Million Plus

The university think-tank million+ has today (29 February) responded to the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee report The Teaching Excellence Framework: Assessing quality in Higher Education, welcoming many of the report’s conclusions.

Professor Dave Phoenix, Chair of million+ and Vice-Chancellor of London South Bank University, said:

“MPs are right to recognise that it is timely to review how we continue to enhance teaching excellence. Importantly they have fully appreciated that imposing a teaching excellence framework on universities without a period of development and evaluation would divert from current efforts to enhance the quality of teaching, restrict innovation and risk damaging rather than enhancing the reputation of UK higher education overseas.

“I also welcome the Committee’s recognition that the government’s proposals have UK–wide implications and I hope that Ministers will work with their counterparts and with universities in the devolved administrations to explore the impact of their reforms prior to progressing a Higher Education Bill.

“The BIS Committee is also correct to be cautious about transferring all research funding to a single body, potentially undermining the principle of complementary oversight of research and teaching.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. For further information or to arrange an interview, contact Dan Blows on 020 7717 1658 | 07527 336795 or press@millionplus.ac.uk
2. million+ is a leading university think-tank. More information can be found at www.millionplus.ac.uk
3. The BIS Committee report itself is released on 29 February 2016; it will be available here.
4. million+ policy briefing on the Teaching Excellence Framework is available here.