Higher Education Academy

Their mission is to use their expertise and resources to support the higher education community in order to enhance the quality and impact of learning and teaching. They do this by:

• recognising and rewarding excellent teaching
• bringing together people and resources to research and share best practice, and
• by helping to influence, shape and implement policy.

Central to their service is providing academic staff with professional recognition, networking and development opportunities, and advice and support throughout their careers. They offer services in 28 different disciplines, and have offices in England, Wales and Scotland.

The Academy is primarily funded by the four UK funding bodies, with subscriptions from higher education institutions. 

Review of impact

In 2007-8 the funding bodies commissioned independent consultants to examine the impact of the Academy on learning and teaching and to inform its future development.

The consultants’ research included interviewing HEIs, further education colleges, other stakeholders and Academy staff, and a survey of Vice-Chancellors. The research found that the Academy had achieved positive impact across a number of its key work strands. These included:

• discipline-based support offered through the subject network
• national accreditation scheme for development of new and experienced staff
• emerging value of the approach to evidence-based research in learning and teaching
• the 'Change Academy' programme.

The research also found a number of areas requiring further development. These were:

• strategic focus – including more effective listening
• approach to relationship management needs to be a core competence
• business strategy that is more sophisticated, and is evaluated
• engagement with individuals and further development of the subject network.

The Academy has used the evaluation findings to inform its new strategic plan and work going forward.

Page last updated 17 April 2012