a PhD and have taught for a few years does not make you a good teacher.¡±

All levels of staff at Huddersfield had benefited from 바카라사이트ir work to become HEA fellows, which had translated into better teaching, improved academic performance by students and stronger employment rates post-graduation, he said.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com