Gold for Leeds in Teaching Excellence Framework
The University has achieved the highest TEF award available.
Today, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has published the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) ratings and Leeds has been awarded Gold.
This means that the independent TEF panel judged that we deliver “consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for our students, of the highest quality found in the UK”.
The assessment cited that “students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes” and that the University has a “creative approach to supporting students in their independent learning”.
You can read the written narrative which formed part of our submission and the TEF panel’s feedback.
Professor Tom Ward, Deputy-Vice-Chancellor: Student Education said: “This Gold rating strengthens our excellent reputation in student education and experience, but of course, we will always strive to improve further and we must maintain a relentless focus on educational excellence. Preparations are already under way to map out how the TEF measures may be useful in informing and enhancing student education in the future.
“We have always taken an evidence-informed approach to student education, with the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence providing research to tell us what students need to learn effectively.
“The TEF is just one of the measures used to assess our strengths as a University - our 90% satisfaction rate in the National Student Survey last year and top five position in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2017 are other important measures, as is our current position as The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2017.
“It’s important that we continue to showcase our distinctiveness and strengths in all the information that is available to prospective students in their decision-making process, including our very successful Open Days.
“We can all be proud of this result, which is testament to the hard work, commitment and talents of not only our staff, but also students across the University. Indeed, the judges cited our “embedded ethos of the Leeds partnership with students” as one of our strengths. I’d like to thank Leeds University Union, which also contributed to the submission, along with our student education team, our inspirational teachers and personal tutors, and everyone who has played a part in earning us this recognition."
While the University doesn’t support the TEF’s link to student fees, it does support its core aims: to raise teaching standards, provide greater focus on graduate employability and widen participation in higher education.
Participation in this pilot year enables the University to contribute to future reviews that underpin the TEF, so that it is as useful as possible for students and staff.
If you have any questions about the TEF, please speak to your head of school, faculty or service.
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