HEFCE Circular 22/96
Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning: Phase Two
To Heads of HEFCE-funded institutions
Heads of FEFC-funded institutions in receipt of HEFCE funds
Heads of DENI-funded universities
Of interest to those responsible for Quality Assessment, Quality Enhancement, Funding, Subjects assessed between April 1995 and September 1996
Reference 22/96
Publication Date December 1996
Response by 31 January 1997 for first-stage applications
Enquiries to Gerry Taggart (FDTL secretariat) Tel 0117 931 7452
E-mail g.taggart@hefce.ac.uk
or Caroline Bardrick (FDTL secretariat)
Tel 0117 931 7397
E-mail c.bardrick@hefce.ac.uk
Executive Summary
1. This circular invites applications for project support under phase two of the Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning (FDTL). Phase two relates to the eight units of assessment covered between April 1995 and September 1996 and listed at Annex B. The FDTL aims to stimulate developments in teaching and learning in higher education, and to encourage the dissemination and implementation of good practice across the higher education sector.
Background
2. The FDTL links the results of the quality assessment process to the Council's allocation of funds. Bids for FDTL funds can be made only by institutions that have demonstrated high quality in their educational provision. The Council has established a group to advise the Quality Assessment Committee (QAC) on the allocation of funds; its membership and terms of reference are at Annex A.
3. Circular 29/95, published in December 1995, announced the FDTL and invited applications for project support under phase one for the 15 units of assessment covered between February 1993 and June 1995. In July 1996 the HEFCE and DENI announced that they had agreed to support 44 projects within phase one. A list of these projects and contact names can be accessed electronically at http://www.hefce.ac.uk/initiat/funddtl.htm. Further information will be available in December 1996.
Aims of the FDTL
4. The aims of the FDTL are:
- a. To stimulate developments in teaching and learning.
- b. To secure the widest possible involvement of institutions in the take-up and implementation of good teaching and learning practice.
5. The main aim of the FDTL is to disseminate good practice in teaching and learning. Its primary focus is not:
- to develop new courses
- to develop new teaching and learning techniques
- to develop computer based learning materials
- to fund research on teaching and learning
- to support the dissemination of good practice if restricted to taking place in a single area in a single institution.
Eligibility for Support under the FDTL
6. Applications may be made by HEFCE-funded institutions, DENI-funded universities or FEFC-funded institutions in receipt of HEFCE funds, either individually or within consortium arrangements.
7. Applications must relate to one or more of the eight units of assessment covered by the quality assessment method (as described in Circular 39/94) between April 1995 and September 1996. Applicants should have quality approved status in the relevant unit of assessment, and grade 4 in the aspect of provision for which development funds are sought.
8. Where applications are made by a consortium, consortium leaders must meet the criteria set out in paragraph 7 above.
9. For each unit of assessment, an institution can only make one application as a sole applicant or as a consortium leader. However, each unit of assessment can be represented in any number of applications as part of a consortium led by another institution or by another unit of assessment in the same institution.
10. For the purposes of quality assessment, some institutions chose to join together more than one unit of assessment. For example, some institutions have been assessed for the quality of education in modern languages through a combination of two or more units of assessment. Where assessment has been made on this basis leading to one profile and one assessment report, only one application may be submitted by the provider as a sole applicant or as a consortium leader.
11. The Council expects most applications to take one of the following forms:
- a. Applications covering one unit of assessment in a single institution.
- b. Consortium applications from two or more units of assessment in a single institution.
- c. Consortium applications from more than one institution, relating to one or more units of assessment.
12. Individuals whose work in teaching and learning is in a unit of assessment that does not meet the criteria for eligibility in paragraph 7 above can bid for FDTL funds as members of a consortium.
Criteria for the Assessment of Applications
13. Applications will be evaluated for the contribution they can make to teaching and learning practice in a unit of assessment or group of units, and the promise of an innovative transfer of good practice from one area to another, or from one provider to another.
14. In judging applications the Council will consider the following:
- a. How applications build on areas of existing good practice, identified through quality assessment in the published reports and if appropriate in the subject overview reports.
- b. The active support of participating institutions' senior management.
- c. Where appropriate, the active support or involvement of subject associations or professional bodies.
- d. The potential value of the outcomes to teachers and learners in higher education, in relation to the amount of funding requested. This judgement will be influenced by:
- i. The clarity of the project aims.
- ii. A clearly specified set of outcomes from the project.
- iii. A realistic timetable within which to achieve the aims and objectives of the project.
- iv. An effective dissemination strategy showing how the project outcomes will be communicated to other providers and how those providers will be encouraged to use them. The involvement of the end users at an early stage in the strategy for disseminating project outcomes. The Council is looking for the transfer and take-up of information and ideas leading to changes in teaching and learning practice.
- v. A clear strategy for monitoring the progress of the project and evaluating its success.
- vi. Evidence that the stated outcomes of the project will be delivered.
- vii. A clear strategy for managing the project.
- viii. A critical awareness of the literature and practice relating to the proposed area of development.
- ix. The clear objective of seeking to improve the student learning experience.
- x. The involvement of a diverse range of institutions within consortium applications.
15. The Council attaches high priority to ensuring that the benefits of the FDTL initiative will be spread throughout the higher education system. To this end, applications should demonstrate the potential for wider use in the sector.
Funds for the FDTL
16. The Council has committed £8 million over the period 1996-97 and 1997-1998 to fund the first and second phases of the FDTL over these two years.
17. Projects will be funded on a rolling programme to ensure that all units of assessment have an opportunity to bid. Successful applicants under phase two of the FDTL should begin to receive funding on 1 October 1997.
18. The Council wishes to encourage a varied portfolio of projects within phase two of the FDTL. Funding will be provided for projects lasting up to three years; grants awarded for any one project are unlikely to exceed a total of £250,000 over three years, or £100,000 in any one year. Applications are invited for projects up to £250,000. It is expected that this level of funding will be allocated predominantly to consortium projects. Applications for smaller amounts of funding will be considered favourably.
19. Applications may include funding for the following areas:
- staff time
- contracts for project staff
- project management
- project evaluation
- dissemination of project outcomes
- travel and subsistence
- equipment (up to 10 per cent of the total project cost).
20. Funding under the FDTL initiative does not include overhead costs.
Application Process
21. There will be two stages: first-stage applications should be submitted by 31 January 1997; second-stage applications by 30 April 1997. Applicants will be notified of the results of the first stage process by 28 February 1997. Decisions on second-stage applications will be given by 31 July 1997.
22. For the first stage, applicants should complete the form at Annex C, and submit a statement of up to 2,000 words, covering the following areas:
- the area of teaching and learning development
- the aims of the project
- the proposed methodology
- the project milestones and outcomes
- the strategy for dissemination
- the strategy for project evaluation
- the strategy for project management.
23. Applicants who are invited to submit proposals for the second-stage competition will have the time and opportunity to develop their proposals in the light of additional advice and guidance from the Council.
24. Applications will be accepted by post only. No faxes or e-mails will be accepted.
25. Five copies of the first-stage application should be returned to Caroline Bardrick in the FDTL secretariat at the HEFCE. At least one copy must be single sided, unbound, and with all pages numbered (paragraph 15 of Annex C also refers).
Project Co-ordination
26. Within the funds allocated for the FDTL, funds have been earmarked to cover the cost of project co-ordination including the appointment of the FDTL national co-ordinator. The responsibilities of the co-ordinator will include: advice to the Council on the development and promotion of the FDTL initiative; evaluation of projects and the overall initiative; dissemination of project activities throughout the sector; and liaison between projects. It is expected that the national co-ordinator will be in post in early 1997.
Evaluation Procedures
27. The Council will evaluate the FDTL initiative in two ways. First, individual and consortium projects will be subject to periodic reviews, which will be established in the formal agreement with the Council. The allocation of funds for each project will be phased and related to its successful progress. Secondly, the FDTL programme as a whole will be evaluated to ensure that the aims of the Fund have been realised and that value for money has been obtained.
Phase Three of the FDTL
28. Phase three of the FDTL will relate to units of assessment covered between October 1996 and September 1998. For this group it is expected that funding will begin in October 1999. The timetable and procedures for phase three applications will be announced later.
Further Information
29. All enquiries should be addressed to the FDTL secretariat through Gerry Taggart on 0117 931 7452 or Caroline Bardrick on 0117 931 7397.
Annex A
Advisory Group for the Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning
Membership
- Chairman
- Dr Peter Milton, Acting Director of Quality Assessment, HEFCE
- Members
- Mrs Catherine Cunningham, Director, Graduate School of International Business, University of Bristol
- Professor Lewis Elton, Professor of Higher Education, University College London
- Professor Graham Gibbs, Academic Director, Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford Brookes University
- Professor Arnold Goldman, Director of Quality Enhancement, University of Kent at Canterbury
- Dr Dai Hounsell, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Assessment, University of Edinburgh
- Mrs Robin Middlehurst, Director, Quality Enhancement Group, Higher Education Quality Council
- Mrs Valerie Stead OBE, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Greenwich
- Dr Stephen Swithenby, Sub-Dean Research, Faculty of Science, The Open University
- Secretary and Project Manager, Mr Gerry Taggart, Quality Assessment Division, HEFCE
Terms of Reference
1. In the light of the views of the Quality Assessment Committee (QAC) and the Council, to advise on the programme of activity associated with the FDTL.
2. To commission advice as appropriate.
3. In the light of advice from the QAC and the Council, to establish the criteria for the selection of projects including the specification of outcomes, and to undertake the selection of projects.
4. To make recommendations to the QAC on the selection and funding of projects under the FDTL programme.
5. To evaluate the progress of the FDTL projects.
6. To report annually to the QAC.
Annex B
Units Assessed between April 1995 and September 1996
| Unit of Assessment | Unit Title | HESA Subject Codes and Titles |
| 22 | Chemical engineering | H8 Chemical engineering |
| 37 | Sociology | L3 Sociology |
| 41 | Linguistics | Q1 Linguistics |
| 44 | French | R1 French language, literature and culture |
| 45 | German and related languages | R2 German language, literature and culture R7 Scandinavian languages, literature and culture T22 Dutch |
| 46 | Italian | R3 Italian language, literature and culture |
| 47 | Iberian languages and studies | R4 Spanish languages, literature and culture R5 Portuguese languages, literature and culture R6 Latin-American languages, literature and culture |
| 48 | Russian and Eastern European languages and studies | R8 Russian language, literature and culture T1 Slavonic and East European languages literature and culture |
Annex C
Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning: Phase Two
First-Stage Application Form
Please type your responses or complete in black ink.
1. Principal applicant
Title ...................... Initials .............. Surname .................................................
Post held .........................................................................................................
2. Department and institution of principal applicant and administrating institution for all correspondence
Department ........................................................................................
Institution ........................................................................................
Full Address .........................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
Telephone number, including STD code and extension ...................................................
Fax number ..................................................
E-mail address ..................................................
3. Co-Applicants (if applicable)
Please include full details for all co-applicants within consortium applications
Title ................................................................................................
Initials ................................................................................................
Surname ...............................................................................................
.
Post held ................................................................................................
Department ................................................................................................
Institution ................................................................................................
Full Address ................................................................................................
................................................................................................
Telephone number, including STD code and extension.........................................................
Fax number ..........................................................
E-mail address ................................................................................................
4. Title of project
5. Brief description of project (maximum 150 words).
6. Unit(s) of assessment covered in the project (please tick)
- Chemical Engineering
- Sociology
- Linguistics
- French
- German and related languages
- Italian
- Iberian languages and studies
- Russian and Eastern European languages and studies
7. Aspect(s) of provision covered in the project (please tick)
- Curriculum design, content and organisation
- Teaching, learning and assessment
- Student progression and achievement
- Student support and guidance
- Learning resources
- Quality assurance and enhancement
8. Total amount requested £ ..........
9. Project Start date Day ......... Month .......... Year .................
10. Period requested Months ...................
11. Financial details
| Summary of funds requested | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | Total |
| Staff | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Travel and subsistence | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Dissemination | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Equipment | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Evaluation | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Other costs (please detail) | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Total | £ | £ | £ | £ |
12. Format and submission of bids
For the first-stage application you may submit a supporting statement of no more than 2,000 words. This additional information should cover the following areas:
- the area of teaching and learning development
- the aims of the project
- the proposed methodology
- the project milestones and outcomes
- the strategy for dissemination
- the strategy for project evaluation
- the strategy for project management.
13. Signature of the principal applicant ...................................................................
14. Date ......................Day ................Month ....................... Year
15. Five copies of each application, on white A4, one of which (for ease of photocopying) must be single sided and unbound, and with all pages numbered, must be submitted by post. Applications should be returned by 31 January 1997. Faxed and e-mailed applications, and applications postmarked later than 31 January 1997 will not be accepted. Applications should be sent to:
Caroline Bardrick
FDTL Secretariat
Quality Assessment Division
HEFCE
Northavon House
Bristol
BS16 1QD