Impact of the Teaching Quality Information initiative on higher education institutions
Summary
Alan Brickwood & Associates were commissioned to investigate the positive and negative impacts on HEIs of the various elements of TQI and the National Student Survey (NSS). The study also considered the costs of TQI for institutions, and how TQI and the web-site could be made more cost-effective and useful to them.
A range of staff were interviewed in a sample of 13 institutions. Respondents identified some benefits from the initiative, including a reduction in overall burden and costs compared with previous quality assurance arrangements; and TQI's potential as a source of impartial information for careers advisers and for benchmarking HEIs' performance. However, many felt that the TQI web-site was not user friendly, and was not meeting the needs of its intended audience - potential students. The researchers estimated the mean costs per institution of implementing TQI were £30,500 for start-up and £18,400 for recurrent expenses in the first year.
The report's findings, and recommendations for improvement, informed the conclusions of the Quality Assurance Framework Review Group (HEFCE 2006/45). The group also drew on the following research reports:
- Teaching Quality Information web-site: qualitative user evaluation
- Needs of employers and related organisations for information about quality and standards of higher education
- Review of aspects of Teaching Quality Information in England (QAA website)
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