Keynote report by Alex Chapman (Head of Educational Technology, CAPE)
Welcome from Professor Andrea Dlaska, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Learning and Innovation
The TEF at Middlesex University
by Jacqui Boddington, Director of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience
Jacqui Boddington PFHEA, Director of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience opened the sixteenth Annual Learning and Teaching Conference delivering the morning keynote on behalf of Professor Andrea Dlaska, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Learning and Innovation.
This year's conference theme was 'Unpacking Teaching Excellence’ and the keynote opened proceedings with an in-depth and informative look at the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and it’s potential impact on Middlesex University and the wider sector.
The TEF will see government assessing and rewarding the quality of teaching in universities across the UK . Year one of the TEF has been linked to a successful outcome of the QAA audit, which Middlesex University has already achieved. Years 2 and 3 are to be based on a yet undecided set of metrics to be developed by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and will come off the back of the recently completed Technical Consultation.
Jacqui’s keynote began by identifying the challenges the University will face in meeting its obligations to the TEF in what is a rapidly changing and uncertain landscape. More positively Jacqui highlighted the current and future institutional enhancement initiatives such as the development of an inclusive curriculum, the extension of peer support schemes such as the SLA’s and greater partnership with the Students' Union to engage students in curriculum and module development. These initiatives are fundamental to not only improving student retention and progression but at the same time providing the evidence of our ‘excellent’ teaching practice and ultimately positioning us well for a positive outcome in future rounds of the TEF.