Teaching Excellence Framework
In 2023 the University of Winchester was granted a Silver award in the Teaching Excellence Framework. Undergraduate teaching at the University of Winchester has been rated as generally “very high quality” but “outstanding” in some areas in the latest round of assessments by the Office for Students (OfS). This result reflects the high quality of our teaching and the tireless commitment and hard work of all staff to teaching excellence.
University of Winchester: Silver
The results are based on a range of metrics supplemented by a written submission which demonstrate that students from all backgrounds achieve excellent outcomes at Winchester. Our metrics also highlight very high levels of student satisfaction with academic support. The TEF Panel considered the University submission in relation to the TEF criteria and its judgement reflects, in particular, evidence of:
- Appropriate contact hours, personalised learning through tutorials and buddy schemes that provide high levels of engagement and commitment to learning and study from students
- An institutional culture that facilitates excellent teaching through professional development schemes, teaching awards, and promotion schemes
- An institutional approach to developing high quality physical and digital resources, which together with student-based research projects aid and enhance learning and develop study and research skills
- Course design and assessment practices that provide sufficient stretch to ensure most students make progress, and acquire knowledge, skills and understanding that are valued by employers including by working closely with industrial partners in course development and approval
What is the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)?
The UK has a world-class higher education sector, with rigorous systems in place to ensure high quality teaching. The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a new scheme for recognising excellent teaching, in addition to existing national quality requirements for universities, colleges and other higher education providers. It provides information to help prospective students choose where to study.
The TEF is voluntary and each higher education provider decides whether or not to take part. The TEF was developed by the Department for Education in England. While higher education policy is a devolved matter, individual higher education providers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also able to take part if they wish to.
Participating higher education providers receive a gold, silver or bronze award reflecting the excellence of their teaching, learning environment and student outcomes. The awards cover undergraduate teaching.
The Government introduced the TEF in 2016 as a trial year, from which lessons will be learned for future years. The results were published in September 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions: TEF
What does the silver award mean for the University of Winchester?
The University of Winchester has received a silver award for delivering high-quality teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It consistently exceeds rigorous national quality requirements for UK higher education
How was the University of Winchester TEF award decided?
The awards are decided by an independent TEF Panel of experts, including academics, students and employer representatives. See the panel here.
The provider’s undergraduate teaching is assessed against ten criteria that cover the areas of teaching quality, learning environment and student outcomes.
The TEF Panel considers evidence from a set of metrics using national data as well as written evidence submitted by the provider. The metrics cover continuation rates, student satisfaction and employment outcomes. The metrics for each provider are benchmarked to take account of differences in its students’ characteristics, entry qualifications and subjects studied.