Transcript Prof Suzanne Cholerton

Raising the Bar – Implications
for Learning, Teaching and the
Student Experience
Suzanne Cholerton
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching)
We’re going to cover:
• Changes to the HE
environment
• Where are we now?
• What’s next?
• ‘Raising the Bar’ & growth
• Challenges
• An opportunity to ‘Raise
the Bar’
The changing environment
• Student Numbers:
– Home UG Student Numbers Controls cease from 2015
• Emerging patterns of student recruitment:
– STEM upsurge
– DoH programmes constrained
– Volatility in Humanities
– Increased competition
• International / Immigration controls:
– Implications for international recruitment, attendance monitoring, acceptability of
English language tests/Proposed reduction in test centres
– Increased global competition
The changing environment
• Student fees:
– A large part of our income now comes from student fees.
– Students have higher expectations of their HE experience
– Impact of UG fees on Home PGT remains to be seen
– PGT loan scheme from 2016
– PGR loan scheme announced
• Reputation:
– World rankings as a proxy for quality – little impact from L&T metrics
– Post REF 2014 – all eyes on REF 2020
• And a big unknown …
– Change of Government and Policy in 2015?
We have raised the bar…..
?
>5000 new UG
students
recruited;
higher quality
than 2013
91% for
overall
satisfaction
in NSS 2014
?
Recruitment
target for
home PGT
met for 2014
entry
All Stage 1
UG
students
have a
mentor
2012/13
DLHE - 94%
employed;
82% in
graduate
level jobs
>31,000
applications
to UG
programmes
for 2014 entry
?
>35,000
MOOC
registrations
5
So what’s next?
• Quality is our priority
• Managed growth in
students is an enabler
• Our current healthy
financial position plus
growth will allow us to
‘Raise the Bar’
• Investing to raise quality
in learning, teaching and
student experience
• Capital
projects/acquisitions/
refurbishments
• Recruitment of staff
• New programmes
• Diversifying our Portfolio
Challenges to Raising the Bar
• Maintaining quality of offer
• Post REF 2014 – competing
priorities
• Facilities and other
resources need to keep
pace with student
population
• Investment predicated on
growth
• New ventures – London,
Xiamen
Summary
• Newcastle University is in a strong
position, and able to respond well to the
changes and challenges
• Our strategy is to grow students numbers
and to invest in both the academic and
social experience of our students
• You and your ideas are central to realising
these ambitions……..
Areas to ‘Raise the Bar’?
90% for
overall
satisfaction
in ISB 2014
Pressures
on
facilities/
services
?
?
?
?
?
PTES 2014
86% satisfaction
with course
Assessment
&
Feedback
The
visibility of
our civic
mission and
SCTs in
LTSE
9
Choose your topic
1. Learning, teaching and support in 2020
2. Ensuring PGT students are as satisfied as
UG
3. Newcastle students as global citizens
4. Embedding societal challenges
5. Making online marking the norm by 2020
Thank You
Growth as an Enabler
• Not just about student numbers, but...
• Removal of student numbers controls provides an opportunity
for managed growth
• By achieving every year what we achieved in 2013, our
student population will grow by 20% (from 2012-13 to 201617) without further action
• Quality is a priority: we must protect the proportion of those
with high entry qualifications, and maintain the quality of the
student experience
• Recent student numbers growth already putting pressure on
facilities and capacity
Growth and enhancement
priorities – LTSE facilities
• Establish strategic
direction
• 24/7
• Innovative T&L space
• VFM
• New builds and
acquisitions
• Refurbishment
programmes
• Library / study / social learning
/ teaching spaces - Pop-up
Library; 89 Sandyford Road;
Science Central Conference
and Teaching Centre
• Accommodation - Kensington
and Park Tces; Richardson
Road Development
• Sports facilities
• Student Union – Student
Central
New Programmes
• Will give us further growth opportunities
– Re-introduction of Physics
– Sport and Exercise Science
– Film and Media programmes
– International Business Management
• Developing and Diversifying our Portfolio:
– Venturing into MOOCs The Enterprise Shed: Making Ideas
Happen — Newcastle University — FutureLearn
– Considering other types of programmes and modes of delivery
including Global MBA (online)
• Newcastle University London
• Relationship with Xiamen