HEFCE Conference

Chris Millward

Director Policy

Royal College of Physicians

12 October 2017

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Teaching Excellence Framework: Lessons Learned

• Process fair and transparent

• Clear and robust findings on basis of metrics, submissions and guidance

• Balance of evidence between metrics and submissions broadly right

• No significant biases

• No changes to overall structure or methodology

• Some areas for improvement identified to strengthen accountability and fully recognise excellence.

TEF – the Chair’s 10 conclusions

• TEF focuses on things surveys say matter to students: routes to work, retention, assessment, quality of teaching.

• TEF is part of an increased focus on outcomes for students, shifting from the focus on inputs, processes and outputs.

• Metrics matter, but need to be benchmarked. Metrics generate hypotheses and anchor initial judgements

• At the core of TEF is a strategic clarity: the relationship between institutional policies, institutional practices and student outcomes.

• The best accounts did not describe initiatives but systematically demonstrated the difference they had made.

• Initiatives carried conviction when part of a coherent strategy for improvement.

• Technology tools matter less than how tools are used.

• Genuine student involvement stood out: an embedded culture of engagement at every level.

• Too many institutions used context as excuse rather than analysing and responding to the challenges it offered.

• Excellence is distributed across the sector and matches its diversity.

Principal refinements for TEF Year Three

Core:

• NSS weighting; part-time provision; high & low absolute values

Supplementary:

• LEO & grade inflation

Link with other processes:

• Director of Fair Access; Quality Assessment

There will be no changes to the overall structure or methodology of the TEFThere will be the same method and process of assessment, with peer review central and the same criteria, ratings, core metrics and the same use of the provider submission.

TEF Year Three: Key dates

Date Activity

9 October 2017 DfE publish TEF specification and Lessons Learned report

19 October 2017 HE providers have access to their metrics on TEF extranetHEFCE publishes TEF Year Three procedural guidanceTEF extranet opens for provider applications to TEF Year Three

November 2017 Provider webinars and briefing events

18 January 2018 Deadline for provider applications

Early June 2018 Outcomes published

Subject Pilot specification

Model A

Top-down, ‘by exception’ model gives provider-level rating and subjects the same rating as provider where metrics the same, with fuller assessment (and potentially different ratings) where metrics differ.

Model B

‘Bottom-up’ model gives subject-level ratings, feeding into the provider-level assessment and rating. Subjects are grouped for submissions, but ratings are awarded at subject-level.

Teaching intensity - piloting two measures in a selection of subjects in both models

Subject pilot provider recruitment

83 providers have volunteered:

• 77 England

• 2 Scotland

• 1 Northern Ireland

• 3 Wales

Mix of provider types

• 46 HEIs (including 5 small and specialist)

• 22 FECs (both franchised and own provision)

• 15 Alternative providers

A good spread of providers showed interest in participating in either one or both models

Panel member recruitment

• 3 groups of applicants

• 3 types of panel

• 15 types of role

• 100 vacancies

No of applications

Experts (employer/PSRB/WP) 85

Academic panel members / assessors 595

Student panel members / assessors 169

Future of TEF

• Ongoing Evaluative work

• 1 January 2018 HERA clause 25 commences 1 January 2018

• January to April 2018 HEFCE implements TEF on behalf of OfS

• April 2018 OfS responsible for TEF

• AY 2018/19 Independent Review of TEF

• AY 2019/20 TEF subject level specified (5 year cycle)

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Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) or

by the originating authors.

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Thank you for listening

c.millward@hefce.ac.uk

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