Benefits of subscription Higher education institutions 2012-13

134 programmes in

143 higher education

institutions in the UK

are accredited against

the UK Professional

Standards Framework

Introduction

Helping universities and colleges in the UK deliver a world-class higher education experience

A higher education place in the UK has always been highly prized. Each year, around 600,000 prospective students apply to study at a university or college in the UK, a rise of almost 50% in four years.

But the landscape is changing. Options are widening. Students can study at home or at work, with FE colleges, or private and distance providers, on accelerated or decelerated courses, and in universities or colleges abroad.

They are looking at what their money can buy and have access to more information to help them decide where and how they want to study.

In the light of this, more than ever before, providers need to demonstrate the value of studying in higher education and in the UK. They must also demonstrate the quality and distinctiveness of what they offer, as well as responding to the needs of students from diverse and international backgrounds.

Better outcomes for students, better outcomes for universities and colleges

The Higher Education Academy (HEA) is the national body for enhancing learning and teaching in UK higher education. Since 2004, we have been a central point of contact for working with universities and colleges, sector and funding bodies and governments to help keep higher education at the forefront internationally.

We do this by bringing about transformational change that enables students in the UK to receive a world-class higher education.

Subscribing to the Higher Education Academy

By subscribing to the HEA, universities and colleges have access to a wealth of expertise and resources to help staff prepare, deliver and continually develop their teaching. Drawing on these, institutions across the sector have brought about changes that have had lasting impact on the quality of learning and teaching for their students.

134 programmes in

143 higher education

institutions in the UK

are accredited against

the UK Professional

Standards Framework

The HEA provides

over £1.5 million

in research and

travel grants

each year

Why subscribe?

A subscription to the HEA provides the following benefits:

• One free accreditation submission per three-year cycle for the accreditation of professional development programmes against the UK Professional Standards Framework.

• Free recognition of individual teaching staff who complete an accredited programme and discounted recognition for teaching staff who complete a non-accredited programme.

• Eligibility for grant funding to carry out research into learning and teaching, PhD Studentship Programmes, International Scholarships and UK Travel Grants.

• Discounted attendance at HEA events, workshops and programmes and the Annual Conference.

• Reduced cost for teams participating in Change Academy or other HEA change programmes.

• Access to the HEA Network of Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Principals.

• Free participation in the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey and Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey.

• Two free days bespoke support for your institution.

• Support from a dedicated HEA partnership manager.

• Access to the HEA’s Annual Subscribers’ Meeting, special interest groups, publications, resources and journals.

Additional support, including workshops and courses for new teaching staff,

can be bought on an individual, stand-alone basis.

The HEA hosts the

UK’s most expansive

collection of online

resources in learning

and teaching including

over 50 dedicated to

HE in FE

HEA services

We work with universities, colleges and organisations across the sector to enhance learning and teaching in the following ways:

Encouraging excellent teaching

• Accrediting institutions’ professional development programmes against a national framework (UK Professional Standards Framework) and providing formal recognition for staff who complete them.

• Running national awards schemes to recognise and reward outstanding teachers, including the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) and Student-Led Teaching Awards Scheme.

Providing practical support for those who teach across 28 discipline areas and at every stage of their career

• Funding new research into innovations in learning and teaching and disseminating the findings based on evidence.

• Providing workshops and events, an Annual Conference, the UK’s most comprehensive selection of online resources in learning and teaching in higher education.

Bringing about change

• Monitoring policy, hosting the HEA Network of Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, and Vice-Principals helping shape, influence

and interpret policy.

• Bringing together teams and resources in change programmes to address priority issues such as internationalisation, assessment and feedback and employability.

• Working with institutions to interpret feedback from the National Student Survey and Postgraduate Research Experience Survey and Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey in order to enhance the student experience.

To find out more about an HEA subscription or stand-alone services, please contact Dr Helena Lim on

+44 (0) 2920 47120 or helena.lim@heacademy.ac.uk

The HEA hosts the

UK’s most expansive

collection of online

resources in learning

and teaching including

over 50 dedicated to

HE in FE

Case study

Birmingham City University case studyNurturing student academic partnerships

Birmingham City University’s work on student engagement, through their Student Academic Partnerships (SAP) scheme, has created much positive change. But the SAP scheme didn’t receive the acknowledgement and support it deserved until Birmingham City joined the Higher Education Academy’s Evidence-Informed Quality Improvement Programme (EQUIP).

As Luke Millard, Head of Learning Partnerships at Birmingham City’s Centre for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching says, “One of the aims of getting involved in the HEA’s EQUIP programme was to get recognition for what we were doing – it’s given us a badge to help sell the project internally.”

Birmingham City also benefitted from the HEA’s knowledge pool and resources. “When we applied for EQUIP we were looking for academic journal publishing guidance. We needed to know what type of evidence to gather – and find out what was going on within the wider academic community,” says Mr Millard. In fact, it was through contact with other EQUIP programme members that Birmingham City was able to benchmark their work against other universities, see where they were adding value and start questioning how they could objectively demonstrate that to their peers.

“The HEA bringing people together to share experience and expertise is very valuable – with us it meant having people ask those obvious questions that you never considered. It’s driven us down a much more data-driven evaluation route. We firmly believe we have a success story on our hands – but we need the evidence to back it up. The HEA has helped us do that.”

As a result of collaborating with the HEA, the project group has two articles waiting to be published in peer-reviewed journals and they are collaborating with Northwest Missouri State University, looking at student employment. It’s a relationship that continues to develop and thrive.

The Higher Education Academy Innovation Way York Science Park Heslington York YO10 5BR

+44 (0)1904 717500 enquiries@heacademy.ac.uk

© The Higher Education Academy, 2012

The HEA is a national body for enhancing learning and teaching in higher education in the UK. We work with institutions across the HE system to help bring about change in learning and teaching to improve the outcomes for students. We do this by recognising and rewarding excellent teaching, bringing together people and resources to research and share best practice and by helping influence, shape and implement policy.

Contact us

The HEA supports staff in higher education throughout their career from those who are new to teaching through to senior management. We offer services in 28 disciplines throughout the UK and have offices in England, Wales and Scotland. Through the partnership management team we work directly with institutions to understand individual circumstances and priorities and bring together resources to meet them.

The HEA has knowledge, experience and expertise in higher education. Its service and product range is broader than any other competitor, and it is trusted to deliver HE system advancements in partnership with its member institutions.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the Editor. Such permission will normally be granted for educational purposes provided that due acknowledgement is given.

To request copies of this report in large print or in a different format, please contact the communications office at the Higher Education Academy: 01904 717500 or pressoffice@heacademy.ac.uk

University of Exeter case studyRecognising professional development and excellence

The University of Exeter first adopted the UKPSF in 2006 when its Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PCAP) programme was accredited by the HEA. Successful participants were awarded an HEA Fellowship, which has become a fundamental part of the University’s probation process for lecturers.

The initial PCAP developmental course has proved successful with academic colleagues, many of whom indicated that they would be interested in accrediting their further development. The opportunity arose when the University of Exeter participated in an HEA pilot for accrediting a university-wide framework. Academic and professional staff at the University of Exeter have worked collaboratively, together with the HEA, to develop a creative and inclusive framework. Working with the University of Southampton and others, they designed an inclusive approach to accrediting professional development activities linked to all career levels.

Dr Dilly Fung, Head of Academic Development says, “We were keen to enable colleagues to gain accreditation - internally and externally recognised - for their expertise and experience in teaching and/or supporting students’ learning. To this end, in May 2011, the University applied for and gained accreditation from the Higher Education Academy to award fellowships through our own scheme, ASPIRE (Accrediting Staff Professionalism In Research-led Education). ASPIRE is a rich, values-driven framework for developing and accrediting all staff who teach and support students’ learning in our research-led environment. Our ASPIRE Fellowships map directly onto HEA Fellowships, and we are one of the first research-led universities to have achieved this means of accrediting our own staff.”

ASPIRE has also been integrated with a recent University review of career progression and promotion structures. ASPIRE Fellowships provide a recognised means of evidencing a sustained track record in a teaching-related role. It is embedded in the University’s academic appraisal processes and a career structure has been developed in which teaching-focused lecturers can eventually become professors. This is a bold move for a research-led university; the UKPSF-based fellowships help to make possible greater parity of esteem for staff who focus on teaching as a career choice alongside those who focus on research.

Dr Fung concludes: “If we didn’t have the UKPSF there would be no recognisable standard in relation to teaching professionalism which everyone understood. It is important that Exeter’s awards are transferable, and Academy fellowships provide a nationally recognised way of achieving this.

“ASPIRE is already making a significant difference to staff development opportunities at Exeter. We anticipate that the main challenge going forward will be dealing with demand for fellowships!”