Transcript Document

Developing a distinctive approach to
the Academy’s work in Scotland
Alastair Robertson
Senior Adviser, Scotland
Presentation at University of
Stirling,
14 November 2006
Outline of talk
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Background to the meeting
Purpose of the meeting and intended outcomes
Developing a distinctive approach
Discussion
Engaging with Scottish HEIs and policy
agenda- Purposes
– To highlight range of activities SCs and central
Academy colleagues are currently engaged in;
– To hear from Scottish colleagues about what the
kind of support they would welcome from SCs;
– To share current SC strategies and practices with
the view to further supporting SCs wishing to
expand their roles;
– To discuss issues surrounding staff engagement,
in general;
– To provide a networking opportunity.
Engaging with Scottish HEIs and policy
agenda- Intended outcomes
– New collaborations
– Develop positive action plans (individual /
collective?)
– Strengthen relationships with the Scottish sector
– Contribute to and potentially influence future
policy-level discussions…
– Written report for all SC colleagues and SHEEC.
Developing a distinctive approach to the
Academy’s work in Scotland
– Policy divergence between Scotland and other parts
of UK
– UK-wide versus Scottish-specific balance
– Central Academy and SCs- closer integration
– July 2006 paper to Academy’s Board
Scottish Funding Council 2006-07 Grant Letter
• £2.012M
• UK-wide priorities:
– “…certain key themes, including employability, flexible delivery,
quality enhancement of the student learning experience, social
inclusion and widening participation (WP), will be stable long-term
priorities across the UK…”
– Professional Teaching Standards; Burgess Group; Strengthening
the external examiner system; Research and evaluation resources;
Skills; Workplace learning; Student feedback and Teaching Quality
Information (TQI); Sustainable development; Health of the
disciplines; International dimension.
• Scottish-specific priorities
– “…The key priority for SFC is for the Academy to match its support
and services to the distinctive quality enhancement arrangements
which are in place in Scotland…”
– support for the embedding of enhancement themes in mainstream
practice;
– engagement of subject centres in enhancement themes.
“Academy Scotland”
• 1 Senior Adviser, 0.4 Senior Associate, 1 Project Officer, 0.4
Administrator
• Co-located with Universities Scotland, Edinburgh
• Subject Centres (main site, partner sites, country coordinators, key
contacts)
• Partner of the overarching Quality Working Group
• Representation on national HE L+T Committees incl. SHEEC
• HEI Liaison Scheme
• Quarterly Newsletter
• Sounding Board
• Policy Developments Briefing (issue 1 due out December 2006)
• Emphases on individual practitioners, institutions and national
policy.
www.heacademy.ac.uk/scotland.htm
The 2005-06 Institutional Liaison Scheme:
Subject Centres- Perceptions
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Current engagement:
Good 12%
Reasonable 23.5%
Mixed/variable 47%
Minimal 18%
• Need for greater connectivity between central Academy and
Subject Centres and Institutions
• SCs generally recognised as key for increased buy-in and
engagement from Academic staff
•Academy Scotland: Enhancement and
Engagement, 24 May 2007, Stirling
The Academy in Scotland2006/07 Strategic Priorities (Board paper)
• Joining up at policy, institutional and individual levels. To
deliver a coherent package of support to the Scottish sector and
contribute to the development of the QEF.
• Practical “how to” support for individual institutions in areas
identified by them in relation to L, T and A strategies and other
aspects of the student learning experience.
• A greater focus on supporting the professional development
of individual staff. Through the Subject Centres, accreditation
activities and national recognition of individuals’ commitment to
learning and teaching via an inclusive approach.
• Increasing work with students including collaborative activities
with sparqs.
• Thematic priorities for curriculum design. Employability, PDP,
the Research-Teaching nexus, assessment, e-learning and
sustainability.
Subject Centres’ recent activities in Scotland
1. Scottish Contacts and Networks
2. Discipline-focused events organised by SCs and held
in Scotland
3. Funding of projects and mini-projects
4. Awards granted to Scottish academics and student
awards
5. Scottish universities as partners in SC funded
projects
6. Scottish contributions to journals/ magazines/
newsletters published by SCs
7. Departmental visits
Increased levels of engagement emerging!
Recent integrated activities in Scotland
1. Today
2. 2006 Subject Centre conference; session on Enh. Themes
3. 23 March 2006 event “Supporting QE in Scotland at the subject
level” and 5 June 2006 event “Academy Scotland: Priorities and
Plans”
4. Visits to SCs by SA, Scotland
5. SC representation on Scottish Sounding Board
6. SHEER project, sparqs project?
7. Scottish Newsletter- articles, event publicity….
8. Liaison Scheme visits…
9. Education for Sustainable Development, Employability,
Assessment etc…
10. Policy Developments briefing; issue 1, Dec 2006
11. Support for Country Consultants, where appropriate?
12. Engaging key contacts? + + +??
Discussion question
• How might we most effectively support each
other in our work in Scotland?
[email protected]
www.heacademy.ac.uk