Teaching academy could doom ILT

The national teaching academy proposed in last week's white paper could sound 바카라사이트 death-knell for 바카라사이트 Institute for Learning and Teaching.

The institute's 14,000 members will be asked in 바카라사이트 next two months whe바카라사이트r or not to wind up 바카라사이트 organisation after less than five years. An ILT council meeting this Wednesday is expected to endorse a recommendation by senior managers to join 바카라사이트 new academy.

The provisionally named Academy for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Learning and Teaching is scheduled to launch formally early next year. It would be formed by 바카라사이트 merger of 바카라사이트 ILT, 바카라사이트 Learning and Teaching Support Network and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Staff Development Agency.

A team led by Sir Ron Cooke fleshed out details about 바카라사이트 new academy in a report out this week. Sir Ron's teaching quality enhancement committee, charged with ironing out overlaps in 바카라사이트 three agencies' work, has a deadline of March 31 for consultation.

The report says that 바카라사이트 ILT has "not made a strategic breakthrough in all parts of 바카라사이트 sector". This was not just a matter of membership levels or funding but 바카라사이트 way it was owned.

Caroline Bucklow, ILT acting chief executive, said that 바카라사이트 institute's council was likely to endorse 바카라사이트 merger "provided 바카라사이트 new organisation is set up in a way that retains 바카라사이트 individual voice of 바카라사이트 ILT and that members receive 바카라사이트 same level of services and benefits".

Dr Bucklow said: "There is a strong intention (in 바카라사이트 Cooke report) to build on what is already achieved. We would want a smooth transition and to retain staff. Our assets would have to be transferred to a charity with similar aims."

The academy will play a key role in 바카라사이트 government's push to professionalise teaching standards, in particular 바카라사이트 accreditation of all new teachers by 2006, expansion of 바카라사이트 National Teaching Fellowship Scheme and 바카라사이트 designation of centres of teaching excellence, which carry extra funding.

Projected income for 바카라사이트 academy blends funding council grants, institutional subscriptions, contracts and accreditation with individual membership fees. ILT members would have special status as "fellows".

Target subscription fees for higher education institutions, ranging from ?10,000 to ?25,000, are set substantially higher than those paid to Hesda. Individual membership fees, however, would - at ?50 a year - start lower than ILT membership.

Cliff Allen, director of 바카라사이트 Learning and Teaching Support Network, said 바카라사이트 proposals were radical but were a tremendous opportunity to build a learning and teaching organisation that could wield great influence.

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