Policy Context

Teaching at the University takes place within the context of a number of institutional, national and international policies and frameworks.

University of Brighton policies and strategies

The University's Strategic Plan articulates an overall framework of institutional priorities which is further developed and articulated in key strategy and policy documents. Click the link to see the Learning & Teaching Strategy 2012-2015  (and follow the links in the sidebar to see all other University policy documents).

From this strategic context the University sets out to create a culture which fosters deliberate, innovative and creative steps to improve student learning. The CLT supports this systematic and multi-layered approach to quality enhancement in a variety of ways:

• Professional development for individuals including:
  • CLT courses for new and experienced staff
  • University of Brighton Professional Development & Recognition Scheme
  • Events (conferences, seminars and workshops)
  • Online resources to support different aspects of teaching
• Curriculum development support for course teams and subject groups including:
  • Events, including curriculum development workshops for course teams developing new courses or preparing for periodic review
  • CLT consultancy and informal advice - contact the CLT at any time to discuss your requirements
  • Online resources
• Learning development work with students including:
  • PASS Peer Assisted Study Sessions
  • ASK Academic Study Kit (online study advice)
  • Student Engagement Forum
• Identification and dissemination of good practice including:
  
  • Teaching awards for individuals and course teams
  • L&T Fellowships
  • Learning & Teaching Forum
  • Talking about Teaching seminars
  • The annual Academic Health process
• Pedagogic research & enhancement initiatives
  Quality enhancement initiatives - which may originate at individual, subject group, school or insitutional level - are underpinned by pedagogic research and evaluated to inform decisions on wider implementation. [Case studies link]. This process is supported through: 
  • Individual pedagogic research projects undertaken through credit-bearing CLT modules and/or funded by L&T Fellowships or external funding bodies
  • CLT research projects and publications, some internally commissioned by the University, others externally funded.
  • Research capacity building through CLT Enquiry Groups and online resources
  • Annual Pedagogic Research Conference and other events  

• Participation in national and international networks and projects
  Staff are active members of national and international networks which support and inform QE activities and through which we contribute to developments in the sector. These include:
  • Higher Education Academy
  • Staff and Educational Development Association
  • Association for Learning Development in Higher Education
  • Heads of Educational Development Group

National policies and guidelines

• The UK Professional Standards Framework (UK PSF) for teaching and supporting learning, updated in 2011, outlines the key characteristics of typical teaching and learning support roles within Higher Education at different career stages. The framework provides a reference point for institutions and individuals and was developed by the Higher Education Academy in consultation with the higher education sector. CLT courses are accredited by the HEA and align with this framework.
• Quality Assurance Agency - Academic Infrastructure The QAA has worked with the HE sector to develop a set of reference points known as the Academic Infrastructure. Institutions use this to guide their policies for maintaining academic standards and quality. It includes:
  
  •  Frameworks for higher education qualifications
  •  UK Quality Code for Higher Education and
  • Subject benchmark statements these set out expectations about standards of degrees in different subject areas, describe what gives a discipline its coherence and identity, and define what can be expected of a graduate in the subject.
  Please note that the QAA is currently updating some elements of the Academic Infrastructure, and the URLs may change. If you find any of these links broken, please go to their home page at http://www.qaa.ac.uk

International Frameworks for HE

• The Bologna Process & European Higher Education Area (EHEA)
  The aim of the Bologna Process was to create a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and to promote the European system of higher education worldwide. You can find more information at http://www.ehea.info/