1. What is Teaching Excellence?
@PU_PedRIO
#PEDRIO

2. What is Teaching Excellence?
WELCOME
Pauline Kneale
Pro Vice-Chancellor Teaching and Learning
Director of PedRIO
@PU_PedRIO
#PEDRIO

3. House Keeping
Facilities: There are toilets located on each floor of the building. One lift is located outside of this room, with a further lift and set of stairs located on the South side of the building.
Fire exits: Fire exits are through the main entrances/exits to the building. There are also a number of emergency exits on the ground floor, please follow the green and white signs to the nearest exit in the event of a fire alarm sounding.
The fire rendezvous point for Rolle Building is Fitzroy Car Park
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4. Posters, Stands and Refreshments
All parallel session will take place in Rolle Building
Posters and stands will be displayed on the 6th Floor of the Rolle Building
All refreshment breaks will take place on the 6th Floor of the Rolle Building
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5. The Pedagogic Research Institute and Observatory
Influencing policy and practice through research
PedRIO challenge - Understand better how to enhance teaching, learning and the student experience and use this evidence in future developments of policy and practice at Plymouth University
Enhance the reputation of Plymouth University as a place to study and as a national/ international leader in pedagogic research
@PU_PedRIO
#PEDRIO

6. Dates for the Diary 2017 events
January
Employability in the curriculum and beyond, 19 January
Deadline for papers, 28th November
April
PedRIO conference, 4th April
Teaching Excellence; Feedback and Feedforward in assessment;
Supporting the student experience HE and FE; Authentic Learning;
Ideas and opportunities
June
Digital Learning Conference, 29th June 2017
VC’s 14th  Teaching and Learning Conference, 30th June 2017.
Teaching and Learning Events will continue to be supported next year and already we have an exciting programme of events developing.
Electronic feedback form circulated after the conference will have a section in which you can tell us the key topics and/or speakers you think we should be including in events
See for PedRIO theme group seminars, TLS workshops and seminars
@PU_PedRIO
#PEDRIO

7. What is Teaching Excellence?
The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
assesses the quality of teaching in higher education providers
differentiates quality over and above the baseline set by quality assurance.
Ratings
The annual assessment process will rate HE providers as:

8. Designed Purpose of TEF
Better inform students’ choices about what and where to study
Recognise and reward excellent teaching and raise esteem for teaching
Drive up standards of teaching across the sector
Improve match of graduate skills with needs of employers and the economy.

9. When is TEF being implemented?
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Assessment level
Provider level ‘meets expectations’ awards
Provider level trial
Provider level
+ Subject level pilots
Subject level
+ Postgraduate level
Fees
Full inflationary uplift
Full inflationary uplift
Differentiated inflation uplift (provider level)
Differentiated inflation uplifts (provider level)
Continuous
improvement
Lessons learned
Further metrics development
On-going improvements

10. Teaching Excellence: Unhelpful Myths and Productive Possibilities
Keynote
Teaching Excellence: Unhelpful Myths and Productive Possibilities
Professor Paul Ashwin
Head of Department, Educational Research, Lancaster University
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11. Teaching Excellence and the Higher Education and Research Bill
Keynote
Teaching Excellence and the Higher Education and Research Bill
Nick Hillman
Higher Education Policy Institute
@PU_PedRIO
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14. Teaching Excellence Framework
Year 2

15. What is TEF? Ratings The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
assesses the quality of teaching in higher education providers
differentiates quality over and above the baseline set by quality assurance.
Ratings
The annual assessment process will rate HE providers as:

16. Purpose of TEF
Better inform students’ choices about what and where to study
Recognise and reward excellent teaching and raise esteem for teaching
Drive up standards of teaching across the sector
Improve match of graduate skills with needs of employers and the economy.

17. How is TEF being implemented?
A phased approach
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Assessment level
Provider level ‘meets expectations’ awards
Provider level trial
Provider level
+ Subject level pilots
Subject level
+ Postgraduate level
Fees
Full inflationary uplift
Full inflationary uplift
Differentiated inflation uplift (provider level)
Differentiated inflation uplifts (provider level)
Continuous
improvement
Lessons learned
Further metrics development
On-going improvements

18. How have we developed TEF?
Our approach
Wide definition of ‘teaching excellence’
Reflect diversity of the sector
UK wide
Balance of metrics and expert judgement
Existing metrics are proxies
Principles
Fair comparisons
Avoid perverse incentives
Minimise burden on providers

19. TEF Year Two The Assessment Framework Aspects of quality: Criteria:
Teaching Quality
Learning Environment
Student Outcomes and Learning Gain
Criteria:
Teaching quality criteria
Learning environment criteria
Student outcomes and learning gain criteria
Evidence:
Teaching, assessment and feedback
(NSS results)
Academic support & non-continuation (NSS results and HESA)
Employment / further study, including highly skilled
(DLHE)
Metrics
Metric splits
Provider submission (additional evidence)
Submission
Outcome:
TEF rating & Statement of findings

20. TEF Year 2 Technical Consultation
Sector responses demonstrated strong overall support for the broad framework. Year Two incorporates some specific suggestions for improvement.
Sector feedback on…
How we responded…
Appeals
Introduced an appeals process
Rating descriptors
Renamed as Gold, Silver and Bronze
Assessment process
Clearer information on the assessment process
Employment metrics
Included social disadvantage and disability in benchmarking, and made employment definition consistent with UKPIs
Positive flags for high benchmarks
Removed the positive flag anomaly
Examples of additional evidence
Adjusted to better recognise a broader set of outcomes

21. Beyond Year Two What’s next? Subject level pilots
Year Two Lessons learned exercise
Further develop metrics package for Year Three
Subject level pilots
Taught postgraduate TEF design phase
Subject level pilots
Design phase
Working collaboratively with the sector
Engaging with subject bodies, employers and students
Pilots during TEF Year Three

22. The Teaching Excellence Framework: we now know how it will work, so what next?
Chris Millward
Director (Policy)
London
11 October, 2016

23. TEF Year Two: Timeline 2016 2017 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Provider activity
Preview metrics
Submit application (window closes)
Can start using TEF rating logo
Briefing events
Appeals
Application window
2016
2017
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Government
activity
Publish Guidance
Assessment
Announce results
Publish appeal results
Panel judgement

24. Additional guidance in October
Areas covered:
Responsibilities and detailed timelines
Additional procedural guidance for providers in making their submissions, e.g.:
Eligibility and pre-requisite requirements
Data amendments and data audits
Submission content, format, process
Student engagement
Additional guidance for panel members and assessors in conducting assessment.
Conflicts of interest; allocation; verification and clarification; decision-making; outcomes and appeals

25. TEF Year 2: Who can participate?
Scope
UK wide
Undergraduate provision
All modes of delivery
Eligibility
Designation for student support
Widening access and participation
Suitable metrics
Quality requirement
Scope
Undergraduate – levels 4, 5 and 6 (in Scotland, levels 7, 8, 9 and 10)
Modes of delivery – includes full and part time, and distance, work-based and blended learning
UK wide - The Devolved Administrations have confirmed they are content for providers in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland to take part in Year Two, should they wish to do so.
Other scope issues:
Franchised provision – For the purpose of TEF, the quality of provision will be assessed at the provider that delivers the teaching. A provider offering franchised provision on behalf of a degree-awarding body will be in scope for the TEF provided it is quality-assured in its own right and meets the additional eligibility requirements set out in the next section.
Out of scope
Postgraduate provision – Year 4 at the earliest
Transnational education – Delivery of UK awards by overseas HE providers
Eligibility
Designation
Access – need to have:
Access Agreement, OR
Access and Participation Statement
Suitable metrics
Providers must have a minimum set of reportable metrics in order to apply for a TEF rating higher than Bronze.
This is one year of reportable, benchmarked data for each of the core metrics, for either full or part-time students, whichever forms the majority taught at the provider
Quality
To receive a TEF rating, providers must meet the requirements of the quality assessment system in their home nation

26. Quality Assessment and TEF

27. TEF Year Two: Assessment Criteria
Student Outcomes and Learning Gain
Learning Environment
Teaching Quality
Student Engagement
Valuing Teaching
Employment and Further Study
Employability and Transferrable Skills
Positive Outcomes for All
Resources
Scholarship, Research and Professional Practice
Personalised Learning
Rigour and Stretch
Feedback
There are 3 aspects of quality – each with specific assessment criteria (too many to list here)
Evidence against criteria includes:
Metrics
In Yr 2 – two metrics for each aspect of quality
Based on outcomes for:
Student satisfaction (NSS)
Retention rates (HESA non-continuation)
Employment outcomes (DLHE)
Metrics are split into sub-groups that reflect widening participation priorities (shows metric results for different student cohorts)
Provider submission
Opportunity to:
Provide additional evidence
Provide context
Explain metrics performance
Demonstrate performance for specific student groups
Outcome:
Rating: Gold, Silver or Bronze
Statement of findings - description of why a particular rating was awarded including particular strengths
All Published – rating, statement of findings metrics and submission

28. TEF Year Two: The Assessment Process
Holistic performance
Provider submission
Core and split metrics
Assessors review:
core metrics
split metrics
Judgement:
assessors form initial hypothesis of rating
Step 1
provider’s submission
assessors test initial hypothesis
Step 2
their judgement holistically, using rating descriptors
assessors consider if adjustment is needed
Step 3
Contextual data

29. TEF Year Two: Contextual information
Example contextual map
Assessors will be supplied with contextual data on each provider
Data and maps on the nature and operating context of the provider
University of North Bristol: Student domicile prior to entry

30. TEF Year Two: Core metrics

31. TEF Year Two: Provider submission
Add additional context
Support or explain metrics performance
Additional evidence against assessment criteria
Demonstrate performance for specific student groups
Submission
Will be published
Maximum 15 pages
No primary evidence
Providers are encouraged to show how they have involved students in preparing it
Providing additional evidence is particularly important for certain providers with inconsistent metrics (e.g. small and specialist).

32. TEF Year Two: Final outcome
The final outcome is agreed at a meeting of the TEF Panel
Outcome includes a TEF rating and a brief statement of findings
TEF awards will bear a protected logo that comes with conditions of use
Award duration
Valid for three years (if provider continues to meet eligibility)
If a provider only has one or two years of core metrics, award is valid for one or two years respectively

33. Further information is available through TEF@hefce.ac.uk and at:

34. RESEARCH AND INNOVATION LANDSCAPE REFORM
Rebecca Endean
Director of Research and Innovation Transformation
11th October 2016

35. History of these reforms
The Conservative manifesto stated:
‘Through the Nurse Review of Research Councils, we will seek to ensure that the UK continues to support world-leading science, and invests public money in the best possible way.’
The Nurse Review recognised the current strength of the research base of the Research Councils and recommended building on this through simplification and reform of the landscape and the creation of Research UK. The Nurse Review also raised questions over the extent of this reform i.e. the potential inclusion of Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and / or Innovate UK (IUK).
The HE Green Paper asked stakeholders to give their views on the future design of the institutional research landscape in light of the Nurse Review and the proposed changes to the HE teaching landscape. Stakeholders responded to these propositions through the consultation on the HE Green Paper.
In the 2015 Spending Review the Chancellor stated:
The Government is taking forward the recommendations of Paul Nurse’s independent review and, subject to legislation, will introduce a new body – Research UK – which will work across the seven Research Councils. This will take the lead in shaping and driving a strategic approach to science funding, ensuring a focus on the big challenges and opportunities for UK research. The government will also look to integrate Innovate UK into Research UK in order to strengthen collaboration between the research base and the commercialisation of discoveries in the business community. Innovate UK will retain its clear business focus and separate funding stream.
The White Paper: Success as a Knowledge Economy, published on 16th May has set out the Government’s intention to take forward the creation of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) – bringing together the 7 Research Councils, HEFCE’s research and knowledge exchange functions, and IUK.

36. Vision for UKRI
While the precise roles, responsibilities and objectives of UKRI will need to be refined once a Chief Executive and Board are in place, and shaped through further consultation with stakeholders, in principle UKRI will:
be the unified voice for continued strengthening of the UK research and innovation system, nationally and internationally;
develop and evolve a coherent national research and innovation strategy which maximises impact (both economic and social), based on more and better evidence and data;
ensure better prioritisation of resources, especially for the best interdisciplinary and cross-cutting research;
maximise the impact of Innovate UK in supporting business-led innovation;
promote stronger commercialisation and business links with publicly funded research;
nurture and improve the talent pipeline for research and innovation;
deliver a simpler, well-functioning research and innovation ecosystem which is easier to use and helps build collaborative partnerships between end-users, including universities, researchers, charities, businesses, NGOs and international organisations; and
deliver a step-change in administrative efficiency, including through combining corporate functions.

37. Composition of UK Research & Innovation Board
Creating UK Research & Innovation
UKRI Board
Medical Research Council
Natural Environment Research Council
Economic & Social Research Council
Engineering & Physical Sciences Council
Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Council
Arts & Humanities Council
Science & Technology Facilities Council
Corporate functions
Common strategic functions & cross cutting funding
Research England
Innovate UK
Composition of UK Research & Innovation Board
UKRI CEO
CFO
9-12 academic & business representatives
Chair
SoS allocates hypothecated funding for individual Councils and for the UKRI board.
Each Council has clear delegated responsibility.
The UKRI Board will oversee and manage:
Corporate functions;
Areas of common strategic working;
Funds with cross disciplinary impact and a ‘common research fund’ as proposed by Sir Paul Nurse;
Overall accountability for spend and provision of strategic advice to SoS.
UKRI will need to co-operate closely with the new Office for Students (OfS).
In May 2016 John Kingman was appointed interim Chair of UKRI 37

38. Key protections
We will build on and protect the strengths of the existing system while addressing barriers, maximising the value of our investment and enhancing strategic leadership.
We will for the first time ever, protect in law the dual support system in England - providing both competitive grants alongside block grants for universities to invest according to their own priorities - which is at the heart of much of our research excellence success.
We will strengthen and protect our commitment to the Haldane Principle, with more research funds able to be held and managed at arm’s length from government.
And we will protect and preserve the autonomy and authority of discipline and specialist councils. 38

39. Opportunities presented by the new landscape
A system that is more agile, flexible and able to respond to the complex challenges we face.
Strengthening strategic leadership to take the long view, identify and address gaps and overlaps, and drive out duplication of back office functions.
More effective investment decisions, enabling us to maximise the value and benefit from Government’s investment and building the long term evidence to support continued investment.
A unified voice for the UK’s research and innovation funding system on the global stage – maximising opportunities, driving dialogue and promoting greater collaboration.
Ensuring the UK takes a world-leading position in collaborative, multi- and inter-disciplinary research.
Supporting research talent and careers of the future – ensuring flexible career paths that support and encourage the next generation of researchers.
A revolution in our ability to pool, use and exploit the various data and information sources.
A world-leading organisation, a great place to work and respected for its leadership and professional knowledge. 39

40. What does this mean for Research Councils?
The reforms retain discipline autonomy with separate funding streams for each Council.
Research Councils will be led by Executive Chairs. They will be senior leaders within their discipline, and they will operate with autonomy and authority on decisions within that discipline area.
The autonomy of the Councils to undertake peer review in relation to the budgets set out for them will ensure research funding continues to be awarded on the basis of excellence.
It is not the Government’s intention to remove funding from any of the research disciplines through these reforms. 40

41. What does this mean for universities?
Funding recipients will see little change except for a simplified process, but can be reassured that decisions on funding allocations will, as now, be taken by experts in the relevant area.
A greater focus on cross-cutting issues outside the core remits of the current funding bodies, such as multi- and inter-disciplinary research, enabling the system to respond rapidly and effectively to current and future challenges.
Knowledge exchange, including the research elements of HEIF and the other important business facing work, will transfer with HEFCE’s research functions to UKRI.
Safeguards will be introduced to protect joint working, cooperation and the sharing of information between the OfS and UKRI, reflecting the integration of teaching and research at the national as well as the institutional level. 41