Learning and Teaching Strategy 2016-2020
1. Aims
The Learning and Teaching Strategy is designed to support the University’s strategy to 2020,
and in particular its vision:
“To be a leading University in creativity, culture and enterprise. Through inspirational
teaching and research, we transform student’s lives. Based in a World Heritage city and
connected to a network of international partners, Bath Spa University will ensure that its
graduates are socially engaged global citizens.
Three principles underpin our vision: we are ethical, we are academically led and we are
focused on all our students acquiring the distinctive set of Bath Spa attributes”
In pursuit of transforming students’ lives we are committed to encouraging as broad a range
of students as possible to participate in, and benefit from, a university experience. Through
a robust policy of equality of opportunity in admissions, we seek to recruit students who
have varying experiences of education, ranging from those who are well qualified
academically to those who may have followed non-traditional paths to higher education.
We welcome applications from students who come from families new to higher education,
disabled students, students from diverse socio-economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds,
mature students, and those without standard entrance qualifications. Building upon the
quality of current provision and our reputation for excellence and widening participation,
our strategy sets out our priorities for the development of teaching and learning in the
period 2016-2020.
A key feature of our strategy is the central importance that we attach to maintaining and
enhancing the quality of students’ learning experiences. Our strategy is therefore designed
to provide a framework through which all academic departments and allied professional
services can contribute to the advancement of students’ learning, both within and beyond
their course of studies, by
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addressing students’ needs and aspirations;
increasing students’ learning opportunities;
enriching the quality of students’ learning experiences;
raising the visibility of students’ achievements;
enhancing the enduring value of students’ learning outcomes; and,
promoting opportunities for the sharing of good practice on the above within and
across disciplines to enhance learning opportunities across the University.
As a matter of principle the University will ensure student involvement in all aspects of
learning and teaching developments either through membership of formal committees,
working groups, or other appropriate fora.
2. Specific objectives for 2016-2020
The principal learning and teaching objectives arising from the University’s strategy to 2020
are:
a) To ensure that the University’s graduate attributes are firmly embedded and promoted
within the curriculum. Further, that they are promoted and enhanced by allied learning and
teaching professional services.
b) To ensure that international experience is embedded within the curriculum and
international opportunities, either pre-, during, or post-study are promoted and enhanced.
c) To ensure that the University’s staff and students use relevant digital technologies and
have opportunities to enhance and develop their digital capabilities.
d) To exploit fully the opportunities for employment experience and preparation for
employment through means such as sandwich year or other placement opportunities and
through the provision of professionally orientated curricula and extra-curricula activities.
e) To continue working, where necessary, on the learning and teaching enhancements
achieved during the lifetime of the previous strategy where this is appropriate to the
University’s 2020 strategy.
f) To ensure that the University continues its good record on transforming the lives of
students, in particular in providing for the needs and aspirations of students from widening
participation groups and international students.
g) In line with the University’s ‘people strategy’ ensure that there are opportunities for staff
development with respect to learning and teaching enhancement and the sharing of good
practice in curriculum design and delivery.