A Guide to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
Delivering high-quality education is a primary concern for higher education providers, the government and students alike. That’s why the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) was introduced to ensure the delivery of this quality.
But what is the TEF? What does it measure? What does it mean for higher education? And what are the benefits and drawbacks? We answer all these questions and more.
What Is the Teaching Excellence Framework?
Universities and other higher education institutions are assessed and graded, ultimately affecting whether students decide to study there and the tuition fees charged.
Institutions are assessed through data, metrics and evaluation criteria before a reviewing panel rates the institution into gold, silver and bronze categories.
The TEF features three central components:
Teaching quality: The TEF reviews and evaluates teaching methods and practices within institutions, including staff expertise.
Learning environment: This covers everything from resource access, facilities, support services and technology contributing to the overall student experience.
Student outcomes: This assesses students’ opportunities once they have finished their studies, including employment and further education.
Navigating the Teaching Excellence Framework
So, what does the TEF mean for higher education professionals? Ultimately, the TEF grading system impacts whether students choose your institution and the fees you can charge.
Those with higher ratings may attract more students and may charge an inflationary fee uplift.
The TEF has three categories that can be awarded to signify excellence above the minimum standards. If an institution isn't meeting excellence, it won’t receive a rating or may be published as ‘requires improvement’.
The TEF is an expert review exercise undertaken by a panel of academics and students based on numerous sources such as the institution itself, students and other numerical data.
How Can You Prepare?
Institutions can prepare with numerous strategies that address the three main components of the TEF. Some ideas may include:
Conducting a self-assessment and internal review of each category, including a SWOT analysis.
Familiarise yourself with the assessment criteria and see how your institution aligns to make an educated judgement on the decision.
Enhance teaching quality by investing in staff development and training, brainstorming new working methods and gathering student feedback.
The learning environment counts, so ensure it has a suitable investment. Assess and upgrade facilities, resources, support and technology.
Data collection is essential, particularly when evaluating value for students. Ensure this is collected, reviewed and restored.
Collaborate with staff and students to record feedback and take action.
Benchmark your findings and incorporate best practices to ensure the institution always delivers the best quality.
Collect evidence highlighting the institution is dedicated to providing students with the highest quality education experience.
Differing Opinions on the Teaching Excellence Framework
Since the TEF was introduced in 2016, there have been mixed responses from the higher education sector. While the core value of the TEF — ensuring quality for students — is an important factor, the framework has faced criticism from higher education professionals who believe that it oversimplifies a complex process.
Below, we summarise the beneficial outcomes of TEF, alongside some of the drawbacks it might create for providers.
Benefits
Recognition and reward: Receiving a TEF rating acknowledges institutions that put student quality front and centre, providing an enhanced reputation for institutions with higher ratings.
Informed student choice: The framework allows prospective students to make an informed decision about their higher education and can make a better judgement based on the three assessment categories.
Continuous improvement: Institutions must constantly improve and meet requirements to obtain and retain their TEF ratings, which benefits students and staff alike.
High teaching quality: Students will receive the best education, and teaching staff will also benefit from development and training.
Accountability: When students enter higher education, there’s a standard they expect for the fees they pay. The TEF holds institutions accountable for this.
Challenges
Simplifying a complex process: Perhaps the biggest criticism of the TEF is it paints a simple picture of a very complex process. It relies heavily on quantitative metrics and doesn’t consider the complex nature of education, teaching quality and learning outcomes.
Inequality and bias: The higher education sector already experiences inequalities, particularly around resources and funding. There are concerns that the TEF could favour institutions with more money, further widening the gap.
Solely focusing on outcomes: While student outcomes are important, it’s not as linear as good education equals employment. Solely focusing on employment rates doesn’t consider the other aspects of education, such as personal development and critical thinking.
Limiting teaching innovation: Institutions may be prone to aligning their teaching with TEF standards to achieve ratings, hindering practice creativity and innovation.
Unintended long-term consequences: Like with all new frameworks, the categories and criteria may lead to unintended consequences, which may not be evident until they’ve affected education quality in the long term.
Looking Forward
So, what does the TEF mean for the future of higher education? While the core aim of the TEF is worthy and essential, it simplifies what is, in reality, a very complex process.
As with any government initiative, we’ll likely see revisions and updates to the framework that mitigate these issues, which higher education professionals will need to watch closely. The framework was last reviewed in 2021.
One thing that’s for sure is the TEF has and will continue to significantly impact higher education, its teaching methods, curriculum design and competition between institutions.
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