Skip to main content
“By creating we think, by living we learn” Patrick Geddes
Main University menu
 

QAF Top-Level Menu

QAF Top-Level Menu

University Learning and Teaching Strategy and Vice-Principal's Annual Commentary - Outline of Process

This note outlines the processes involved in creating and reviewing the University's Learning and Teaching Strategy, including the annual discussions between the Vice-Principal's Review Group and college representatives, and the Vice-Principal's Annual Learning and Teaching Commentary.

  1. University Learning and Teaching Strategy

    Responsibility and timing

    Responsibility for revising the ULTS lies with the Vice-Principal (Educational Development), reporting to University Learning and Teaching Committee and Senate. An Advisory Group will be formed to frame the document. This will include the Academic Secretary, the Director of Quality Assurance, the College Heads of Learning and Teaching, the Director of Admissions and Student Recruitment, the Director of Academic Professional Development, the President and Deputy President of the Students' Association and other co-opted staff as deemed appropriate.

    The draft ULTS will be presented to Learning and Teaching Committee and a final version presented to Senate for approval.

    The ULTS will be revised on a 5-yearly basis in tandem with revisions to the University Strategic Framework (or successor document), taking into account external influences on learning and teaching (including the reports from the most recent QAA Enhancement Led Institutional Review), progress on the past ULTS, and proposals and developments reported in College Learning and Teaching Strategies and School Learning and Teaching Plans.

    While such a strategic document is appropriately labelled with a time period (currently 2006-10), an annual commentary on developments is prepared by the Vice-Principal (Educational Development) following the annual meetings of the Vice Principal's Review Group with college and school representatives and receipt of annual reports on progress with the College Learning and Teaching Strategies. This commentary is presented to the final Learning and Teaching Committee of the Academic Year (and from there reported to Senate).

    Structure

    The structure of the ULTS is not defined and should be decided by the Vice-Principal and Advisory Group. The 2006-10 ULTS adopted the following format:

    1. Introduction and Background
    2. Learning and Teaching within the University Strategic Framework
    3. Strategic Aims in Learning and Teaching
    4. Alignment of University Strategies
    5. Objectives for Learning and Teaching
    6. Implementation and Monitoring
    7. Action Plan

    Content should be informed by the HEFC document Institutional Learning and Teaching Strategies - A Guide to Good Practice (available: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/1999/99_55.htm) and by the Guidance Note for Learning and Teaching Development

  2. The Annual Learning and Teaching Discussions

    Following the submission of the College Annual Learning and Teaching Commentary to the Vice Principal (Educational Development), a series of discussions will take place between the Vice Principal's Review Group and representatives of each college.

    The aim is to review progress and discuss the strategy in the context of the University Learning and Teaching Strategy. These discussions will form a major basis for the Vice-Principal's Annual Learning and Teaching Commentary.

    The Vice Principal's Review Group will consist of:

    • The Vice- Principal (Educational Development) [convener]
    • The Academic Secretary
    • The Director of Quality Assurance
    • The Director of Academic Professional Development
    • The Director of Admissions and Recruitment
    • the President and Deputy President of the Students' Association

    The College representatives will normally be:

    • The College Vice-Principal
    • The College Head of Learning and Teaching
    • The College Head of Quality Assurance (or equivalent)

    Further staff may be included in either group with the permission of the Vice- Principal (Educational Development).

  3. The Vice-Principal's Annual Learning and Teaching Commentary

    This brief annual submission to Learning and Teaching Committee is intended to summarise institution-level outcomes from the Quality Assurance Framework.

    It is written by the Vice Principal (Educational Development) and normally presented to the last committee meeting of the academic year, following the annual round of discussions between the Vice Principal's Review Group and college and school representatives. The aim is to summarise the outcomes of these meetings and matters highlighted in the revised School Leaning and Teaching Development plans and College Annual Learning and Teaching Commentaries (or, every five years, the revised College Annual Learning and Teaching Strategy).

    It should:

    • Confirm that the QAF processes at college and school level have been duly carried out
    • review progress in meeting action points arising from the University Learning and Teaching Strategy and allied institution-level plans, such as the Strategic Framework and Retention Strategy
    • review progress in meeting action points arising from the College Learning and Teaching Strategies
    • summarise learning- and teaching-related developments in all four colleges
    • note matters of potential impact for the strategic development of the institution, including priority areas for academic professional development
    • highlight aspects of good practice and performance as well as issues of concern
    • include prioritised action points so that progress can be monitored by Learning and Teaching Committee and Senate.

    There is no recommended structure for this commentary as it is expected to consider appropriately points arising from meetings and documentation.