The University of Leeds has been awarded a gold rating under the government’s new teaching excellence framework (Tef), which aims to assess universities on the quality of the teaching they provide.

For a university to achieve the top, gold standard it must offer “consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students, of the highest quality found in the UK” and “students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes”.

The Vice Chancellor Alan Langlands has welcomed the news: “We welcome the Tef’s focus on teaching excellence, graduate employability and widening access and are pleased to have received a Gold rating, although we will always strive to improve further”.

The Tef rating is based on student satisfaction surveys, employment rates for graduates and dropout rates, among other measures. Full details can be found on the Department of Education website.

It is hoped the Tef will shake up the higher education system and shift the emphasis for universities from research to teaching, therefore providing students with better value for money. As a result leading universities such as Liverpool and Southampton have received the lowest rating available – bronze.

However the Tef has also proved controversial, as silver and gold rated universities may be allowed to raise tuition fees beyond the current cap of £9,250 per year. This could mean that future students at Leeds could end up paying over £30,000 for a three year degree.

 

Image: University of Leeds