University hailed for high-quality student experience in 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework

University of Gloucestershire has been awarded a Silver rating overall in recognition of its “very high-quality” student experience and student outcomes, in a national scheme run by the Office for Students.

The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) aims to encourage Higher Education providers to improve and deliver excellence in teaching and learning, and achieve positive outcomes for their students.

The TEF assesses and rates universities and colleges for excellence across the range of their undergraduate courses and subjects, awarding an overall rating and individual ratings for each of the two ‘aspects’ assessed in the exercise – student experience and student outcomes.

As well as being an awarded a Silver rating overall, for four years, in TEF 2023, the University received a Silver award for both student experience and student outcomes.

In rating the student experience at the University, the TEF panel assessed teaching, assessment and feedback; course content and delivery; student engagement in learning and stretch; research, innovation, scholarship, professional practice and/or employer engagement; staff professional development and academic practice; learning environment and academic support; learning resources; and student engagement in improvement.

After carrying out this aspect of the overall assessment, the TEF panel concluded the University had demonstrated evidence of ‘outstanding quality’ overall in relation to staff professional development and academic practice. This included an academic excellence framework supporting professional development of academic and professional services staff, a teaching fellowship scheme to address inclusion, enterprise, and employability, and a range of external awards including a National Teaching Fellowship from Advance HE for Dr Liz Berragan.

In rating student outcomes, the TEF panel examined the University’s approaches to supporting student success; continuation and completion rates; progression rates; intended educational gains; approaches to supporting educational gains.

Explaining the decision to award the University a Silver rating, the 2023 TEF panel statement said: “The panel found all student experience features to be of high quality for most groups of students and courses, and most student outcomes features to be of very high quality for all the provider’s groups of students, including students from underrepresented groups, and courses.”

High quality experience and outcomes

Ninety-six per cent of graduates from the University are employed or undertaking further study, according to the latest Graduate Outcomes survey, while the University also achieved a rise in all measures in the 2023 National Student Survey.

Professor Sarah Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor Academic Enhancement and Research, said: “We’re pleased that the latest Teaching Excellence Framework has recognised that we’re delivering a typically high-quality university experience and outcomes for all our students.

“This reflects our commitment to providing a supportive and personalised approach, which is inclusive, relationship-rich, and professionally orientated to meet with our students’ ambitions.

“We can always strive to do more, and are excited to be on a journey with our students to drive continuous improvement aimed at providing them with an outstanding university experience and outcomes in the personal and professional lives.”

The news of the TEF silver rating comes in the same week as confirmation that the University has featured in the Times Higher World University rankings for the first time. Released yesterday, the rankings place University of Gloucestershire in the world’s top 1,000 Universities, with UNESCO estimating that there are at least 21,000 Higher Education institutions globally.

The University scored particularly highly for its industry links, international outlook, staff to student ratios and research environment.