HIGHER EDUCATION
LEARNING, TEACHING &
ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
2014-2017
Version 1.4
Updated 19th March 2015
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Contents
Contents.............................................................................................................. 2
Aim ..................................................................................................................... 3
Method................................................................................................................ 3
Evaluation ........................................................................................................... 3
Finance Monitoring and Review ............................................................................. 4
Context and Background ...................................................................................... 4
Vertical and Horizontal Integration ........................................................................ 5
Key Objectives for the College and the HE Learning, Teaching & Assessment
Strategy .............................................................................................................. 5
Linking the HE Learning, Teaching & Assessment Strategy with the overall College
Strategic Plan ...................................................................................................... 6
Excellence in Teaching and Learning & Assessment ............................................ 6
HE LTAS Aims .................................................................................................. 6
Employability and Enterprise ............................................................................. 6
HE LTAS Aims .................................................................................................. 6
Increasing HE Orientation ................................................................................. 6
HE LTAS Aims .................................................................................................. 7
Growth ............................................................................................................ 7
Sustainability .................................................................................................... 7
HE LTAS Aims .................................................................................................. 7
Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 8
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Aim
The aim of this strategy is to outline the strategic objectives for Learning, Teaching
& Assessment in Higher Education [HE] at the College. The strategy will be
presented in a way that clearly shows how the HE Learning, Teaching & Assessment
Strategy [LTAS] supports the College’s overall strategy. This document will
demonstrate concise strategic goals that will help the College to move forward.
Method
The previous HE LTAS was produced in 2007 and updated in 2009, but needed
further development to align with the College’s current Strategic Plan. This new
strategy has been developed within the Learning, Teaching & Assessment
Committee to ensure that the HE LTAS supports the achievement of the College’s
current strategic aims and objectives. Further revisions have been made following
discussions at the Academic Board in March 2015
Evaluation
Progress of the new HE LTAS will be monitored by the Learning, Teaching &
Assessment Committee and reported to the Principalship to approve its alignment to
the College’s Strategic Objectives. The HE LTAS, and any revisions, will also be
reported to the Academic Board for final approval.
Operating
Plan
Consider update?
Approval Academic
Board
HE LTAS
Monitor LTA and
Principalship
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Finance Monitoring and Review
The Heads of School will work with the Finance department to review budgets to
ensure that the HE LTAS objectives are achievable. A formal mid-year review
exercise will be reported to the Finance & Resources Committee of the Corporation.
Context and Background
Recently the further and higher education sectors have been subject to considerable
changes in areas such as funding, patterns of participation and academic delivery. In
particular the HE sector has entered a transitional period with considerable
uncertainty as to the nature of the more market-orientated environment that will
emerge in due course. The College management therefore believes that it is now
appropriate to review the Strategic Plan and to operate to a shorter time horizon.
This overall College plan is therefore intended to have a three-year duration.
In setting out its strategic objectives the College remains mindful that it must
continue the essential features of its present provision. Nevertheless, it also
acknowledges that in some areas there is a need for progress and improvement.
In setting out strategic objectives, the College is focusing on those areas that require
significant change. In doing so the College recognises that it must not lose sight of
the important factors that have enabled its present success, namely:



Quality Services;
Quality People; and
Quality Infrastructure.
Chief amongst these is the College staff. The people who work at the College make
it what it is today: a friendly and welcoming organisation committed to excellence
and above all a high quality student experience. The College is aware that it must
act as both a supportive employer and as an educational establishment committed to
excellence that must be borne out by staff performance and the quality of students’
experiences.
This overall College plan is supported by the underpinning strategies of the College
together with associated operating plans. The format of the key strategies has been
prescribed by the College Principalship; these strategies will be concise and will
contain a limited number of objectives. These in turn will be reflected in
underpinning operating plans for teams across the College. In concentrating on
change a key factor is the implementation of the College’s vision. There has never
been a lack of imagination about how the College might change but there must be a
sufficient focus on the execution of its strategies.
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The College recognises that continuous review of, and response to changes in, the
operating environment is a fundamental aspect of the College’s operation. Strategies
and targets may consequently be modified in response to changes in the external
and College environments. In any event, the College will formally review progress in
implementing planned changes twice each year. Overall, these objectives seek to
build on what is good within the College and make it better for students, staff and
other key stakeholders.
Vertical and Horizontal Integration
The HE LTAS strategic objectives need to align vertically with the College’s overall
strategy as well as horizontally within learning, teaching and assessment at HE and
its procedures, to ensure, “a ‘match’ or ‘fit’ between the overall direction of the
organisation and the way in which its people should be managed”1.
Key Objectives for the College and the HE Learning, Teaching &
Assessment Strategy
This HE LTAS supports the College’s mission to provide:
Exceptional education for creative careers
As such, it is intended to reflect the values of the institution as follows:
Creativity and excellence
Opportunity, achievement and student engagement
Employability, enterprise and professional practice
Collaboration and community
The main purpose of the HE LTAS is to support and enhance the quality of learning
and teaching at undergraduate level within the College, in order to provide a
student-centred experience that empowers students through the development of
increasing independence. The strategy is intended to develop the College’s strengths
in the teaching of vocational art, design and media that facilitates students to
become creative and professional practitioners with the skills required for
employment and/or postgraduate study. Also, it is underpinned by the College’s
commitment to promoting equality and diversity within a framework of widening
participation.
‘Human Resource Management at Work’, Mick Marchington and Adrian Wilkinson, 3rd edition, CIPD,
2005.
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Linking the HE Learning, Teaching & Assessment Strategy with
the overall College Strategic Plan
The College has 5 key objectives set out in the Strategic Plan 2013-2016, the
achievement of which the HE LTAS has been designed to promote. Below are the 5
key college objectives and the aims for developments in undergraduate learning,
teaching and assessment that are required to support these:
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Excellence in Teaching and Learning & Assessment
The College has a reputation for the quality of its provision. Though well-deserved,
this could be easily lost. The quality of provision must therefore be maintained – and
if possible improved – throughout the life of this Strategy.
HE LTAS Aims:
i. To monitor excellence in learning, teaching and assessment through performance
management and observation of teaching
ii. To promote distinctiveness in the curriculum offer through high quality learning,
teaching and assessment
iii. To support the student learning journey towards independence through robust
tutorial systems
iv. To provide opportunities for enhancement, enrichment, diversity and externality
v. To develop student confidence and critical engagement
vi. To promote risk-taking and innovative practice
vii. To maintain high quality resources and facilities to support learning
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Employability and Enterprise
In an increasingly competitive market, where employment in the creative industries
is usually predicated on a degree, the College must improve the co-ordination of its
links with employers and its ability to assist graduates in finding employment. Within
this strategic objective, the HE LTAS will align with the Employability & Enterprise
Review and Action Plan.
HE LTAS Aims:
i. To develop and deliver curriculum content that is relevant to industry and
professional creative practice
ii. To enhance knowledge and skills in preparation for employment and postgraduate study
iii. To provide relevant live projects and work-related learning opportunities
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Increasing HE Orientation
The College considers that its strategic direction is based upon the expansion of its
HE activity. This is predicated on increasing the HE orientation of its staff by focusing
on the development of a research culture and its contribution to UK HE, the nature
of the staff research and scholarly activity undertaken in the College and a student
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experience which fully meets the standards expected. Within this strategic objective,
the LTAS will align with the Research & Staff Development Strategy.
HE LTAS Aims:
i. To enhance learning opportunities for students through relevant staff research
and development, scholarly activity and critical engagement with creative
practice and/or pedagogic developments
ii. To develop the progression of independent learning and critical engagement
iii. To clearly define the differentiation between academic and pastoral support and
student access to this support
iv. To promote and provide opportunities for collaborative learning and the sharing
of good practice
v. To enhance the preparation of students for post-graduate study
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Growth
The College is small, and in the past has not managed to seize fully the available
opportunities for growth. The College believes that there are opportunities for
growth even in the present difficult market and that these may be progressed
without compromising quality or financial effectiveness which are paramount. The
aims set out in the previous three sections of the HE LTAS are designed to
contribute to the College’s strategic objectives for growth.
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Sustainability
The College has always been financially sound and is determined to remain so.
However, the nation’s public finances will be experiencing a challenging period in the
near future. The interrelationship between quality of provision, development of
facilities and financial effectiveness can be challenging. The College believes that the
potential for tension is minimised by the provision of accurate and timely
management information.
HE LTAS Aims:
i. To facilitate the effective delivery of curricula and use of learning resources
ii. To promote the transition and progression to HE
iii. To provide a learning environment that adds value to local and regional
communities and contributes to the sustainability of these communities
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Below is a diagram that integrates all of these objectives:
Managing the inter-relationship between these priorities and functions will be the
key task for HE learning, teaching and assessment over the life of this Strategy.
Conclusion
All of the above mentioned HE LTAS strategic objectives meet that of the overall
College strategic objectives. The HE Heads of School will not only aim to meet the
objectives of the College but will communicate with other departments to ensure
that the HE LTAS strategic objectives are realistic and whether they have an impact
on other departments.
The HE LTAS will aim to be flexible with its objectives to ensure that they meet the
changing needs of the College.
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