University review to tackle teaching standards

The University’s Institutional Teaching and Learning Review is to continue over the next few weeks. The review is a University-wide initiative which has examined departments and faculties in order to assure the standards and quality of the courses being offered.

The University stated how the review has given them the “opportunity to reflect and seek
external advice on how to enhance the quality of our teaching and learning provision and the
broader student experience over the next five years.”

So far, a panel of external, internal and student representatives have issued a report outlining recommendations at both a departmental and University level.

The next stage of the review process will look at faculty-wide themes and produce recommendations on a departmental basis. It will focus mainly on contact hours, personal tutors and feedback, which are all issues that have been raised for review by the Students’ Union (SU).

The review will feed into the externally audited review by the Quality Assurance Agency which will begin later this year. The departments will be encouraged to take up the recommendations both by this external pressure and by management pressure.

SU Education Officer Sean Ruston seemed optimistic about the review and described how the SU had been involved in the process from the beginning. However, he expressed concern that in some cases the recommendations may reflect staff priorities rather than student priorities.

Ruston added: “Some departments have still not adapted to the changes that will take
place in terms of rising student expectations in the quality of teaching and learning due to the planned fees rise.”

Second-year German and Business Studies student Sam Dunstan commented: “Although I feel that the current system is adequate, I think that students would definitely benefit from additional contact hours and more extensive feedback.”