An arts expert from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has been picked to help judge university subjects under the Government’s new ratings system.
Rob Brannen, Head of DMU’s School of Visual and Performing Arts, has been appointed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to serve on the Arts subject panel for a pilot scheme which will see individual subjects being assessed under the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
This pilot is an expansion of the current TEF assessment scheme, which evaluates universities as a whole.
Last year, DMU was awarded Gold in the first TEF, the highest possible rating. The TEF focuses on three main measures – quality of teaching, learning environment and student outcomes – and awards universities gold, silver or bronze status.
The TEF panel judged that DMU delivers “consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It is of the highest quality found in the UK".
The plan is to for HEFCE to now use the same assessment techniques to evaluate individual subject areas under the TEF framework.
Mr Brannen will work with a team of other HE experts to devise the criteria under which Arts subjects will be judged.
He said: “I am delighted to have been selected for this important national role and to be involved in the valuable work of shaping the Teaching Excellence Framework at Subject Level.
“It's really significant that DMU is represented in this process that will inform our delivery of Teaching Excellence going forward.”
This pilot aims to test two possible models for generating TEF ratings at subject level; the results will inform the direction of the second subject-level pilot in 2018-19.
A spokesperson for HEFCE said the panel members were chosen “for their subject expertise, their standing in higher education, and evident commitment to teaching excellence and student outcomes.
“The composition of the panels also reflects the diverse types of higher education provider across the UK.”
Posted on Friday 9 March 2018