New tests for university teaching

A new audit process is being suggested

New methods of assessing the standard of university teaching in Scotland are being proposed by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

The change would mean the end of individual subject reviews in higher education.

Instead, a new audit process will concentrate on how to improve quality in Scottish universities.

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) is the official body responsible for assessing university teaching standards.

The current system is expensive

Until now, it has carried out reviews of how individual subjects are taught.

However, this process is viewed as both expensive and time-consuming for officials and academics.

Over the last seven years no subject review has ever found any teaching in Scotland to be unsatisfactory.

More than 80% of all reviews have been either highly satisfactory or excellent.

The revised system will mean an end to subject reviews for universities with a proven track record.

Instead, the QAA will audit each university's internal quality assessment process.

Rather than grading the performance of individual departments, auditors will concentrate on how to improve and enhance teaching in Scotland's universities.

'Way forward'

The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (Shefc) is the body which distributes grants to Scotland's universities and higher education institutions.

Chief executive, Professor John Sizer, said: "I am pleased that we have been able to reach a consensus in Scotland on way forward, due largely to our constructive discussions with Universities Scotland, QAA and other stakeholders.

"The results of QAA's recent reviews have confirmed that the quality of learning and teaching in Scottish institutions is very good, and that our main focus should now be on promoting continuous quality enhancement.

"We recognise that this can only be achieved through a partnership with universities and higher education institutions.

This is why we have produced these proposals through discussions with the sector and also why we will consult widely on these proposals in early 2002."